Douglas Corleone Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Douglas Corleone

Douglas Corleone's work generally falls into two distinct categories: courtroom-centric legal mysteries and fast-paced international action thrillers. Where you start depends entirely on your preferred flavor of suspense:

• For Legal Drama Fans: Start with One Man's Paradise (2010). This introduces his signature character Kevin Corvelli, a cynical, self-destructive defense attorney trying to rebuild his career in Hawaii.
• For High-Stakes Action Fans: Start with Good as Gone (2013). This launches the Simon Fisk series, focusing on a former U.S. Marshal who works as a private contractor retrieving abducted children across international borders.

Kevin Corvelli Legal Thrillers

Corleone’s debut series leverages his real-world experience as a New York City criminal defense attorney. The series is best read in publication order, as Kevin Corvelli's personal struggles and professional redemption arc build continuously from book to book.

1. One Man's Paradise (2010): Having run from a disastrous trial in New York, Corvelli sets up a low-key practice in Honolulu, only to be dragged into a high-profile murder trial defending a young man accused of killing a tourist. This novel won the Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award.
2. Night on Fire (2011): Corvelli is hired to defend a man accused of setting a fire that killed a prominent developer, forcing him to navigate Honolulu's corrupt political and developer circles.
3. Last Lawyer Standing (2012): A brutal serial killer is targeting defense attorneys in Honolulu, and Corvelli must run his own investigation before he becomes the next target.

Simon Fisk Thrillers

For readers who prefer global search-and-rescue missions and espionage over legal battles, the Simon Fisk series delivers relentless pacing and global travel. These books should be read in chronological order to follow Fisk's ongoing hunt for his own long-lost daughter, who was kidnapped years earlier.

1. Good As Gone (2013): Simon Fisk is hired to find the abducted daughter of a wealthy couple in Paris, bringing back painful memories of his own daughter’s unsolved kidnapping.
2. Payoff (2014): Reluctantly drawn out of hiding, Fisk is blackmailed into helping a human trafficking ring recover a missing girl, leading him on a chase through Europe.
3. Gone Cold (2015): A breakthrough lead takes Fisk to the dynamic and dangerous streets of London as he follows a trail that might finally lead to his missing daughter.
4. Beyond Gone (2020): Fisk faces his most dangerous assignment yet when he is tasked with rescuing the granddaughter of the U.S. Secretary of State from a group of terrorists.

Paul Janson Espionage Contribution

In addition to his original characters, Corleone was selected to continue Robert Ludlum's legacy by penning the fourth book in the Paul Janson series. While you do not need to read the entire Janson series to appreciate Corleone's contribution, reading them in order helps trace Janson's progression from a rogue agent to a private operator.

• The Janson Equation (2015): Paul Janson must rescue a visionary reformer from a heavily guarded compound, only to uncover a conspiracy that goes to the highest levels of global energy politics. Corleone's entry follows the original The Janson Directive (2002 by Robert Ludlum), The Janson Command (2012 by Justin Scott), and The Janson Option (2014 by Justin Scott).

Standalone Thrillers

If you prefer self-contained stories, Corleone has written several standalone psychological and crime thrillers that require no prior background:

• Hawaiian Punch (2018): Co-authored with Rick Chesler, this action-packed thriller blends Hawaiian paradise with high-stakes criminal conspiracies.
• The Rough Cut (2021): A standalone legal thriller centered on an indie film director who becomes the chief suspect in the murder of his lead actress.
• Falls to Pieces (2025): A slow-burn psychological thriller set in Hana, Maui. The story follows Kati Dawes, a mother living off the grid to escape an abusive past, who becomes the prime suspect when her attorney fiancé mysteriously disappears on a hiking trail in Haleakalā National Park.