Where to Start with Douglas Schofield
Douglas Schofield spent over three decades working as a trial lawyer in Canada, Bermuda, and the Cayman Islands. That real-world courtroom experience and deep understanding of the criminal justice system flow directly into his high-octane suspense novels. Because all of Schofield’s fiction books are standalones, you do not have to worry about missing crucial backstory from previous entries. You can read them in any order you choose. However, some entry points are definitely better than others depending on what subgenres you enjoy.
If you love a grounded, fast-paced chase with legal details, your best starting point is Flight Risks (2010), his debut novel. It features his signature style: a strong, resilient female lead, international conspiracy, and authentic legal procedure. If you prefer a thriller with a mind-bending, speculative twist, start with Time of Departure (2015). This novel blends a traditional police procedural with time-bending elements, making it one of his most popular and discussed works. If you are a fan of historical conspiracy theories, Succession (2012) is the perfect place to begin.
Douglas Schofield Books in Publication Order
While you do not need to follow a chronological timeline, reading Schofield's books in publication order lets you see how his writing evolved from classic legal thrillers to stories with paranormal, true-crime, and science fiction elements. Here is the publication order of his fictional thrillers:
- Flight Risks (2010)
- Succession (2012)
- Time of Departure (2015)
- Storm Rising (2016)
- Killing Pace (2017)
- The Last Viracocha (2024)
In addition to his fiction, Schofield also co-authored a highly acclaimed work of non-fiction:
- Giovanni's Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos (2021)
A Closer Look at the Thrillers
Flight Risks (2010)
Schofield's debut novel introduces Grace Palliser, a legal secretary, recovering addict, and divorced mother fighting to regain custody of her daughter. When Grace discovers evidence of a massive global fraud scheme involving dormant bank accounts belonging to Holocaust victims, she is thrust into a dangerous conspiracy. Framed for three murders, Grace goes on the run in an international manhunt stretching from Canada and the United States to Switzerland and the Cayman Islands. It is a classic legal page-turner that establishes Schofield's talent for creating vulnerable yet highly capable female protagonists.
Succession (2012)
This novel blends historical mystery with modern political intrigue. The story operates on a fascinating historical "what-if": What if King George III secretly married a woman named Hannah Lightfoot before ascending the throne, making the entire current British royal lineage illegitimate? Surgical resident Dr. Emma Parks is caught in the crosshairs of this secret on the day of Princess Diana's funeral. Emma must survive betrayal, an emergency medical procedure she is untrained for, and a ruthless killer as she uncovers a conspiracy that could destabilize the British monarchy.
Time of Departure (2015)
Claire Talbot is a young, ambitious felony prosecutor in Florida who reopens a cold case involving a series of abductions from the late 1970s. Assisting her is Marc Hastings, a retired cop who worked the original case and exhibits an eerie, personal familiarity with Claire. What starts as a grounded police procedural quickly shifts into a mind-bending, speculative thriller where the key to solving the murders lies not in the past, but in Claire's own future. It is a highly original story that leaves readers questioning the boundaries of time and destiny.
Storm Rising (2016)
Five years after her police officer husband Jack was murdered, Lucy Hendricks returns to her old home in Bayonne, New Jersey, to rebuild her life. However, her young son Kevin begins demonstrating erratic behavior and revealing specific details about his father's murder that he could not possibly know. Lucy begins her own investigation, navigating corrupt police officers and accepting help from a local Mafia boss. The tension builds to a dramatic climax as Hurricane Sandy hits the coast, forcing Lucy to defend her son against both the elements and the killers.
Killing Pace (2017)
Lisa Green wakes up captive in a remote cabin in the Florida Everglades, suffering from amnesia. Her captor claims to be her fiancé, but her instincts tell her otherwise. After escaping, her memory slowly returns, revealing she is actually Laura Pace, an undercover U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer. Framed for a double murder, Laura must race from Florida to Sicily to dismantle an international baby-laundering and smuggling ring and clear her name.
The Last Viracocha (2024)
In this archaeological sci-fi thriller, Harvard archaeologist Dr. Eve Barcelon is recruited by the mysterious Cetus Foundation to lead an expedition to a newly discovered Mayan city. As she travels from Belize to the high Andes of Peru, she finds herself hunted by a rogue U.S. Army commander. Drawing on the Incan legend of the Viracocha—creator beings who promised to return in times of trouble—Eve uncovers evidence of ancient alien contact and realizes her own bloodline holds the key to preventing a global collapse.
The Non-Fiction Exception: Giovanni's Ring
Co-authored with former undercover FBI agent Giovanni Rocco, Giovanni's Ring: My Life Inside the Real Sopranos (2021) is a true-crime account of Rocco's infiltration of the DeCavalcante Mafia family in New Jersey. Schofield applies his narrative style and legal background to shape Rocco's real-life experiences into a gripping, suspenseful biography that reads like a thriller.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you begin reading Douglas Schofield's books, keep these key details in mind:
- Authentic Legal Detail: Thanks to Schofield's 30+ years as a trial lawyer, the courtroom scenes, prosecutorial decisions, and police procedures in his books carry a high level of realism.
- Strong Female Leads: Almost all of Schofield's novels feature highly capable, resilient female protagonists who find themselves in extraordinary situations and must use their wits to survive.
- Genre-Blending Elements: Do not expect standard, predictable legal thrillers. Schofield frequently incorporates speculative themes, such as the supernatural elements in Storm Rising, the time-bending mysteries of Time of Departure, and the ancient-alien sci-fi plots of The Last Viracocha.