Drew Strickland Books in Order

Recommended Starting Point: Where to Begin?

Drew Strickland’s bibliography is split between two primary genres: gritty, small-town crime mysteries and intense, post-apocalyptic survival thrillers. Because these universes are completely separate, your starting point depends entirely on what type of story you enjoy:

• For Small-Town Crime and Detective Thrillers: Start with Buried in the Backwater, the first book in the Sheriff Elven Hallie Mysteries. This is Drew Strickland's flagship solo series, perfect for fans of character-driven rural suspense. Alternatively, you can start with Her Deadly Homecoming (also published as Wake of Buzzards), which launches the Carolina McKay series.
• For Post-Apocalyptic Survival: Begin with Soulless Wanderers, his 2018 debut novel, or dive into the Cannibal Country trilogy starting with The Land Darkened.

Sheriff Elven Hallie Mysteries in Reading Order

Set in a quiet, rugged mountain community where secrets run deep, this series follows Sheriff Elven Hallie as he tackles complex murders, local corruption, and dark conspiracies. While each mystery is resolved within the book, we highly recommend reading this series in publication order. The relationships between characters, the sheriff's personal life, and the ongoing small-town subplots evolve continuously from book to book.

1. Buried in the Backwater (2021) – The debut case where Sheriff Elven Hallie investigates a chilling murder that unearths long-buried secrets.
2. Murder in the Mountains (2021) – A complex investigation involving local drugs, a suspicious preacher, and a web of town secrets.
3. Hunted in the Holler (2021) – Hallie is thrust into a dangerous search in the dense wilderness, testing his survival skills.
4. Abducted in Appalachia (2022) – A high-stakes kidnapping case that pushes the local sheriff's department to its limits.
5. Secrets in the Squalor (2023) – A gritty investigation into a rundown corner of the county that reveals dark human motivations.
6. Vendetta in the Valley (2023) – Old grudges resurface, turning a local dispute into a deadly game of revenge.
7. Carnage in the County (2024) – A gruesome crime scene forces Hallie to piece together a puzzle before panic spreads.
8. Forsaken in the Forest (2025) – A deep-woods mystery that challenges everything Hallie knows about his jurisdiction.

The Carolina McKay Series (Co-Authored with Tony Urban)

Co-written with Tony Urban, this psychological crime series stars Carolina McKay, a former big-city police detective who returns to her small hometown of Dupray, West Virginia. Recovering from an on-duty injury, she is quickly drawn back into investigations when sadistic criminals and serial killers threaten the town. This series is famous for its dark themes and intense pacing.

Note that the first three books in this series were originally published under bird-themed titles before being renamed for wider thriller audiences. Both titles are noted below to help you avoid buying the same book twice.

1. Her Deadly Homecoming / Wake of Buzzards (2020) – McKay returns to Dupray only to find herself investigating a horrifying series of murders.
2. Her Killer Confession / Mutation of Thrushes (2020) – A chilling confession leads to a twisted hunt for a killer hiding in plain sight.
3. Her Deadly Double Life / Siege of Herons (2020) – McKay unravels a double life that threatens to destroy everything she holds dear.
4. Poaching Grounds (2021) – The investigation takes McKay into the dangerous wilderness surrounding Dupray.
5. Winter's Obsession (2022) – A cold-weather mystery where a stalker's obsession turns deadly.
6. The Nameless Graves (2023) – Unearthing historical secrets leads to fresh bodies and a desperate search for answers.

Cannibal Country Series (Co-Authored with Tony Urban)

For readers who enjoy grim, post-nuclear apocalypse survival stories, this trilogy presents a stark, dangerous world. The books follow Wyatt, Seth, Trooper, and Barbara as they travel away from their depleted home in Maine, facing ruthless gangs and cannibals on the highway. This is a fast-paced survival thriller that should be read in chronological order.

1. The Land Darkened (2020)
2. Flesh of the Sons (2020)
3. Valley of Dying Stars (2021)

Soulless Wanderers Series

Strickland's debut series is a post-apocalyptic zombie horror mystery. The plot follows an uneasy alliance between Paxton, a youth pastor desperately trying to find his wife, and Daniel, a convicted serial killer. The series tracks their survival in a world devastated by a mysterious cosmic event that turns humans into flesh-eating monsters. Reading this series in order is essential to follow the complex character arcs.

1. Soulless Wanderers (2018)
2. Patriarch (2018)
3. Exodus (2019)
4. Resurrection (2020)

Drew Strickland’s Standalone Thrillers

If you want a quick, self-contained mystery without committing to a multi-book series, Strickland has also written standalone psychological thrillers. These can be read in any order.

• Last Minute Guest (2023)
• A Secret Worth Keeping (2024)

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving in, keep these tips in mind. First, Drew Strickland's thrillers are known for their dark, morally gray characters and graphic suspense, particularly the Carolina McKay and Cannibal Country series. If you prefer cozy mysteries, the Sheriff Elven Hallie series is a bit more grounded in traditional law enforcement but still features gritty themes. Second, keep an eye out for book titles; the renaming of the early Carolina McKay novels can be confusing, so double-check the subtitle aliases (like Wake of Buzzards) before making a purchase.