E. Michael Helms Books in Order

Where to Start with E. Michael Helms

E. Michael Helms has built a versatile bibliography that spans three distinct styles: cozy mysteries, historical fiction, and raw military memoirs. Where you should start reading depends entirely on what kind of story you are in the mood for. If you prefer lighthearted yet suspenseful detective stories with a coastal vibe, start with the Mac McClellan Mystery series. If you are looking for a character-driven epic about the American Civil War, pick up the Of Blood and Brothers saga. For readers interested in direct, unflinching military history, his classic Vietnam War memoir, The Proud Bastards, is the essential starting point.

The Mac McClellan Mystery Series

Set along the beautiful and sometimes treacherous Florida Panhandle, this series follows Mac McClellan, a retired U.S. Marine who tries to enjoy a quiet retirement but repeatedly finds himself acting as an amateur private investigator. Heavily inspired by Helms's own love of the Emerald Coast, these books blend classic hard-boiled grit with humor, romance, and a strong sense of place.

The recommended reading order is the publication order, as the relationships and Mac’s personal life evolve across the books:

1. Deadly Catch (2013): The series opener. Mac is trying to enjoy a peaceful retirement on the Florida coast when he hooks a corpse while fishing. He is quickly pulled into a dangerous web of murder, smuggling, and local corruption.
2. Deadly Ruse (2014): Winner of the 2015 RONE Award for Best Mystery. Mac is hired to look into what seems like a simple case, but it rapidly spirals into a deadly game involving drug deals, ghosts, and local legends.
3. Deadly Dunes (2016): Mac investigates the suspicious death of an archaeologist. The case leads him through the shifting sands of Florida's coast and into a mystery involving buried history and modern greed.
4. Deadly Spirits (2017): The fourth installment adds a touch of the paranormal. Mac is called to investigate bizarre hauntings at a local historic hotel, only to discover that the real dangers are very much alive.

Can the Mac McClellan Books Be Read as Standalones?

Yes. Each book features a self-contained mystery that is fully resolved by the final page. However, we highly recommend reading them in order. The progression of Mac's relationships, particularly with his love interest and the local community, makes for a much more rewarding experience when read from the beginning.

The Of Blood and Brothers Civil War Saga

For fans of historical fiction, Helms penned a two-part Civil War epic that explores the tragic divisions within a single family. The saga is framed by a narrative set in 1927, where a young reporter named Calvin Hogue travels to the Florida Panhandle to interview two elderly brothers, Daniel and Elijah Malburn, who fought on opposing sides of the conflict.

Because this series is essentially one continuous story split into two volumes, they must be read in order:

1. Of Blood and Brothers: Book One (2013): Introduces the frame story in 1927 and dives back to the outbreak of the Civil War. It details the brothers' early lives, the love triangle with a local woman named Annie Gainer, and their entry into the military. Daniel joins the Confederate 6th Florida Infantry, while Elijah is captured and reluctantly becomes a scout for the Union's 2nd U.S. Florida Cavalry.
2. Of Blood and Brothers: Book Two (2014): Follows the brothers through the brutal final stages of the war and the chaotic, violent Reconstruction era in Florida, showing the long-term cost of their division.

The Vietnam War Memoir and Nathan Henson Connection

Before writing fiction, E. Michael Helms was widely known for his military writing. As a Marine combat rifleman who was wounded three times in a single day during the Vietnam War, Helms brought his raw, first-hand experiences to the page in two highly personal books:

• The Proud Bastards (1990): Helms's debut work is a non-fiction memoir detailing his tour of duty in Vietnam. Regarded by many military historians as a modern combat classic, it chronicles his journey from boot camp at Parris Island to the grueling, chaotic battlefields of the jungle. It has remained continuously in print for decades due to its honesty and lack of sensationalism.
• The Private War of Corporal Henson (2014): Published twenty-four years after his memoir, this semi-autobiographical novel acts as a fictional sequel to The Proud Bastards. It follows Nathan Henson, a Marine veteran returning to the Florida Panhandle, as he struggles with severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) seventeen years after the war. The novel focuses heavily on his experiences in a support group with other struggling veterans. Helms has noted that the book is roughly 85% factual and based on real-life encounters and therapy sessions.

What to Know Before You Start

E. Michael Helms's writing style is heavily influenced by his personal history. His action sequences and depictions of trauma—whether in the jungles of Vietnam, the battlefields of the Civil War, or the tense confrontations in his mysteries—carry a gritty realism that is hard to replicate. While his mysteries are lighter and feature a healthy dose of humor, they still showcase his lean, direct prose and deep respect for the military and veteran communities. If you appreciate writers like Robert Crais or classic detective fiction with an authentic military background, Helms's work will feel right at home.