Jeffery Deaver is the best-selling American author behind numerous mystery and crime thriller novels.
He’s most famous for his smash hit Lincoln Rhyme detective series, which inspired the 1999 blockbuster movie, The Bone Collector. But Deaver has much more gripping work to explore, including several other series and a whole host of standalone novels.
So, if you love spine-tingling murder mysteries and page-turning crime thrillers, you won’t want to miss Jeffery Deaver’s work. Keep reading to explore everything this award-winning author has to offer.
Who is Jeffery Deaver?
Jeffery Deaver was born in the village of Glen Ellyn, Illinois, in 1950. He comes from a family of fellow creatives: his father was an advertising writer, his mother was an artist, and his sister, Julie, also went on to become an author.
As a child, Jeffery fell in love with writing, and by the time he was 11 years old, he’d already penned a two-chapter book.
After graduating high school, he enrolled at the University of Missouri, where he used his writing skills to earn a degree in journalism. He went on to complete a JD degree in law, and after graduating, he worked as both a journalist and lawyer. But despite much success in these fields, by the late 1980s, he turned his attention to writing fiction, and his career as a novelist began.
Since then, he’s written over 35 novels, many of which have appeared on the New York Times bestsellers list. His works have earned him many awards, including the coveted British Crime Writers’ Association’s Steel Dagger, the Nero Wolfe Award, and the Ellery Queen Reader’s Award.
His bestselling books have been translated into more than 35 languages for a global audience. And even today, almost four decades after his debut novel hit the shelves, he’s still keeping readers on the edge of their seats.
Jeffery Deaver’s Books
| Sr. No | Title | Publication Date | Print Length | Publisher | Where to Buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manhattan Is My Beat | 1988 | 228 pages | Hodder | Amazon |
| 2 | Shallow Graves | January 1, 2001 | 368 pages | Coronet | Amazon |
| 3 | The Bone Collector | May 6, 2014 | 592 pages | G.P. Putnam's Sons | Amazon |
| 4 | A Textbook Case | April 2, 2013 | 56 pages | Grand Central Publishing | Amazon |
| 5 | The Sleeping Doll | June 5, 2007 | 448 pages | Simon & Schuster | Amazon |
| 6 | Carte Blanche | January 1, 2012 | 432 pages | Hodder & Stoughton | Amazon |
| 7 | The Never Game | June 12, 2019 | 601 pages | Thorndike Press Large Print | Amazon |
| 8 | Mistress of Justice | August 1, 1992 | 344 pages | Doubleday | Amazon |
| 9 | An Acceptable Sacrifice | January 1, 2012 | 64 pages | The Mysterious Bookshop [2012] | Amazon |
| 10 | Twisted | December 2, 2003 | 400 pages | Simon & Schuster | Amazon |
Jeffery Deaver has written multiple series, standalone novels, and short stories. But with such a vast bibliography to explore, it can take time to know where to begin. So, in this post, I’ll list everything the author has published to date so that you can start your reading journey immediately.
The Rune Trilogy in Reading and Publication Order
At the start of Jeffery Deaver’s career as a novelist, he penned this three-part series starring a young aspiring filmmaker named Rune.
Rune is just twenty years old when she first arrives in New York City, and before long, she finds herself solving a string of grizzly crimes on the mean streets of Manhattan.
The Rune Trilogy books are interconnected, and the characters and their lives evolve from book to book. So, to get the most out of the series, follow the publication order listed below.
Manhattan Is My Beat (1988)
Young and streetwise, Rune has only just arrived in NYC. But she’s already found a comfortable place to squat and secured herself a job in a video store.
At work, Rune meets a lonely older man named Mr. Kelly. Kelly is a regular customer who always rents the same movie- a true crime thriller, Manhattan Is My Beat.
But one day, Rune visits his home to collect the tape, and she makes a harrowing discovery- Mr. Kelly has been murdered. It appears that he’s been the victim of a robbery. But as the police investigation ensues, Rune becomes increasingly convinced that the cause of his death has something to do with that movie he loved so much. Could the answers lie within the tape of Manhattan is My Beat?
The John Pellam Series in Reading and Publication Order
In 1992, Deaver’s adopted the pseudonym William Jefferies to pen these three crime thrillers starring a failed stuntman named John Pellam.
When we first meet Pellam, he’s down on his luck. His once-promising career in Hollywood has been cut short by tragedy. Now, he’s divorced and broke, traveling the lonely highways of America in search of shooting sites for the latest movies.
But violence, conspiracy, and murder are never far away, and Pellam soon finds himself at the heart of a brand new drama.
The John Pellam books are interconnected, and the characters and their lives evolve from book to book. So, to get the most out of the series, follow the publication order listed below.
Shallow Graves (1992)
John Pellam is trying to piece his life together and claw back his once-successful Hollywood career. And so, in search of a new location for an upcoming movie, he finds himself in the unassuming town of Cleary, New York.
But the local residents are anything but welcoming, and soon, his good friend is killed in cold blood. Now, the police are covering up the crime, and it’s down to Pellam to hunt down a vicious killer and make sure justice is served.
The Lincoln Rhyme Series in Reading and Publication Order
Jeffery Deaver’s most popular series stars former NYPD murder detective Lincoln Rhyme. At the start of the series, Rhyme is recovering from a devastating accident that left him emotionally and physically broken. He suffers from quadriplegia now, and his career looks to be over for good.
But when evil challenges him to a battle, he’s forced to fight back.
The Lincoln Rhyme books are interconnected, and the characters and their lives evolve from book to book. So, some readers prefer to follow the series in the order the books were published, as listed below.
That being said, each book tells a new story, so they can be enjoyed as standalones, too.
The Bone Collector (1997)
At one time, Lincoln Rhyme was at the top of his game, leading the way in the field of forensic criminology. But now, his broken mind and body keep him from doing the job he once loved.
But when a vicious killer challenges him to a battle of wits, Rhyme is thrown back into the heart of danger again. This time, he’s accompanied by police detective Amelia Sachs, and together, Rhyme and Sachs must uncover a cryptic set of clues that will take them far back into the dark history of New York City.
- The Coffin Dancer (1998)
- The Empty Chair (2000)
- The Stone Monkey (2002)
- The Vanished Man (2003)
- The Twelfth Card (2005)
- The Cold Moon (2006)
- The Broken Window
- The Burning Wire (2010)
- The Kill Room (2013)
- The Skin Collector (2014)
- The Steel Kiss (2016)
- The Burial Hour (2017)
- The Cutting Edge (2018)
- The Midnight Lock (2021)
- The Watchmaker’s Hand (2023)
The Lincoln Rhyme Short Stories
Alongside the main novels listed above, Jeffery Deaver has also written several short stories to complement the main series. Here they are in the order they were published.
A Textbook Case (2013)
A young woman’s mutilated corpse has been discovered in a parking garage. And now, it’s down to the former NYPD murder detective to figure out who did it. But as the potential evidence continues to mount and the clues become more convoluted, Rhyme wonders if he’s cut out for the case.
The Kathryn Dance Series in Reading and Publication Order
This four-part series stars Special Agent Kathryn Dance, a top investigator with the California Bureau of Investigation. She’s the department’s most formidable interrogator and a leading expert in kinesics- the study of body language. So, she knows when someone is being truthful and when they’re telling a bare-faced lie.
Fans of Deaver’s Lincoln Rhyme books will notice that the author’s most famous protagonist also makes several appearances throughout this series.
The Kathryn Dance books are interconnected, and the characters and their lives evolve from book to book. So, to get the most out of the series, it’s best to follow the publication order listed below.
The Sleeping Doll (2007)
Daniel, “Son of Manson” Pell, is already a convicted killer. But now, he’s a suspect in a newly unearthed murder case. And so, it falls to Special Agent Kathryn Dance to question him in his cell.
Pell is serving a life sentence for the Charles Manson-style murders of the wealthy Croyton family several years earlier. While Agent Dance is there to question him about the more recent crime, she can’t help but try to get inside his head and find out what made this twisted cult leader turn to the dark side.
But her interrogation takes a terrible turn when Pell escapes from his high-security holding facility, leaving a trail of bloodshed in his wake.
Dance must track down the psychopathic mastermind before more innocent lives are lost.
Jeffery Deaver’s James Bond Novel
In 2011, Jeffery Deaver was chosen to write a brand new James Bond novel, making him only the second contributing American author in the series’ history.
Carte Blanche (2011)
James Bond is dining with a beautiful woman when a Night Action alert calls him away. Back at headquarters, they’ve received word of a devastating plot that could lead to the loss of thousands of innocent lives.
And so, it falls to Agent 007 to protect Britain’s shores and bring down enemies of the state, whatever it takes.
The Colter Shaw Series in Reading and Publication Order
Jeffery Deaver’s most recent series stars Colter Shaw, a man raised by survivalists in the wilderness of America. He can track any animal, including humans, across any terrain. And so, he now earns his living as a “reward seeker,” locating missing persons across the nation and helping the police solve seemingly unsolvable crimes.
This gripping four-part series is set to be transformed into a CBS original TV show entitled TRACKER, starring Justin Hartley as Colter Shaw.
The Colter Shaw books are interconnected, and the characters and their lives evolve from book to book. So, to get the most out of the series, follow the publication order listed below.
The Never Game (2019)
A young woman has gone missing in Silicon Valley, and her desperate father has hired Colter Shaw to track her down.
Shaw’s search leads him into the dark and disturbing center of the gaming world. And when another person vanishes, he wonders if the person behind the disappearances is reenacting the plot of a twisted video game.
Jeffery Deaver’s Standalone Novels
Jeffery Deaver has also written multiple gripping standalone titles alongside the series listed above. Here they are in the order they were published.
Mistress of Justice (1992)
By day, Taylor Lockwood works as a paralegal in a top Wall Street law firm. By night, she plays piano in the New York City jazz bars.
Yet her life is thrown into chaos when attorney Mitchell Reece asks her to help him find a stolen document that could cost him his career.
Soon, Taylor becomes swept up in Lockwood’s frantic mission. But unbeknownst to her, she’s walking into a hidden world of deception and danger that could cost her her life.
- The Lesson of Her Death (1993)
- Praying For Sleep (1994)
- A Maiden’s Grave (1995)
- The Devil’s Teardrop (1999)
- Speaking in Tongues (2000)
- The Blue Nowhere (2001)
- Garden of Beasts (2004)
- The Bodies Left Behind (2008)
- Edge (2010)
- No Rest for the Dead (2011)
- The October List (2013)
Jeffery Deaver’s Short Stories
Jeffery Deaver is most famous for his full-length novels, but he’s also penned several popular short stories. Here they are in the order they were published.
An Acceptable Sacrifice (2012)
There’s a cartel killer known as “Cuchillo”- the Knife- who has a mind so sharp that even specially trained federal police can’t track him down.
But as the body count rises, two cross-border agents step in to stop the bloodshed. They’ve found his one weakness- a love of rare old books- and now, they’re determined to bring this barbaric bibliophile down.
- Where the Evidence Lies (2016)
- The Sequel (2016)
- Double Cross (2017)
- Surprise Ending (2017)
- The Weapon (2018)
- The Victims’ Club (2018)
- Ninth and Nowhere (2019)
- Verona (2019)
Jeffery Deaver’s Short Story Collections
Many of Jeffery Deaver’s short stories have been compiled into the following collections.
Twisted (2003)
Twisted is a bestselling collection of sixteen critically acclaimed stories from the earlier part of Deaver’s career.
These stories are bound to keep your heart pumping and your jaw hitting the floor with plots that are packed with twists, suspense, and cliffhangers.
- More Twisted (2006)
- The Best American Mystery Stories 2009 (2009)
- Triple Threat (2013)
- Trouble in Mind (2014)
Conclusion
Jeffery Deaver has been dubbed “the master of ticking-bomb suspense,” and it’s easy to see why. His gripping novels and short stories have delighted mystery and crime thriller fans for almost four decades, and this celebrated author is showing no signs of stopping any time soon.
Are you already a fan of Jeffery Deaver’s work? If so, I’d love to hear your reviews and recommendations! Please drop me a comment in the box below!