Amos Walker books

Amos Walker is the pen name associated with Loren D. Estleman's long-running Detroit-set private eye series, spanning 33 novels and two story collections from 1980 to 2026.

Amos Walker Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Motor City Blue 1980 Buy
Angel Eyes 1981 Buy
The Midnight Man 1982 Buy
The Glass Highway 1983 Buy
Sugartown 1984 Buy
Every Brilliant Eye 1986 Buy
Lady Yesterday 1987 Buy
Downriver 1988 Buy
Silent Thunder 1989 Buy
Sweet Women Lie 1990 Buy
Never Street 1997 Buy
The Witchfinder 1998 Buy
The Hours of the Virgin 1999 Buy
A Smile on the Face of the Tiger 2000 Buy
Sinister Heights 2002 Buy
Poison Blonde 2003 Buy
Retro 2004 Buy
Nicotine Kiss 2005 Buy
American Detective 2007 Buy
The Left-Handed Dollar 2010 Buy
Infernal Angels 2011 Buy
Burning Midnight 2012 Buy
Don’t Look for Me 2014 Buy
You Know Who Killed Me 2014 Buy
The Sundown Speech 2015 Buy
The Lioness Is the Hunter 2017 Buy
Black and White Ball 2018 Buy
When Old Midnight Comes Along 2020 Buy
Cut-Throat Dogs 2021 Buy
Monkey in the Middle 2022 Buy
City Walls 2023 Buy
Smoke on the Water 2025 Buy
Man One 2026 Buy

Amos Walker Collections Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
General Murders 1988 Buy
Amos Walker: The Complete Story Collection 2010 Buy

The Amos Walker books are written by Loren D. Estleman, a prolific American author best known for this long-running private detective series set in Detroit. Estleman began the series in 1980 with Motor City Blue and has continued it for over four decades, making Amos Walker one of the longest-running PI characters in American crime fiction. Estleman has won multiple Shamus Awards from the Private Eye Writers of America for his work in this series.

Beyond the Walker novels, Estleman has published widely in other genres, including westerns and historical fiction. But the Amos Walker series remains his most recognized work. The two story collections, General Murders and Amos Walker: The Complete Story Collection, gather shorter fiction featuring the detective and offer a good complement to the novels for readers who want more of the character between full-length entries.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Amos Walker written?

Amos Walker has written 35 books across two series.

What was Amos Walker's first book?

Amos Walker’s first book is Motor City Blue, published in 1980.

Who is the character Amos Walker?

Amos Walker is a fictional private detective created by author Loren D. Estleman. Walker operates out of Detroit, Michigan, and is a classic hard-boiled PI in the tradition of Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade. He drives old cars, drinks whiskey, keeps a .38 in his desk, and takes on cases that pull him into the gritty underside of the Motor City.

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