Mac McClellan Mystery Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Deadly Catch |
2013 |
Buy |
| Deadly Ruse |
2014 |
Buy |
| Deadly Dunes |
2016 |
Buy |
| Deadly Spirits |
2017 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Proud Bastards |
1990 |
Buy |
Of Blood and Brothers Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Of Blood and Brothers: Book One |
2013 |
Buy |
| Of Blood and Brothers: Book Two |
2014 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Private War of Corporal Henson |
2014 |
Buy |
E. Michael Helms served as a Marine Corps infantryman in Vietnam and drew on that experience for his memoir The Proud Bastards (1990), published decades before he turned to crime fiction. The book was well received and has been praised by veterans and military readers for its unsparing account of combat.
His Mac McClellan Mystery series, beginning with Deadly Catch (2013), transfers his military expertise into a different genre. Mac is a retired Marine who has relocated to the Florida panhandle, where his fishing retirement keeps getting interrupted by murders. Deadly Ruse, the second book in the series, won the 2015 RONE Award for Best Mystery. The series ran to four books and gives Helms a vehicle for both his knowledge of military psychology and his feel for the Gulf Coast setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has E. Michael Helms written?
E. Michael Helms has written eight books across four series.
What was E. Michael Helms's first book?
E. Michael Helms’s first book is The Proud Bastards, published in 1990.
Is E. Michael Helms a veteran?
Yes. Helms served in the US Marine Corps and saw combat in Vietnam. His memoir The Proud Bastards (1990) is a firsthand account of his experience as an infantryman, and his protagonist Mac McClellan is also a retired Marine, drawing on his personal understanding of military culture.