G.M. Ford books

Akashic Noir Reading Order

Frank Corso Reading Order

Leo Waterman Reading Order

Standalone Novels

G.M. Ford (Gerald Moody Ford, 1945-2021) was an American crime and thriller novelist based in the Pacific Northwest. His debut novel, Who In Hell Is Wanda Fuca? (1995), introduced Leo Waterman, a rumpled, wisecracking Seattle private investigator who relies on a group of homeless drinking buddies to help him solve cases. That first book earned nominations for the Anthony Award, the Shamus Award for Best First Novel, and the Dilys Award. Ford went on to write 12 Leo Waterman novels over a span of more than two decades, the last being Heavy on the Dead in 2019.

In 2001, Ford launched a second series with Fury, featuring Frank Corso, a disgraced true-crime writer who gets entangled in dangerous investigations. The Frank Corso books lean darker and more intense than the Waterman novels, and Black River (2002) was named one of the best mysteries of that year by The Seattle Times. Ford wrote six Corso novels before moving on to standalone thrillers, including Nameless Night (2008), The Nature of the Beast (2013), and Threshold (2015).

Ford also contributed to the Akashic Noir anthology series, which collects original noir short stories set in cities around the world. His work across all these projects shows a writer who was equally comfortable with dark-humored PI fiction, gritty journalism thrillers, and short-form noir. He had a gift for capturing the feel of the Pacific Northwest, and his Leo Waterman series in particular remains well-regarded among fans of regional crime fiction.