Anthologies#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Storyteller: Short Stories by Rock Stars |
2001 |
Buy |
Kinky Friedman Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Greenwich Killing Time |
1986 |
Buy |
| A Case of Lone Star |
1987 |
Buy |
| When the Cat’s Away |
1988 |
Buy |
| Frequent Flyer |
1989 |
Buy |
| More Kinky Friedman |
1993 |
N/A |
| Musical Chairs |
1991 |
Buy |
| Elvis, Jesus and Coca Cola |
1993 |
Buy |
| Armadillos & Old Lace |
1994 |
Buy |
| Even More Kinky |
2000 |
N/A |
| God Bless John Wayne |
1995 |
Buy |
| The Love Song of J. Edgar Hoover |
1996 |
Buy |
| Roadkill |
1998 |
Buy |
| Blast from the Past |
1998 |
Buy |
| Spanking Watson |
1999 |
Buy |
| The Mile High Club |
2000 |
Buy |
| Curse of the Missing Puppet Head |
2001 |
Buy |
| Steppin’ on a Rainbow |
2001 |
Buy |
| Meanwhile Back at the Ranch |
2002 |
Buy |
| Kill Two Birds & Get Stoned |
2003 |
Buy |
| The Prisoner of Vandam Street |
2004 |
Buy |
| Ten Little New Yorkers |
2005 |
Buy |
| The Christmas Pig |
2006 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Great Psychedelic Armadillo Picnic |
1996 |
Buy |
| Kinky Friedman’s Guide to Texas Etiquette |
2001 |
Buy |
| ‘Scuse Me While I Whip This Out |
2004 |
Buy |
| Texas Hold ‘Em |
2005 |
Buy |
| Cowboy Logic |
2006 |
Buy |
| You Can Lead a Politician to Water, But You Can’t Make Him Think |
2007 |
Buy |
| What Would Kinky Do? |
2008 |
Buy |
| Heroes of a Texas Childhood |
2009 |
Buy |
| Kinky’s Celebrity Pet Files |
2009 |
Buy |
| Drinker With a Writing Problem |
2011 |
Buy |
| The Billy Bob Tapes |
2012 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Curse of the Missing Puppet Head |
2001 |
Buy |
| Ten Little New Yorkers |
2005 |
Buy |
Kinky Friedman was a country music singer, humorist, and mystery novelist who built a cult following across all three pursuits. His mystery series, which began with Greenwich Killing Time in 1986, stars a version of himself as a wisecracking amateur detective living in Greenwich Village. The books are populated by characters based on Friedman’s real friends, and the humor is dry, profane, and distinctly Texan even when set in New York.
The mystery series ran for 22 books through The Christmas Pig in 2006. Alongside the fiction, Friedman wrote eleven non-fiction books covering Texas culture, politics, and personal essays. Titles like Kinky Friedman’s Guide to Texas Etiquette and What Would Kinky Do? reflect his personality as a public figure who ran for Governor of Texas in 2006. He also led the band Kinky Friedman and The Texas Jewboys, known for satirical country songs.
Friedman’s writing style is loose, funny, and full of one-liners. His mysteries are less about careful plotting than about the narrator’s voice and the eccentric company he keeps. Readers who pick up one of his books are there for the jokes and the attitude as much as the whodunit.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Kinky Friedman written?
Kinky Friedman has written 36 books across four series.
What was Kinky Friedman's first book?
Kinky Friedman’s first book is Greenwich Killing Time, published in 1986.
Are Kinky Friedman's mystery novels based on real events?
Kinky Friedman’s mystery novels feature a fictionalized version of himself solving crimes in New York City. While the characters and settings draw from his real life and social circle, the plots are fictional.