Shake Bouchon Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Gutshot Straight |
2009 |
Buy |
| Whiplash River |
2012 |
Buy |
| Double Barrel Bluff |
2017 |
Buy |
Short Story Collections#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Road to Bobby Joe and Other Stories |
1991 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Long and Faraway Gone |
2015 |
Buy |
| November Road |
2018 |
Buy |
| Dark Ride |
2023 |
Buy |
| Crooks |
2025 |
Buy |
Lou Berney is a crime fiction writer based in Oklahoma City. He studied at the University of Oklahoma and earned his MFA from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles. Before publishing his first novel, he worked in the film and advertising industries, and his experience with visual storytelling shows in his tightly constructed plots and strong sense of place.
His career spans from an early short story collection, The Road to Bobby Joe and Other Stories (1991), through three Shake Bouchon caper novels, to the literary crime fiction that earned him widespread recognition. The Long and Faraway Gone (2015) swept the major mystery awards, and November Road (2018), set against the backdrop of the Kennedy assassination, was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. His more recent books, Dark Ride (2022) and Crooks (2025), continue to show his range within the crime genre. He has taught fiction writing at Oklahoma City University and been a regular contributor to crime fiction anthologies and publications.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Lou Berney written?
Lou Berney has written eight books across three series.
What was Lou Berney's first book?
Lou Berney’s first book is The Road to Bobby Joe and Other Stories, published in 1991.
What awards has Lou Berney won for his crime fiction?
Lou Berney won the Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original for The Long and Faraway Gone in 2016. The same book also won the Anthony Award, the Barry Award, the Macavity Award, and the Lefty Award, making it one of the most decorated crime novels in recent memory. November Road was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel and won the Barry Award and the Macavity Award. He has also been nominated for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize.