Michael Harvey books

Michael Harvey is a Chicago-based crime writer and former investigative journalist known for the Michael Kelly private detective series and several standalone thrillers.

Michael Kelly Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Chicago Way 2007 Buy
The Fifth Floor 2008 Buy
The Third Rail 2010 Buy
We All Fall Down 2011 Buy
The Governor’s Wife 2015 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Innocence Game 2013 Buy
Brighton 2016 Buy
Pulse 2018 Buy

Michael Harvey is a crime writer from Chicago whose fiction draws on his background as an investigative journalist and television producer. His first novel, The Chicago Way (2007), introduced private detective Michael Kelly, a former cop who works cases that pull him into the corrupt underside of Chicago politics. The Kelly series ran for five books through The Governor’s Wife (2015).

Outside the Kelly series, Harvey wrote three standalone novels. The Innocence Game (2013) deals with a wrongful conviction investigation, Brighton (2016) is a coming-of-age crime novel set in 1970s Boston, and Pulse (2018) blends thriller elements with science fiction. His writing is rooted in a noir sensibility, with sharp dialogue and a strong sense of place.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Michael Harvey written?

Michael Harvey has written eight books across two series.

What was Michael Harvey's first book?

Michael Harvey’s first book is The Chicago Way, published in 2007.

Is Michael Harvey's Michael Kelly series set in Chicago?

Yes. All five Michael Kelly novels are set in Chicago, and the city is central to the books. Harvey, who is from Chicago himself, uses real neighborhoods, landmarks, and the city’s political culture as the backdrop for Kelly’s investigations.

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