American West Trilogy Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Hard Country |
2012 |
Buy |
| Backlands |
2014 |
Buy |
| The Last Ranch |
2016 |
Buy |
Kevin Kerney Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Tularosa |
1996 |
Buy |
| Mexican Hat |
1997 |
Buy |
| Serpent Gate |
1998 |
Buy |
| Hermit’s Peak |
1999 |
Buy |
| The Judas Judge |
2000 |
Buy |
| Under the Color of Law |
2001 |
Buy |
| The Big Gamble |
2002 |
Buy |
| Everyone Dies |
2003 |
Buy |
| Slow Kill |
2004 |
Buy |
| Nothing But Trouble |
2005 |
Buy |
| Death Song |
2007 |
Buy |
| Dead or Alive |
2008 |
Buy |
| Residue |
2018 |
Buy |
| Head Wounds |
2020 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| The Long Ago |
2023 |
Buy |
| Night in the City |
2025 |
Buy |
Michael McGarrity has published nineteen novels since 1996, most of them set in New Mexico. His Kevin Kerney series runs to fourteen books and follows a New Mexico police chief through investigations that range from desert murders to political corruption. McGarrity’s law enforcement background and his years in New Mexico give the series its sense of place and procedural authenticity.
The American West Trilogy — Hard Country (2012), Backlands (2014), and The Last Ranch (2016) — is a separate project, tracing a ranching family across nearly a century of New Mexico history. The trilogy is more ambitious in scope than the mysteries, covering the transformation of the American West from open range to the nuclear age. McGarrity has also published standalone novels, with The Long Ago (2023) and Night in the City (2025) representing his most recent work.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Michael McGarrity written?
Michael McGarrity has written nineteen books across three series.
What was Michael McGarrity's first book?
Michael McGarrity’s first book is Tularosa, published in 1996.
How does McGarrity's background inform his novels?
McGarrity has lived in New Mexico for decades and worked in law enforcement, including as a deputy sheriff. His Kevin Kerney mysteries are set across the state, from the Tularosa Basin to Santa Fe, and the procedural details reflect firsthand knowledge. The American West Trilogy draws on his deep connection to the land and its history, following a ranching family from the 1870s through the mid-twentieth century.