Steve Hamilton books

Steve Hamilton is an American mystery and thriller writer known for the Alex McKnight series set in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and the Nick Mason crime novels.

Alex McKnight Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Beneath the Book Tower 2011 Buy
A Cold Day in Paradise 1998 Buy
Winter of the Wolf Moon 2000 Buy
The Hunting Wind 2001 Buy
North of Nowhere 2002 Buy
Blood is the Sky 2003 Buy
Ice Run 2004 Buy
A Stolen Season 2006 Buy
Misery Bay 2011 Buy
Die a Stranger 2012 Buy
Let it Burn 2013 Buy
Dead Man Running 2018 Buy
Riddle Island 2020 N/A

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
When a Stranger Comes to Town 2021 Buy

Kate O’Hare & Nicolas Fox Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
The Caper 2013 N/A
Pros and Cons 2013 Buy
The Heist 2013 Buy
The Chase 2014 Buy
The Shell Game 2014 Buy
The Job 2014 Buy
The Scam 2015 Buy
The Pursuit 2016 Buy
The Big Kahuna 2019 Buy
The Bounty 2021 Buy

Nick Mason Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
La seconda vita di Nick Mason 2016 N/A
The Second Life of Nick Mason 2016 Buy
Exit Strategy 2017 Buy
An Honorable Assassin 2024 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Night Work 2007 Buy
The Lock Artist 2009 Buy

Steve Hamilton is an American mystery writer who has won two Edgar Awards, one for his debut novel A Cold Day in Paradise (1998) and another for The Lock Artist (2009). His primary series follows Alex McKnight, a former Detroit police officer who moved to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula after being shot in the line of duty. The remote, cold setting of the UP gives the series a distinctive atmosphere that sets it apart from urban crime fiction.

Hamilton has also written the Nick Mason series, starting with The Second Life of Nick Mason (2016), about a convicted felon released from prison early under the condition that he carry out tasks for a crime lord. He co-wrote the Kate O’Hare and Nicolas Fox series with Janet Evanovich, a lighter series about an FBI agent and a con man. His standalone novel The Lock Artist, about a mute teenager who discovers a talent for safecracking, is considered one of the best crime novels of its decade.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Steve Hamilton written?

Steve Hamilton has written 30 books across five series.

What was Steve Hamilton's first book?

Steve Hamilton’s first book is A Cold Day in Paradise, published in 1998.

What is Steve Hamilton best known for?

Hamilton is best known for the Alex McKnight series, which began with A Cold Day in Paradise (1998) and won the Edgar Award for Best First Novel. The series follows a former Detroit cop living in the remote Upper Peninsula of Michigan who keeps getting drawn into criminal cases. He also won the Edgar for Best Novel with The Lock Artist (2009).

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