Bug Man Reading Order#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Shoofly Pie |
2003 |
Buy |
| Chop Shop |
2004 |
Buy |
| First the Dead |
2008 |
Buy |
| Less than Dead |
2008 |
Buy |
| Ends of the Earth |
2009 |
Buy |
| Nick of Time |
2011 |
Buy |
| The Bug Man Collection |
2015 |
Buy |
Non-Fiction#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Where the Wind Leads: A Refugee Family’s Miraculous Story of Loss, Rescue, and Redemption |
2014 |
Buy |
Standalone Novels#
| Title |
Published |
Buy on Amazon |
| Plague Maker |
2006 |
Buy |
| Head Game |
2007 |
Buy |
| Wonders Never Cease |
2010 |
Buy |
Tim Downs created one of the more unusual mystery protagonists in recent fiction: Dr. Nick Polchak, a forensic entomologist who solves crimes by studying the insects found on dead bodies. The Bug Man series, which began with Shoofly Pie in 2003, follows Polchak through cases where his specialized knowledge proves essential and his difficult personality proves a constant obstacle.
Downs published seven Bug Man books between 2003 and 2015, along with three standalone thrillers and a non-fiction title. His fiction falls within the Christian fiction market but does not shy away from dark subject matter, including bioterrorism in Plague Maker and mass casualty events in First the Dead. The combination of scientific detail, humor, and genuine suspense gives his books a wider appeal than their genre label might suggest.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many books has Tim Downs written?
Tim Downs has written eleven books across three series.
What was Tim Downs's first book?
Tim Downs’s first book is Shoofly Pie, published in 2003.
What makes the Bug Man series distinctive?
The series stands out by using forensic entomology, the study of insects at crime scenes, as the basis for its mysteries. Nick Polchak is a quirky, socially awkward professor whose knowledge of bugs gives him a unique way of reading crime scenes that the police and FBI miss.