Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 658 | 2010 | John Verdon | N/A |
| 2 | Think of a Number | 2010 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 3 | No abras los ojos | 2011 | John Verdon | N/A |
| 4 | Shut Your Eyes Tight | 2011 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 5 | Let the Devil Sleep | 2012 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 6 | Peter Pan Must Die | 2013 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 7 | Tappakaa Peter Pan | 2013 | John Verdon | N/A |
| 8 | Wolf Lake | 2016 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 9 | White River Burning | 2018 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 10 | On Harrow Hill | 2021 | John Verdon | Buy |
| 11 | The Viper | 2023 | John Verdon | Buy |
The Dave Gurney series by John Verdon follows a retired NYPD homicide detective living in the Catskills. Gurney left the force with one of the highest solve rates in the department’s history, but cases keep finding him. Each novel presents what appears to be an impossible crime or an uncanny puzzle, and Gurney picks it apart through careful observation and psychological reasoning.
The series started with Think of a Number in 2010, where Gurney receives a letter that appears to predict his thoughts. Subsequent books including Shut Your Eyes Tight, Let the Devil Sleep, and Peter Pan Must Die maintain the pattern of twisty, cerebral mysteries. The later entries, Wolf Lake, White River Burning, On Harrow Hill, and The Viper, have expanded the scope while keeping the emphasis on Gurney’s analytical approach to crime-solving.