Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Great Pebble Affair | 1976 | James Grady | Buy |
| 2 | Catch the Wind | 1980 | James Grady | Buy |
| 3 | Steeltown | 1988 | James Grady | Buy |
| 4 | White Flame | 1990 | James Grady | Buy |
| 5 | River of Darkness / The Nature of the Game | 1991 | James Grady | Buy |
| 6 | Thunder | 1994 | James Grady | Buy |
| 7 | City of Shadows | 2000 | James Grady | Buy |
| 8 | Mad Dogs | 2006 | James Grady | Buy |
| 9 | This Train | 2022 | James Grady | Buy |
| 10 | The Smoke in Our Eyes | 2024 | James Grady | Buy |
| 11 | American Sky | 2025 | James Grady | Buy |
James Grady’s standalone novels stretch from 1976 to 2025 and cover more ground than his series work. While the Condor books established his reputation in spy fiction, these one-off novels let Grady experiment with different settings, structures, and tones. Some are pure thrillers, others lean toward literary fiction, and a few combine both impulses.
The standalones often reflect Grady’s personal geography. His Montana upbringing and decades in Washington, D.C. provide the two poles of his fiction, with some books rooted in the American West and others in the corridors of federal power. This Train, set entirely aboard an Amtrak journey, is a good example of his ability to create tension within tight physical constraints.