Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deadly Catch | 2013 | E. Michael Helms | Buy |
| 2 | Deadly Ruse | 2014 | E. Michael Helms | Buy |
| 3 | Deadly Dunes | 2016 | E. Michael Helms | Buy |
| 4 | Deadly Spirits | 2017 | E. Michael Helms | Buy |
The Mac McClellan series begins with Deadly Catch (2013), in which Mac’s fishing trip is interrupted when he hooks a decomposed body from a Florida bayou. The setup is efficient for a cozy mystery with a harder edge: Mac is no gentle amateur sleuth but a Marine who knows how to read people and situations. The Florida panhandle setting — beaches, marinas, small towns, and Gulf Coast culture — gives the series a strong regional identity.
Deadly Ruse (2014) won the RONE Award for Best Mystery, and the series continued with Deadly Dunes (2016) and Deadly Spirits (2017). All four books follow a consistent structure while developing Mac’s personal life alongside the investigations. For readers who like their cozy mysteries with a military protagonist and a coastal setting, the series is a solid four-book run.