Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 Scorpions | 1998 | Paul Levine | Buy |
| 2 | Illegal | 2009 | Paul Levine | Buy |
| 3 | Ballistic | 2011 | Paul Levine | Buy |
| 4 | Paydirt | 2011 | Paul Levine | Buy |
| 5 | Impact / Reversal | 2014 | Paul Levine | Buy |
Paul Levine’s standalone novels show the range of his thriller writing beyond the Jake Lassiter and Solomon vs. Lord series. His first standalone, 9 Scorpions (1998), is a Supreme Court thriller. Illegal (2009) follows a Mexican farmworker crossing the border and the lawyer who tries to help him. Ballistic (2011) puts characters in a hostage crisis at a nuclear power plant, while Paydirt (2011) mixes football and murder.
Levine brings his background as a trial lawyer to every book, filling the stories with courtroom procedure and legal detail that feels authentic. He won the John D. MacDonald Fiction Award and has been nominated for the Edgar and other major crime fiction prizes. These standalones can be read independently of his series novels, making them a good choice for readers who want a complete story in a single book.