Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Amadeus Legacy | 2001 | Richard Helms | Buy |
| 2 | The Valentine Profile | 2002 | Richard Helms | Buy |
| 3 | The Daedalus Deception | 2010 | Richard Helms | Buy |
| 4 | The Unresolved Seventh | 2012 | Richard Helms | Buy |
| 5 | The Mojito Coast | 2013 | Richard Helms | Buy |
| 6 | Bobby J. | 2019 | Richard Helms | Buy |
Richard Helms has published six standalone novels alongside his three detective series, spanning from The Amadeus Legacy in 2001 to Bobby J. in 2019. These books allow him to work with different kinds of protagonists and settings without the constraints of an established series character.
The standalones include thrillers with international settings, such as The Mojito Coast (2013), as well as more intimate crime stories. The Unresolved Seventh (2012) draws on musical themes — a recurring interest in Helms’ work given the jazz-inflected Pat Gallegher series. The books vary in tone but maintain the careful plotting and regional specificity that characterize his series fiction.
Helms has continued to produce standalone work throughout his career rather than confining himself to any single character, making his bibliography broader than many mystery writers who commit entirely to one detective.