Sam Blackman books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Sam Blackman series?"

"There are eight books in the Sam Blackman series, published between 2003 and 2021."

Q: "What is the first book in the Sam Blackman series?"

"The first book in the Sam Blackman series is Blackman's Coffin, published in 2003."

Q: "What makes Sam Blackman an interesting detective character?"

"Sam Blackman is a veteran who lost part of his left arm in Iraq. His disability shapes how he works as a private investigator, and his military background gives him skills and perspectives that civilian detectives lack. The Asheville, North Carolina setting adds its own character to the stories."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Blackman’s Coffin	2003	Mark de Castrique	Buy
2	The Fitzgerald Ruse	2009	Mark de Castrique	Buy
3	The Sandburg Connection	2011	Mark de Castrique	Buy
4	A Murder in Passing	2013	Mark de Castrique	Buy
5	A Specter of Justice	2015	Mark de Castrique	Buy
6	Hidden Scars	2017	Mark de Castrique	Buy
7	Murder in Rat Alley	2019	Mark de Castrique	Buy
8	Fatal Scores	2021	Mark de Castrique	Buy

The Sam Blackman series by Mark de Castrique features a private investigator who came to his second career after losing part of his arm in the Iraq War. Starting with Blackman’s Coffin (2003), the eight-book series follows Sam as he takes on cases in and around Asheville, North Carolina.

The cases range from old mysteries like The Fitzgerald Ruse (2009) and The Sandburg Connection (2011), which draw on regional literary history, to more contemporary crimes in A Specter of Justice (2015) and Murder in Rat Alley (2019). Fatal Scores (2021) is the most recent entry. The series blends traditional PI fiction with Appalachian local color and Sam’s ongoing adjustment to civilian life.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Sam Blackman series?

There are eight books in the Sam Blackman series, published between 2003 and 2021.

What is the first book in the Sam Blackman series?

The first book in the Sam Blackman series is Blackman’s Coffin, published in 2003.

What makes Sam Blackman an interesting detective character?

Sam Blackman is a veteran who lost part of his left arm in Iraq. His disability shapes how he works as a private investigator, and his military background gives him skills and perspectives that civilian detectives lack. The Asheville, North Carolina setting adds its own character to the stories.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order