Shake Bouchon books in order

Q: "How many books are in the Shake Bouchon series?"

"There are three books in the Shake Bouchon series, published between 2009 and 2017."

Q: "What is the first book in the Shake Bouchon series?"

"The first book in the Shake Bouchon series is Gutshot Straight, published in 2009."

Q: "Who is Shake Bouchon and what kind of crimes does he get involved in?"

"Charles Samuel \"Shake\" Bouchon is a professional getaway driver based in Los Angeles who keeps trying to go straight but can never quite manage it. In Gutshot Straight, he agrees to one last job for an Armenian mob boss and ends up on the run across the Southwest with a mysterious woman. In Whiplash River, he flees to Belize to start a restaurant but gets pulled back into trouble. In Double Barrel Bluff, he is dragged into a high-stakes con in Las Vegas. Each book is a standalone caper with the same lead character."

Reading order

#	Title	Published	Author	Buy on Amazon
1	Gutshot Straight	2009	Lou Berney	Buy
2	Whiplash River	2012	Lou Berney	Buy
3	Double Barrel Bluff	2017	Lou Berney	Buy

The Shake Bouchon series features one of crime fiction’s most likable screw-ups: a getaway driver who is good at his job but terrible at staying out of trouble. Charles Samuel “Shake” Bouchon first appeared in Gutshot Straight (2009), where a favor for a mob boss sends him fleeing across the desert with a woman who may or may not be trustworthy and several very angry criminals on his trail.

Whiplash River (2012) picks up with Shake in Belize, where his attempt to open a restaurant goes sideways when local gangsters and old enemies show up. Double Barrel Bluff (2017) drops him into a Las Vegas con that spirals beyond anyone’s control. Lou Berney writes these books with a light touch and sharp humor, but the stakes are always real enough to keep the pages turning. The series showcases the faster, funnier side of his writing before he moved into the more serious literary crime fiction that won him the Edgar Award.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Shake Bouchon series?

There are three books in the Shake Bouchon series, published between 2009 and 2017.

What is the first book in the Shake Bouchon series?

The first book in the Shake Bouchon series is Gutshot Straight, published in 2009.

Who is Shake Bouchon and what kind of crimes does he get involved in?

Charles Samuel “Shake” Bouchon is a professional getaway driver based in Los Angeles who keeps trying to go straight but can never quite manage it. In Gutshot Straight, he agrees to one last job for an Armenian mob boss and ends up on the run across the Southwest with a mysterious woman. In Whiplash River, he flees to Belize to start a restaurant but gets pulled back into trouble. In Double Barrel Bluff, he is dragged into a high-stakes con in Las Vegas. Each book is a standalone caper with the same lead character.

Reading order#

Frequently Asked Questions

Reading order