Barbara Holloway Books In Order

Publication Order of Barbara Holloway Books

Author Kate Wilhelm began writing about Barbara Holloway in the year 1991, with the release of the novel “Death Qualified”.

Barbara works as an attorney in the city of Eugene, Oregon. Her and Frank Holloway (who is also a lawyer, but semi retired, Barbara’s father) solve mysteries together. Both Barbara and her father have volatile tempers, which makes her relationship with her dad quite a sight to see. These mysteries combine both the drama of a courtroom and detective fiction.

“Death Qualified” is the first novel in the “Barbara Holloway” series and was released in the year 1991. Barbara had quit the law five years ago, being only “death qualified”. It means she can still defend those clients in the state of Oregon that faces the death penalty if they get convicted. Her attorney dad needs her back in court to help defend a woman named Nell Kendricks who was indicted for killing Lucas Kendricks (her husband, from whom she is estranged).

Is she guilty? After she went seven years without seeing the guy? Where was Lucas for all of that time? The courtroom in the small town is the only place that the truth will be found. That is assuming that you can find it through all of the chaos, injustice, love, reality, and confusion.

Some felt that this was a great way to start off a series. Fans of the novel found that they could not put the book down for anything while they read this story. It had some quirky characters in it, and some beautiful yet haunting writing that made some eager to read more books in the series. The novel had a strong mystery to it with a killer that some were unable to figure out who it was throughout.

“The Best Defense” is the second novel in the “Barbara Holloway” series and was released in the year 1994. Barbara has no interest to take on another courtroom case, after experiencing the events of “Death Qualified”. She is simply satisfied just working from a cafe’s booth in a working class neighborhood located in Eugene. Barbara busies herself, only helping folks with inconsequential law problems. When Baby Killer Kennerman’s sister asks Barbara for assistance, and starts investigating things. She finds that some incompetent attorneys along with a right wing press’ smear campaign will allow one killer to be set free.

The more she digs into the case, the more horrible things that she finds, and more and more finds that the best defense is probably not going to be enough.

Some readers found themselves liking this one even more than the first book in the series. Fans of the novel enjoyed the drama and proceedings in the court, as it was simply one twist following another. The novel has some excellent writing that is so vivid that it truly does come to life, and for some, it is better than some movies. Barbara is a thorny and dense character while her dad is just as interesting as her.

“For the Defense” is the third novel in the “Barbara Holloway” series and was released in the year 1996. When Teddy Wendover was eight years old, he had an accident that left him severely retarded. It makes him a big eight year old, even at the age of twenty-eight. Did this accident turn him into a killer full of cold blood?

Harry Knecht (who is a congressman from Oregon) was found bludgeoned to death. This man put the field trip that was responsible for Teddy being injured.

Two more killings occur that make Barbara Holloway believe that there are more people guilty. Before she can make her dramatic performance in the courtroom, she has to sift through everything the case has to offer her. And at the end she finds that the truth she finds is far more dangerous than any speculation.

Some are glad they found this series, as it really delivers some entertaining and thrilling stories. Readers hope that this series has many more installments that are just as good as these first three were. Fans of the novel like how well Kate is able to write about the Oregon area and takes them there into the world. Barbara is a well drawn character and she feels entirely real.

“Defense for the Devil” is the fourth novel in the “Barbara Holloway” series and was released in the year 1999. Barbara Holloway takes on Maggie Folsum as her client and believes it will simply be about getting back child support for this single mother.

Maggie’s husband, who abused her, is found killed brutally, and it pulls Barbara into drama that spins out of control pretty fast.

Some readers were left with the feeling that this was the best book in the entire series. The entire time they were reading the story, they were wanting to know just what was going to happen next in the story. Fans of the novel enjoyed the legal and investigative work in the book, not to mention the added side plots that the characters get into in the story. Once readers get into the series, readers cannot get enough of the entertaining books.

“No Defense” is the fifth novel in the “Barbara Holloway” series and was released in the year 2000. Barbara accepts what might just be an impossible case. Lara and Vinny Jessup’s great marriage ends in tragedy and it makes Lara suspect number one after she gets accused of staging the accident that was responsible for killing Vinny.

Barbara takes this case on with only a puzzling box of papers of the unsolved murder of Vinny’s son, as well as Lara’s word that she did not kill her husband. This may be the largest challenge she has ever had in her career; she will have to defend a client that is innocent and without a defense.

Whether readers are new to this series or not, upon finishing this book, they will read more of her work. Fans of the novel found themselves investing in Lara and her teenager son Nathan. Another good story from this series that moves right along towards an ending that wills surprise readers. This author does a great job of hooking readers in early and making them unable to put the book down for very long.