Craig McDonald Books In Order

Publication Order of Chris Lyon Thriller Books

Publication Order of Hector Lassiter Books

Chronological Order of Hector Lassiter Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Graphic Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Craig McDonald is a reputed writer from The United States, who is popular for writing thriller, literature & fiction, historical fiction, and mystery novels. He is particularly well known for writing the Hector Lassiter series of novels. Author Craig is internationally acclaimed for this series and has also been nominated for several prestigious literary awards such as the Edgar Award and the Anthony Award. Besides writing novels, he also works as a journalist and editor. His first book, Head Games, was nominated for the Crimespree Magazine and Gumshoe awards, in addition to an Anthony and Edgar, in the category of the best first book. This book is also very famous because it has been chosen for development of an adaptation in the form of a graphic novel. The adaptation has already started and is expected to be released soon by its producer, First Second.

Craig’s another popular book is the El Gavilan. This thriller novel based on illegal immigration was published in 2011 and received starred reviews along with being listed in many bestsellers’ lists. In 2012, author Craig began working on a new book series of thriller novels in direct-to-eBook format. This new crime fiction series features the chief protagonist in the role of Chris Lyon, who is depicted as a crime novelist. Author Craig has also included several characters from his successful Hector Lassiter novel series, including Hector Lassiter. Author Craig was born as Craig Mason McDonald in Columbus, Ohio, United States. He spent his earlier years growing up in the Gove City in Ohio. Craig has used this city’s fictionalized version as the setting of his book El Gavilan’s plot. The author rose to fame with his very first literary novel, Head Games. It received nominations for several great awards and was selected for France’s Selection Du Prix Polar Saint Maur en Poche. His writing career includes a couple of collections of personal interviews with several fiction writers, called as Rogue Males and Art in Blood.

Author Craig is also credited to have done the editing of an anthology called Borderland Noir in 2015. In his Lassiter series, Craig has used historical crimes as well as personages such as Orsen Welles and Ernest Hemmingway. Several critics feel that the style and voice of Craig’s Lassiter books draw comparisons to James Ellroy and James Crumley. Craig has interviewed both these novelists and has also confirmed in essays and interviews that they have played significant roles in having an influence on his writing. Some of Craig’s works are also compared with the likes of Jack Kerouac and James Carlos Blake. Crime fiction scholar and critic Woody Haut has described author Craig as a writer who is capable of moving comfortably in the crime fiction framework of post-Ellroy. The critic has also commented that Craig likes to emphasize on the masculine values’ effects on culture and examines a relationship between fiction and reality. An example of this Hecor Lassiter, who works as a crime fiction writer in Craig’s books and goes on to write novels with himself as the main character. Among the writers interviewed by Craig, there are the likes of Walter Mosley, Karin Slaughter, George Pelecanos, Tami Hoag, Lee Child, Dan Brown, Peter Straub, James Ellroy, Charlie Stella, Steve Hamilton, Dennis Lehance, Liza Cody, Peter Lovesey, Ian Rankin, Ken Bruen, J.A. Jance, Michael Connelly, Tim Doresey, etc. The book collection of these interviews was nominated for a Macavity Award in 2010.

The Hector Lassiter series written by author Craig McDonald is comprised of a total of 10 books, which were released between the years 2011 and 2016. Each book of this series features the central character as Hector Lassiter, who is shown working as a writer of crime novels. Author Craig has done the setting of the entire series in the early 20th century. The debut book of this series is entitled ‘One True Sentene’. It was released by the Minotaur Books in the year 2011. The book’s setting takes place in 1924 in Paris and consists of the primary characters as Ernest Hemmingway, Brinke Devlin, and Hector Lassiter.

At the start of the book’s story, Hector Lassiter is introduced as a fledging writer and Ernest Hemmingway’s best friend. While crossing Pont Neuf, Hector hears someone falling into the Seine. This appears to be the first one in a series of brutal killings of editors of literary magazines. Frantic about putting a stop to the murders, Gertrude Stein decides to gather some prominent mystery writers and crime writers from the city. The list includes Brinke Devlin and Hector Lassiter. Soon after, Brinke Hector find themselves tangled in the deep web of lies, conspiracies, and murders. Hector doesn’t stop and continues to hunt deeper. He becomes torn between 3 different women, each having the dark imaginations and agendas of their own. It is later revealed that the killings are carried out by a writers’ cult that is making the literary set its target. Hector joins Brinke and Hemmingway to scramble and discover the murderer before they turn into victims themselves.

Another very exciting book of this series is called ‘Torsos and Torsos’. It was published in 2008 by the Bleak House publication. This book’s story takes place in 1935 in the Florida Keys and Cuba. At the beginning of the story of the book, it is depicted that Hector Lassitor stands against some deadly artists’ cabal and fights a decade long battle. This story of the battle against the cabal takes place against the backdrop of the Civil War in Spain, the killer hurricane that destroyed a large part of the Florida Keys, Hollywood of the post war period and the beginning of Castro’s regime in the Cuban region.

This book provides a smooth read to the readers and makes them so much intrigued that they feel like keeping turning the pages until they reach the end. It looks more like a historical epic than a pulp fiction adventure. The story looks thrilling and funny at the same time. For describing the plot, Craig has used historical epic, picaresque of Flashma or Zelig style, literal and cultural criticism, fan fiction, mystery, etc. In spite of having so many elements into it, the story does not look overstuffed at all. Overall, the readers enjoyed very much reading the book and gave rave reviews. Also, many critics loved the writing, characters, and settings. All of this helped the book and the series become widely successful.