Frank Corso Books In Order

Publication Order of Frank Corso Books

The Frank Corso Series is a series of novels by Gerald Moody Ford, the popular American thriller and crime novelist popularly known as G.M. Ford. Ford published six novels in the series with the first in the series “Fury”, becoming one of the most popular, receiving critical acclaim and commercial success. In his Frank Corso series, Ford writes about a different character from his other series the “Leo Waterman” series. Frank Corso the lead character in the series of novels is an up and coming journalist who for the most part exists in the dark world of investigative journalism. Frank Corso made his debut in the first novel of the series published in 2001, and since then has gone on to become one of the most beloved of detective fiction protagonists. With the first novel in the series attaining much popularity, the author went on to write 5 more titles in the series culminating in 2006 published title “Blown Away”. Even as the first novel in the series was bestselling title, it was the second Frank Corso title “Black River” that got all the awards. In 2002, “Black River” was named one of 2002’s Best Mysteries by The Seattle Times. In the same year, the novel won the Spotted Owl Award and two years later the third title “A Blind Eye” made the shortlist for the same award.

Frank Corso the chief protagonist of the series is a renegade and reclusive journalist who performs his work according to his conscience. As an ambitious journalist in New York City, he had been embroiled in a libel suit that went wrong, robbing him of his reputation and almost costing him of his career. After being found culpable of fabricating a story, he had left New York City and gone to the west coast, where he now works for Seattle Sun, a third rate newspaper run and owned by Natalie Van Der Hoven. Corso is living as a recluse in Seattle and even as he occasionally writes for the Seattle Sun, most of his income is from his bestselling book. He is thrown back into action, when the lead witness in the case of a sociopathic serial killer known as “The Trashman” wants to recant her testimony. Feeling indebted to his employer, Frank pairs up with photojournalist Meg Dougherty in a quest to establish the truth in the case. Frank Corso is an enigmatic and ethically tarnished protagonist, while his sidekick Meg Dougherty is more of a love interest than work partner.

With Corso as the lead in the series, Ford explores bleaker and grittier territories than in his “Leo Waterman” series of novels. The author of the series turned down the lights, turned on the heat and dialed up the intensity even as he creates a lead protagonist who has almost no backstory. Frank Corso is an inaccessible and remote character that is best described as an enigma. Unlike many of his contemporaries Corso character or motivation are not a function of his experiences. For instance, he has never served in Vietnam or had his entire family killed in a devastating event. For the most part, what we know about the character comes from his expositions and actions in each novels rather than from his history. In fact, three titles into the series, we still do not know much about Frank, as the author gives out as little detail as possible, which makes the character more intriguing. Even his disgraceful exit from New York, which could prove a vindicating and complex story, is not fleshed out, and one feels that it may be enough to make an entire book in itself. Form his attitudes and actions we know that the protagonist is the farthest thing from the slick nice guy package. Most of the time he does not play by the rules, and he can be said to be a churlish bully though his commitment to justice and his tenacity on defending it can be unequivocally dangerous. He has a quick wit, is an unabashed wise cracker, and comes with a relatable in your face attitude though at his core he is a sad person. He is best compared to Lehane’s Patrick Kenzie or Connoly’s Bird Parker for his tough, gritty, dark, and intense personality.

“Fury” the first novel in the series is a stunning tale of murder, corruption, and lies. It involves the two protagonists who investigate crime in the highly charged cosmopolitan city of Seattle. The first novel in the series is about a serial killer known as “The Trashman”, who is suspected of being responsible for a series of murders and rapes in the city. Frank Corso has written several pieces about the serial killer, but with the arrest of Walter Leroy Himes, he is not convinced that he is responsible for the crimes he is accused of. The novel opens to Himes on death row awaiting his execution in a few weeks. However, the star witness in his case has come forward to assert that the evidence she gave to the court was coerced. Teaming up with a freelance photographer named Meg Dougherty, Corso is determined to get to the bottom of the case. Meg used to be a legal practitioner and is a tough and sharp professional, who is more than able to handle herself if it comes to that.

“Black River”, the second novel in the series is a thriller of a novel that starts at a fast pace and never lets up. Nicholas Balagula is a bloodthirsty West Coast crime boss in jail for killing over sixty people including children. Frank Corso is a reclusive journalist and one of the few privileged to have a seat at the closed court trial of the mafia boss. He absent-mindedly takes in the most intriguing story to hit the West Coast in decades, until he is hit by a personal tragedy. His friend and partner Meg Dougherty who he worked with at the Seattle Sun has been viciously attacked and left at the point of death in the ICU. Corso vows to make the criminals pay for what they did to his partner and friend, even if he has to do it all himself. But the attack on Meg could be more dangerous and deeper that Frank ever thought as murder, corruption, secrets and lies swirl around the enigmatic investigator. He may just be in over his head.