Kris Lackey Books In Order

Publication Order of Bill Maytubby & Hannah Bond Mystery Books

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

The American author Kris Lackey is well known for writing mystery novels that intrigue his readers continually keeping them hooked. Often pertaining to a vision of rural Americana, his novels really capture the not only the essence of the mystery genre, but the American great outdoors as well. He’s definitely a writer with a lot to say, as many around the world have come to appreciate his work greatly on an international level. With suspense and intrigue at every turn of the page, he’s a master of his craft, build a feeling of suspense in his ever growing readership.

Often writing ongoing series’ too, such as his ‘Bill Maytubby and Hannah Bond Mystery’ novels, he’s a mystery writer he keeps his audience coming back for more. Many of his characters are also extremely well drawn too, as they speak in a realistic and engaging manner, resonating strongly with the reader. Building a bond between his audience and his characters, he makes sure they’re represented in a realistic and genuine way. This is also built over the course of many novels, and he has become a household name for many around the world because of this.

Writing many bestselling novels, Kris Lackey is world renowned, as well as publishing many shorter stories in a variety of publications. This has seen him become a highly respected figure throughout the industry, with something unique of his own to say. Gaining good reviews as well as high sales, he’s definitely someone to continue watching in the years to come still. With more to follow, he’s a writer that will carry on going from strength-to-strength, from now into the foreseeable future.

Early and Personal Life

Born in 1953, Kris Lackey would grow up with a strong passion for the written word, becoming a novelist with a lot to say. Developing both his craft and his style over time, he’d create a niche within the mystery genre that was very much his own. Setting himself apart from other writers within his field, he’d find an approach the genre that was somewhat different.

Using his own experiences and perspective, he managed to inspire his material, giving him plenty to write about in the process. Publishing many short-stories in the press, he would later go on to become a fully fledge full-time mystery novelist of his own. Currently living with his wife Karleene Smith in Norman, Oklahoma, he will continue writing for some time to come yet.

Writing Career

In 2017 Kris Lackey would write his first novel titled ‘Nail’s Crossing,’ and it was also a mystery genre novel. This would also set up his soon to be very much loved ‘Bill Maytubby and Hannah Bond Mystery’ series of novels. He would follow this up with the second in the series titled ‘Greasy Bend’ in 2019, and then the third, which was called ‘Butcher Pen Road’ in 2021.

Reaching the top of the USA Today Bestseller list for his first novel ‘Nail’s Crossing,’ he fast became a popular writer for many. Writing in the style of the American Southwestern, he captures his environment well, transporting readers to an otherwise under-represented area. Previously writing for publications such as the Wisconsin Review and the Missouri Review, he’s a writer who has a lot more planned still.

Nail’s Crossing

Setting up the ‘Bill Maytubby and Hannah Bond Mystery’ series of novels, this book would establish both the style and the tone of the franchise. Introducing the lead characters for the first time too, it would originally come out on the 10th of October in 2017 through the ‘Blackstone Publishing’ outlet. Giving readers a taste of what’s to come, it contains a self-contained mystery story that can be read by itself.

This draws on greats such as Elmore Leonard and Cormac McCarthy, adding to a rich and vibrant genre of Southwestern mystery fiction. Capturing the essence and the tone of this life, Lackey uses the verbiage and mannerisms that are specific to the region. From this something quite different is established, as it provides a both highly engaging and compelling story from start to finish.

Discovering the body of a young drifter, the policeman Bill Maytubby, along with the county deputy Hannah Bond, find he has a blank history. The drifter, Majesty Tate, was last seen dancing with violent local meth dealer Austin Love, who also has connections to an up-and-coming politician. This leads to Maytubby and Bond dealing with the case, as it takes a sharp turn after a Cajun shrimper provides information of a deeper conspiracy. Who killed the drifter and where did they come from? Who is behind it all? What will become of Nail’s Crossing?

Greasy Bend

This would be the second in the ongoing ‘Bill Maytubby and Hannah Bond Mystery’ series of novels, providing another case for them to solve. It would also pave the way for the third book, ‘Butcher Pen Road,’ to be released in 2021, providing another mystery. Initially published on the 16th of July 2019, this would come out through the ‘Blackstone Publishing’ label yet again.

There’s a lot more crimes to this novel than the first, as it takes a somewhat different pace, while maintaining the same tone as before. The murder investigations are highly personal for Billy Maytubby and the Hannah Bond this time around, as it really raises the stakes. What stays the same is Lackey’s appreciation and strong passion for the language, really making the most of the speech and dialogue in all its rich glory.

Finding a body in the Washita River embedded within the cottonwood roots there, a farmer discovers the sight while driving during a sleet storm there. Arriving on the scene, Hannah Bond realizes it’s actually her elderly friend Alice, while Bill Maytubby also suffers his own loss after robbers kill the local stickball hero during an armed raid. This sees the pair dealing the murder cases on a personal level, as their journey takes them through a web of intrigue and deceit. Can they both untangle the conspiracy together? Will they find who murdered their friends? What will they discover around the greasy bend?