Midnight, Texas Books In Order

Publication Order of Midnight, Texas Books

The American author Charlaine Harris is a well known writer of urban fantasy fiction and horror with a hint of mystery and thriller elements, as she has now essentially become a literary institution in her own right, creating a variety of much loved and much celebrated works. She has also seen a number of her works being adapted for television, most notably that of ‘True Blood’, which would become one of HBO’s biggest selling and most watched franchises to date, setting her up as a writer with a talent for attracting large audiences, as she knows exactly what they’re looking for. Writing in a self-aware and fun manner, she produces work with a lot of wit and intelligence, whilst also not shying away from the more darker aspects of the genre, as she manages to create visually horrifying work that conveys a definite fear factor, something which many readers have come to appreciate over the years. It is also her characters that are extremely well established too, with their personalities being drawn out in an enticing and engaging manner, as they come alive off of the page, whilst also allowing the reader feel as if they really know them. This is something that is particularly impressive considering the fantastical flights of the imagination she regularly takes, bringing the reader along for the journey, allowing them to immerse themselves in her novels, getting involved in her rich and fantastical worlds. Knowing the genres she’s working within, she also has a gift for suspense too, as she keeps the reader coming back for more, with her stories containing a highly addictive page-turning quality to each and every page. This ensures that the characters not only have a sense of familiarity with the reader, but the narratives themselves are also rich and finely drawn too. This rings true for her many series as well, as she manages to create franchises that have stood the test of time for many, especially those that have been transferred to the television. One of these is the ‘Midnight, Texas’ series that’s also been garnering a huge amount of attention in recent years, as it has also seen a television adaptation following the success of her much loved ‘True Blood’ series. Charting the exploits of a young psychic known as Manfred Bernardo, it follows him after he gets advice from the ghost of his grandmother to head to Midnight, Texas, whereby he will be able to gain refuge from the mistakes of his past. It is here that he meets a whole range of supernatural characters, all of whom come together to assist him on his path to redemption. Not just that, but he also find that the small town also faces a number of threats of its own, something to which they’ve become accustomed to over the years. Following on in a similar vein to her previous series, this takes the work of Charlaine Harris forwards in new and exciting directions, progressing her writing career and style overall.

Running for a total of just three novels, this would start in 2014, going on until 2016, as they would manage to create a self contained trilogy that would incorporate the best of what Charlaine Harris has come to exemplify as an author of modern fantasy novels. Starting out with ‘Midnight Crossroad’, it would be followed up with ‘Day Shift’ in 2015 and ‘Night Shift’ in 2016, with them coming out in fairly quick succession of one another. With a series of it produced for NBC television, it would see a television adaptation created in 2016, a series which would also garner a strong following throughout the course of its entire run.

Midnight Crossroad

Coming out through the Ace Hardcover publishing label, this would mark the first title in the ongoing ‘Midnight, Texas’ series of novels. Setting up the concept for the first time, it would originally be released in 2014 6th of May to much acclaim. It would also introduce the characters for the first time too.

The western town of Midnight, Texas appears dried up on the surface to any potential outsider passing by, as it sits upon the crossing of Davy Road and Witch Light Road. With a whole range of eccentric characters, all with secrets of their own, this seems to be the perfect place for Manfred Bernardo to conduct his own work in secret. Holding secrets in his past it is here that he must try to make amends with his own history, as he works out how to move from his own mistakes. Will he be able to though? Where does the truth lie? What lies at the Midnight crossroad?

Day Shift

Released through the Ace publishing outlet once more, this would continue on directly from the previous novel. Published in 2015 on the 5th of May, this would work to develop the series overall. It would also add to the backstories of the characters too.

Keeping themselves to themselves, the residents of Midnight, Texas, like to operate in secrecy, something to which the beautiful Olivia Charity is well accustomed to, living her life with the vampire Lemuel. Manfred finds himself maybe getting on the wrong side of her after going to Chicago, whereby he sees her with a couple who turn up dead shortly afterwards. Not just that, but in his work as a psychic, one of his clients also meets their untimely demise during a reading of his, leading to plenty of bad publicity for him in the press. Will Olivia be able to cover things up for him? Can things ever return to normal? What will happen on the day shift?

The Midnight, Texas Series

When it comes to the work of Charlaine Harris her publishing history and popularity speaks for itself, as she is one of the most prolific authors currently working within her genre to date, with a strong and loyal following worldwide. A reputable brand in her own right, she knows exactly what it is that sells and what doesn’t, creating some of the highest ranking franchises ever produced globally. With more and more discovering her work every day, this is something that will carry on for quite some time to come, as it doesn’t show signs of stopping any time soon.