Ron Faust Books In Order

Publication Order of Dan Shaw Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Author Ron Faust was born on March 13, 1936 in Illinois. He worked at newspapers in Key West, Colorado Springs, and San Diego and played professional baseball before starting to write. He died August 31, 2011.

As a pitcher, he played for two seasons with two teams in the Evangeline League in Louisiana in 1955 and 1956. In 25 games, he had an ERA of 6.34 and a record of 2-5.

He writes the “Dan Shaw” series and quite a few stand alone books, and all of his books are thrillers. His debut novel, called “Snowkill” was released in the year 1970. He published fifteen novels over four decades, the last of which was an adventure novel called “Jackstraw” and was released in the year 2013.

“Snowkill” is the first stand alone novel, which was released in the year 1970. In a tiny village snuggled within the snow-shrouded French Alps, the kid of a high-ranking and long dead Nazi that terrorized the area during the war, Adolph Streicher, goes missing on the ice-slick slopes.

Robert Holmes (a mountain climber and an American journalist) is on vacation, and he attempts to make sense of the son’s vanishing. Instead, he winds up getting ensnared in a deadly and desperate plot, which is sparked by Walter Streicher’s arrival. Walter is the twin of the notorious Nazi, or is he really Adolph? The mystery quickly explodes into bloodshed and then a desperate chase over the blizzard-swept Alpine peaks.

Ron Faust produced some fine writing in this. There are finely tuned descriptions that make this a fantastic read.

“The Burning Sky” is the second stand alone novel, which was released in the year 1978. Hoping to salvage his busted up cattle ranch, Ben Pearce comes up with a scheme where a Texas millionaire, his deranged wife, and their psycho teen son is going to hunt down a leopard and a pair of mountain lions in a canyon in New Mexico. Here, the hunt runs its course.

“Dead Men Rise Up Never” is the first novel in the “Dan Shaw” series, which was released in the year 2004. In the Florida Keys, murder is afoot. Peter Falconer, the son of some wealthy parents and someone that stands to gain a major inheritance when he turns thirty, has gone missing and is presumed dead. Daniel Shaw, an ex-Army investigator, who is studying law and getting ready for the Bar exam, gets summoned by the very witty and devious Tom Petrie, an attorney. Tom wants Daniel to locate Peter and rescue the money.

In his pursuit of the money, Daniel goes from the Keys to Jamaica, then off to South America. Here, he tangles with Raven Ahriman, the larger-than-life criminal, as well as Charles Angleton, Raven’s partner. Charles is Peter’s friend from childhood that ultimately set up Peter’s disappearance, which is linked to some dubious dealings in snuff films as well as two young girls dying who took part in their filming.

With Tom’s assistance, as well as the help of Susan (Peter’s sister, who is pretty devastated to hear about Peter’s shady interests) and Leroy (Dan’s hired “bodyguard”) they track Raven through Mosquito Keys and high seas. It is here the tiny group is left for dead on a ship. After Peter Falconer is discovered and a heroic escape, Daniel has to ultimately face off with Raven in a fight for his life.

These are some great characterizations and the setting in Florida is wonderfully described, with the second half being a great roller coaster ride.

“Sea of Bones” is the second novel in the “Dan Shaw” series, which was released in the year 2004. Dan Shaw aspires to be an attorney someday, if he can just stay out of prison to pass the bar exam. Neither is all that likely when he agrees to help Thomas Petrie, a Florida attorney, locate a slick con man that has swindled a consortium of Paradise Key clients out of 22 million dollars.

The charismatic Victor Trebuchet and his sexy partner in crime are much more dangerous than anybody could have imagined. The counter-sting set up at the Italian villa to catch the pair may just end up trapping Shaw instead. With that much money at stake, anybody is liable to betray anybody. In the meantime, Shaw is living the high life and he is in way over his own head. He might soon find himself doing hard time or worse, in a watery grave down at the bottom of Bell Harbor.

“The Blood-Red Sea” is the third novel in the “Dan Shaw” series, which was released in the year 2005. Dan has been a practicing lawyer for only four months now and has already gotten burned out on it. Add in the fact that he has just lost his longtime girlfriend and the cops are looking into his dubious past, and it really is no wonder that he would decide to set sail for the entire summer and get away from all of it.

In the middle of the sea, all alone, trouble is still able to find him. This time in the enticing form of a woman named Katherine Adams. Shaw hauls her out of the ocean, while she has nearly drowned, is naked, and has no idea how she wound up that way. The real story is much more twisted, though.

Her husband, Cesar Cardinal, is a playboy, a high stakes gambler, and a diplomat. He has set up his wife’s suicide at sea and moved their young son to the Dominican Republic at a heavily armed estate, a place the U.S. Law are unable to reach him. That is not going to stop Shaw, who is unable to deny the feelings he has for Katherine. From Santo Domingo to Bell Harbor, he is baiting a trap with his life and there really is no telling what he is going to catch.

This is a fast paced read that is certain to keep you riveted the entire way through. Dan is both believable and conflicted.