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Series · thriller
David Slaton
The David Slaton series by Ward Larsen has 10 known books (11 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Perfect Assassin (2004). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Dark Vector.
- Books
- 10 known books (10 novels + 1 novella)
- Published
- 11
- First published
- 2004
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: The Perfect Assassin (2004) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
The Perfect Assassin
The Perfect Assassin, published in 2004, is Ward Larsen's debut introducing David Slaton, a former Mossad assassin codenamed Kidon. Most editions now number it as the series' first book, though it was written a decade before Larsen relaunched the character with Assassin's Game.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Perfect Assassin - Book 2:
Assassin's Game
Assassin's Game, running 384 pages, is the book most editions treat as the true starting point of the David Slaton series -- Ward Larsen's 2014 relaunch of the character a decade after The Perfect Assassin, drawing on his own background as an F-16 and airline pilot.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Game - Book 3:
Assassin's Silence
Assassin's Silence, running 400 pages, appeared in 2016 as the third David Slaton novel. Slaton's ongoing, mostly unsuccessful attempt at a normal life with his wife and young daughter continues to give the globe-trotting tradecraft real emotional stakes.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Silence - Book 4:
Assassin's Code
Assassin's Code, running 440 pages, is the fourth book in the David Slaton series, published in 2017. Ward Larsen keeps Slaton chased through nuclear plots and government betrayals rendered with the technical precision of a former fighter pilot.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Code - Book 5:
Assassin's Run
Assassin's Run sits between Assassin's Code and Assassin's Revenge in David Slaton's publication order, arriving in 2018. Slaton's attempt to retire from a trade that keeps pulling him back continues across this fifth entry.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Run - Book 6:
Assassin's Revenge
Assassin's Revenge, the longest book in the David Slaton series at 464 pages, appeared in 2019. Ward Larsen keeps escalating the globe-spanning terrorist conspiracies Slaton is chased through, six books into the series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Revenge - Book 7:
Assassin's Strike
Assassin's Strike sits between Assassin's Revenge and Assassin's Edge in David Slaton's publication order, arriving in 2020. Slaton's family remains the emotional center Larsen builds the tradecraft around.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Strike - Book 8:
Assassin's Dawn
Assassin's Dawn sits between Assassin's Strike and Assassin's Edge in David Slaton's publication order, arriving in 2021. At 120 pages, it is the shortest of the books covered here.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Dawn - Book 9:
Assassin's Edge
Assassin's Edge, published in 2022, is part of the David Slaton series credited to Ward Larsen, continuing the tightly serialized run of nuclear plots and terrorist conspiracies Slaton has been chased through since Assassin's Game.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Edge - Book 10:
Assassin's Mark
Assassin's Mark, running 320 pages, came out in 2023 as the ninth David Slaton novel, continuing Ward Larsen's globe-spanning run before the series' next shift with Dark Vector.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Assassin's Mark - Book 11:
Dark Vector
Dark Vector, running 416 pages, marks a shift for the David Slaton series in 2025, introducing new co-lead Tru Miller, a CIA officer, alongside Slaton for what publishers have framed as a broader evolution of the tenth novel.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Dark Vector
About the David Slaton series
David Slaton is a former Mossad assassin — codenamed Kidon — trying, across nine novels and counting, to retire from a trade that keeps pulling him back in for one more impossible job. Ward Larsen, a former F-16 fighter pilot and airline pilot, launched the character in his debut The Perfect Assassin (2004, later folded into the numbered series), then relaunched him a decade later with Assassin's Game (2014), the book most editions treat as the series' true starting point. From there Slaton is chased through a globe-spanning run of nuclear plots, terrorist conspiracies and government betrayals, all rendered with the technical precision of an author who has actually flown the aircraft his characters fly.
What separates Slaton from the usual black-ops protagonist is his ongoing, mostly unsuccessful attempt at a normal life — a wife and young daughter he's constantly trying to protect and shield from what he does, which gives the globe-trotting tradecraft real emotional stakes. Dark Vector (2025) marks a shift, introducing a new co-lead, CIA officer Tru Miller, alongside Slaton for what publishers have framed as a broader evolution of the series.
Frequently asked questions
How many David Slaton books are there?
Ten entries as of Dark Vector (2025): the original The Perfect Assassin (2004), eight numbered Assassin's... novels (2014-2023), the short prequel novella Assassin's Dawn (2021), and Dark Vector (2025).
Should I start with The Perfect Assassin or Assassin's Game?
Most current editions and retailers treat Assassin's Game (2014) as the effective series opener, since it relaunched the character after a decade-long gap; The Perfect Assassin (2004) is Slaton's original introduction and can be read first if you want strict publication order.
What order should I read the David Slaton books in?
Publication order. The series closely tracks Slaton's family life and his history with Mossad and the CIA across books, so later entries assume you know what happened earlier.
Who is Tru Miller in Dark Vector?
A CIA officer introduced as a new co-lead alongside David Slaton in Dark Vector (2025), which publishers have described as expanding the series' direction.
If you like the David Slaton series
Reading order last verified .