Marc Dane
thriller
Series · thriller
Detective Harriet Blue
The Detective Harriet Blue series by James Patterson has 4 known books (5 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Black & Blue (2016). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Hush Hush.
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels + 1 short story)
- Published
- 5
- First published
- 2016
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: Black & Blue (2016) — 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:
Black & Blue
Black & Blue , credited to James Patterson and Candice Fox, is a 144-page short entry numbered 0.5 -- a prequel piece released in 2016 ahead of the first full novel.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Black & Blue - Book 2:
Never Never
Never Never, the series' first full novel at 368 pages, was published in 2016, launching the Detective Harriet Blue series proper after the short prequel Black & Blue -- exiling Harry to the brutal outback town of Last Chance Bay after her own brother becomes a murder suspect.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Never Never - Book 3:
Fifty Fifty
Fifty Fifty, the second full novel, followed in 2017 at 416 pages -- the longest book in the series -- continuing James Patterson and Candice Fox's collaboration and Harry Blue's fraught loyalty to her brother Sam.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fifty Fifty - Book 4:
Liar Liar
Liar Liar, the third full-length entry, was published in 2018 at 384 pages, continuing the Patterson-Fox collaboration's yearly rhythm as Harry's Sydney criminal-underworld cases keep colliding with her instincts as a cop.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Liar Liar - Book 5:
Hush Hush
Hush Hush , the fourth full novel, closes out this record with a specific date of 7 May 2019, also at 384 pages -- matching the length of Liar Liar exactly.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hush Hush
About the Detective Harriet Blue series
Sydney detective Harriet "Harry" Blue is impulsive, combative and constantly at war with her own department -- so when her own brother becomes a murder suspect in the series opener, she's exiled to the brutal outback town of Last Chance Bay rather than allowed near the case. James Patterson paired with Australian crime writer Candice Fox to give the series real regional texture: outback isolation, Sydney's criminal underworld, and a lead whose loyalty to her family keeps colliding with her instincts as a cop.
The series is short but complete -- a prequel novella (Black & Blue) followed by four novels running from Never Never (2016) to Hush Hush (2019) -- with Harry's fraught relationship with her brother Sam running through the whole arc. Fox's on-the-ground knowledge of Australian crime fiction and setting complements Patterson's usual short-chapter pacing, giving the series a sharper regional identity than most of his other collaborations.
Frequently asked questions
How many Detective Harriet Blue books are there?
Four novels -- Never Never (2016), Fifty Fifty (2017), Liar Liar (2018) and Hush Hush (2019) -- plus a short prequel, Black & Blue (2016).
What order should I read the Harriet Blue books in?
Publication order, starting with Never Never (or the short prequel Black & Blue first, if you want it). The series is a complete four-book arc rather than an ongoing franchise.
Is the Detective Harriet Blue series finished?
Yes -- no further novels have been published since Hush Hush (2019), and the series reads as a complete arc.
Where is the series set?
Sydney and the fictional outback town of Last Chance Bay, Australia -- co-author Candice Fox is an Australian crime novelist who grounds the series in real regional detail.
Who writes Detective Harriet Blue?
James Patterson and Candice Fox co-wrote all five entries, including the prequel novella.
If you like the Detective Harriet Blue series
Reading order last verified .