Series · thriller

Detective Harriet Blue

The Detective Harriet Blue series by James Patterson has 4 known books (5 published). It is best read in publication order, starting with Black & Blue (2016). Hush Hush is the latest book with a fully recorded publication date.

Books
4 known books (4 novels + 1 short story)
Published
5
First published
2016
Status
completed
Shelved under
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.
  1. Book 1:

    Black & Blue

    Short story
    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
  2. Book 2:

    Never Never

    Novel
    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
  3. Book 3:

    Fifty Fifty

    Novel
    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
  4. Book 4:

    Liar Liar

    Novel
    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
  5. Book 5:

    Hush Hush

    Novel
    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

Key facts about the Detective Harriet Blue series

Our list has 5 books in the Detective Harriet Blue series. Since all 5 are out now, you can read the whole list today. 4 are novels, while the rest is a short story.

Start with Black & Blue, since it opens the publication order in 2016. Never Never is book 2, from 2016. Fifty Fifty is book 3, from 2017.

Liar Liar is book 4, from 2018. Hush Hush is book 5, from 2019.

The list keeps the books in date order, while each title links to its own page. Each book page shows its dates and editions.

Hush Hush is the latest book with a full release date, out on 7 May 2019. Since the catalogue marks the series as complete, we list no next book.

The books came out between 2016 and 2019, while their length runs from 144 to 416 pages. That is a run of 3 years.

James Patterson has 196 books on our list. Additionally, they write Alex Cross, Women's Murder Club and Honeymoon, plus 12 more series. We shelve the books under thriller.


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.


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