Jake Brigance
legal thriller
Series · thriller
Kidd
The Kidd series by John Sandford has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Fool's Run (1989). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is The Hanged Man's Song.
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 1989
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Thriller
- Last checked
Start here: The Fool's Run (1989) — 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 Fool's Run
The Fool's Run opens John Sandford's Kidd series, published in 1989 at 338 pages, the same year as Prey but told in a very different register: closer to a heist thriller than a police procedural, following painter and elite freelance hacker Kidd and his partner LuEllen as they take on a job mixing computer intrusion with old-fashioned con artistry. It's followed by The Empress File, with the four-book series staying prescient about hacking culture well ahead of most 1990s thrillers.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Fool's Run - Book 2:
The Empress File
The Empress File is the 2nd book in the Kidd series, written by John Sandford, published in 1991 at 356 pages. It follows The Fool's Run and precedes The Devil's Code in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Empress File - Book 3:
The Devil's Code
The Devil's Code is the 3rd book in the Kidd series, written by John Sandford, published in 2000 at 354 pages. It follows The Empress File and precedes The Hanged Man's Song in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Devil's Code - Book 4:
The Hanged Man's Song
The Hanged Man's Song is the 4th book in the Kidd series, written by John Sandford, published in 2003 at 340 pages. It follows The Devil's Code, closing out the series as recorded in this catalogue.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Hanged Man's Song
About the Kidd series
Kidd is a painter and elite freelance computer hacker in John Sandford's earliest series, launched the same year as Prey with The Fool's Run (1989) but told in a very different register — closer to a heist thriller than a police procedural, following Kidd and his partner LuEllen as they take on jobs that mix high-stakes computer intrusion with old-fashioned con artistry. Where Lucas Davenport works inside the law (however loosely), Kidd operates entirely outside it, giving Sandford room to write caper-thriller plotting rather than a straight investigation.
The series ran across a wide span — a large gap separates The Empress File (1991) from The Devil's Code (2000) — and stayed prescient about computer crime and hacking culture well ahead of most 1990s thrillers. It wrapped with The Hanged Man's Song (2003). Readers who enjoy Prey's plotting but want a hacker-and-heist flavor instead of a police procedural are the natural audience.
Frequently asked questions
How many Kidd books are there?
Four novels: The Fool's Run (1989), The Empress File (1991), The Devil's Code (2000) and The Hanged Man's Song (2003).
What order should I read the Kidd books in?
Publication order, starting with The Fool's Run. Kidd's partnership with LuEllen develops across the series.
How is Kidd different from Sandford's Prey series?
Kidd is a hacker and outlaw rather than a police officer, and the books lean into heist and caper plotting rather than a police procedural.
Is there a new Kidd book coming?
No new entry has been announced since The Hanged Man's Song (2003), and the series is generally considered complete.
If you like the Kidd series
Reading order last verified .