Clay Edison
mystery
Series · police procedural
Veranda Cruz
The Veranda Cruz series by Isabella Maldonado has 4 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Blood's Echo (2017).
- Books
- 4 books
- First published
- 2017
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Blood's Echo (2017) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Blood's Echo
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood's Echo - Book 2:
Phoenix Burning
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Phoenix Burning - Book 3:
Death Blow
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Death Blow - Book 4:
Exit Wound
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Exit Wound
About the Veranda Cruz series
Veranda Cruz is a Phoenix police detective navigating a department, and a city, riven with corruption, drug-cartel violence and the pressures of a female officer working her way up the ranks. Isabella Maldonado -- a former Phoenix police commander and the department's first Latina captain before she retired to write full-time -- draws directly on that career for the series' procedural detail. Blood's Echo (2017) opens with a serial killer targeting drug cartel members; Phoenix Burning (2018) and Death Blow (2019) escalate through arson and assassination plots, and Exit Wound (2026) returns to the character after a long hiatus.
The series was Maldonado's debut, predating her Nina Guerrera and Daniela Vega series and her Sanchez & Heron collaboration with Jeffery Deaver.
Frequently asked questions
How many Veranda Cruz books are there?
Four: Blood's Echo (2017), Phoenix Burning (2018), Death Blow (2019) and Exit Wound (2026).
Is Isabella Maldonado really a former police officer?
Yes -- she was a Phoenix police commander and the department's first Latina captain, retiring after 20+ years to write full-time.
Is Veranda Cruz connected to Maldonado's Nina Guerrera or Daniela Vega series?
No -- each series has its own protagonist and storyline; they're not connected.
Why is there a gap between Death Blow (2019) and Exit Wound (2026)?
Maldonado spent the intervening years launching and writing her Nina Guerrera and Daniela Vega series and her Sanchez & Heron collaboration with Jeffery Deaver before returning to Veranda Cruz.
If you like the Veranda Cruz series
Reading order last verified .