Clay Edison
mystery
Series · police procedural
Veranda Cruz
The Veranda Cruz series by Isabella Maldonado has 4 known books (4 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with Blood's Echo (2017). The latest book with a fully recorded publication date is Exit Wound.
- Books
- 4 known books (4 novels)
- Published
- 4
- First published
- 2017
- Status
- ongoing
- Shelved under
- Mystery & Crime
- Last checked
Start here: Blood's Echo (2017) — 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:
Blood's Echo
Blood's Echo is the first novel in Isabella Maldonado's Veranda Cruz series, a police procedural title, published in 2017 at 312 pages. It opens a series that has continued since 2017, and is followed by Phoenix Burning.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blood's Echo - Book 2:
Phoenix Burning
Phoenix Burning is the 2nd novel in Isabella Maldonado's Veranda Cruz series, published in 2018 at 336 pages. It follows Blood's Echo and precedes Death Blow in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Phoenix Burning - Book 3:
Death Blow
Death Blow is the 3rd novel in Isabella Maldonado's Veranda Cruz series, published in 2019 at 312 pages. It follows Phoenix Burning and precedes Exit Wound in the reading order.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Death Blow - Book 4:
Exit Wound
Exit Wound is the 4th novel in Isabella Maldonado's Veranda Cruz series, published in 2026. It follows Death Blow in the reading order. It's the most recent entry published to date.
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 .