If you find yourself on this page, you’re likely a big fan of crime fiction. Robert Dugoni is a fantastic crime fiction author who never fails to entertain. His books are very exciting! Robert Dugoni is the author of three different series of novels.

These are the Charles Jenkins thriller series, the David Sloane legal thriller series, and the Tracy Crosswhite crime thriller series. The latter has sold more than 8 million copies across the world.
Dugoni has won many different awards throughout his career, and his novels have been sold in over 25 countries. If you’re looking to start reading the work of Robert Dugoni, you’re in the right place!
Let’s take a look at the Robert Dugoni books in order of publication and in chronological order!
About Tracey Crosswhite Series
The Tracey Crosswhite series is based on the character Tracy. She has spent over 20 years looking into the disappearance of her sister, and investigating the murder trial that followed.
Tracy doesn’t believe that the person who was sentenced for Sarah’s death was guilty! Tracy found motivation in this and became a homicide detective for the Seattle Police Department. This series includes 13 stories, 3 short stories, and 9 novels.
Tracy Crosswhite Series In Order Of Publication
The Academy
In this short story, we are introduced to Tracy Crosswhite. When her sister disappeared, she quit her job as a high school teacher in order to join the Seattle Police Department. She turned her heartbreak into a passion for finding killers.
Detectives aren’t made overnight, however, so Tracy will have to work very hard to succeed and uncover the truth about her sister!
Pros
- Great character development
Cons
- Leaves you wanting more
My Sister’s Grave
This is the first book in the Tracy Crosswhite series. This series has gained millions of fans, and it has placed Robert Dugoni on the New York Times bestseller list.
This novel sees Crosswhite questioning the facts of her sister’s disappearance for over 20 years. She doesn’t believe that Edmund House – who was sentenced for Sarah’s murder – is guilty.
She becomes a homicide detective and dedicates her whole life to tracking down killers. Tracy also continues to search for the answers to her sister’s death, as her remains show up in the Cascade mountains near their hometown. In her search, she uncovers some long-kept secrets that will put her in danger!
Pros
- Exciting and engaging story
Cons
- The flashbacks can be unclear
Third Watch
This is another short story that adds to the Tracy Crosswhite series. It is a prequel to My Sister’s Grave, although it was published after this book. Tracy is keeping her head down and hoping to get promoted to detective level.
However, reporter Tevia Kushman is accompanying Tracy on a ride-along as she seeks to uncover more about a recent exposé on the way female cops are treated in Seattle’s PD.
She gets more than she bargained for and Tracy Crosswhite finds herself on the front page of every newspaper when she responds to a call that places her in a hostage situation.
In this short story, Tracy must draw on her training to talk down the man holding her hostage – all while staring death in the face!
Tracy must draw on more than just her academy training and lightning-fast shooting skills to find a way to talk down—or take out—the volatile man holding the gun.
Pros
- Great characterization of Tracy
Cons
- Can be predictable at times
Her Final Breath
In this novel, Tracy Crosswhite returns to work after the retrial of her sister’s killer. She is pulled into an investigation that will put both her career and her life at risk. It is an investigation into a serial killer known as the Cowboy.
The Cowboy is killing women in motels in North Seattle. Even when Tracy receives a threatening message, she is given the task of bringing this murderer to justice.
She realizes that the key to these murders may lie in a very old homicide investigation. Will Tracy find the answers, or will she become the next victim?
Pros
- This is a real page-turner
Cons
- Repetitive storylines
In The Clearing
This is the third novel in the series. It sees Tracy Crosswhite tackling another unsolved crime. In this story, Jenny, Tracy’s old classmate, asks her to help with a suspicious suicide case.
This case took place forty years earlier in a Native American high school. The pair work together to uncover the truth of what happened to this girl!
Pros
- Character descriptions are fantastic
Cons
- Some phrases are repeated throughout
The Trapped Girl
In this story, a woman’s body is discovered in the waters of Puget Sound. Tracy finds herself struggling to identify the victim, let alone the killer! The autopsy performed on this victim shows that the killer has gone to great lengths to hide their identity.
This investigation is very unclear, but Tracy begins to find the answer. She ends up risking everything to confront the killer!
Pros
- Pulls you in from the start
Cons
- Difficult to follow
Close To Home
This is a great novel that sees Tracy Crosswhite starting another investigation. This time, she is investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy.
The suspected killer is a serviceman in the navy, and something suspicious occurs that sees a key piece of evidence go missing. Tracy knows she can’t let this slide, so she investigates the case further.
This is a story that doesn’t just show the military protecting its own, it runs deeper, and is tied to a series of other crimes. Tracy once again puts herself at risk to uncover the truth!
Pros
- Fantastic characters
Cons
- Some holes in the storyline
A Steep Price
This novel sees Crosswhite investigating a missing persons case. A body shows up in an abandoned well, and Tracy is able to figure out what has happened.
The victim was not in contact with her family, as she had run away from an arranged marriage to attend grad school. Tracy works to figure out who is behind this murder. Meanwhile, she is holding a secret of her own!
Pros
- Heartwarming storyline
- Gripping
Cons
- Difficult to follow at times
A Cold Trail
In this novel, Tracy finds herself back in Cedar Grove. She has not been there since her sister’s killer was placed behind bars. She has returned to try to put it to rest for her husband and their new daughter, but Tracy finds it difficult to let go.
Tracy and her husband, who is an attorney, have cases that overlap in this novel. They are placed in a large amount of danger as she is haunted by her past. How far will Tracy go when she is placing herself and her family in harm’s way?
Pros
- Unpredictable and exciting storylines!
Cons
- Too many cliffhangers
In Her Tracks
Tracy returns after some extended leave that she spends in her hometown. She is now the mother of an infant daughter, and she is drawn to a case investigating the abduction of a 5 year old girl.
Tracy reconstructs the days that lead up to her disappearance, and while she is doing this she is also brought onto a second case. This case is investigating the disappearance of a woman on a jogging trail in North Seattle.
Pros
- Engaging storylines
- Good characterization
Cons
- Some gaps in the story
The Last Line
This is a short story that follows Del Castigliano. He has left Wisconsin to work for the Seattle PD. The veteran detective Moss Gunderson is teaching him the ways of the PD, but he finds himself forced into a moral crisis.
Pros
- Learn more about the loved character of Del Castigliano
Cons
- Strays away from Tracy
What She Found
This novel looks at the disappearance of Lisa Childress, a reporter. Lisa’s daughter is determined to solve this case and clear the name of her father. She is seeking the truth after 25 years.
Tracy reopens some of the investigations from years before, and she finds the story linked to a city councilman’s sex life, a drugs scandal, and a missing serial killer!
When the case is nearing its end, it is clear that Tracy is facing some tests. Her resilience and loyalty are pushed to their limits in this story.
Pros
- Great storyline
Cons
- Lagged a little bit in the middle of the story
One Last Kill
This novel sees Tracy reopen an investigation into the Seattle Route 99 serial killer. He has claimed 13 victims, but when he stopped killing, the trail went cold. Nearly 30 years later, Tracy is attempting to bring closure to those who lost someone.
In this story, Tracy has to work with her nemesis Captain Johnny Nolasco. Together they attempt to close the case, revisiting old leads. As usual, the pair land themselves in danger!
Pros
- Exciting and unique storyline
Cons
- Some readers find the stories repetitive
Tracy Crosswhite Series In Chronological Order
- The Academy
- Third Watch
- My Sister’s Grave
- Her Final Breath
- In The Clearing
- The Trapped Girl
- Close To Home
- A Steep Price
- A Cold Trail
- In Her Tracks
- The Last Line
- What She Found
- One Last Kill
About Charles Jenkins Series
Charles Jenkins is a man who finds himself at a crossroads. He is on the verge of bankruptcy, and his wife and child are in trouble. However, when his former bureau chief shows up with a risky assignment, Jenkins, who is desperate for money, agrees to it.
His task is to travel to Moscow and locate a Russian agent who is suspected of killing some US spies. However, the mastermind behind these murders is not what anyone expected!
The Eighth Sister
This is the first book in the Charles Jenkins series. It is a thriller that follows the character of Charles Jenkins. He is a former CIA case officer in his early sixties. He has a family, and his security consulting business is not doing well.
It is on the verge of bankruptcy. Then, his former chief shows up with a task for him. He is asked to travel to Moscow to locate a Russian agent who is thought to be killing some US spies.
As Jenkins is desperate for money, he agrees to partake in his mission. The mission turns out to be very dangerous, and nothing is as it seems.
As he is pursued by a Russian intelligence officer, Jenkins escapes via the Black Sea. But the story doesn’t end there! Does Jenkins make it back to his family?
Pros
- Exiting to follow
Cons
- Predictable at times
The Last Agent
The second novel in this series welcomes Charles Jenkins back, he has been betrayed by his own country and tried for treason. When he learns of a woman isolated in Moscow’s Lefortovo Prison, he has to go back for her.
This woman risked her life to save his, and he can’t leave her there. He blackmails Victor Federov to help him. On his journey, Jenkins is hunted by a Russian agent. Despite this, Jenkins is putting his life on the line to save this woman.
Pros
- Very exciting storyline
- Great descriptions
Cons
- Some holes in the story
The Silent Sister
This is the final novel in this series. After Charles Jenkins escapes the Russian agents on his quest to save his friend, he thinks he’s escaped for good.
However, two of the US spies have cut off communication and Jenkins is concerned about their whereabouts. Jenkins is determined to find out whether they have become double agents, or they are in hiding.
However, Jenkins has been added to a Russian kill list, so he will have to be very careful when returning to the country. On the first night in Moscow, Jenkins plans go wrong.
He becomes involved in the death of the son of one of Russia’s most powerful crime leaders. Despite this, Jenkins continues his task, but has he taken it too far this time?
Pros
- Well-written
- Attention-grabbing
Cons
- Repetitive at times
About David Sloane Series
Robert Dugoni is also well known for his David Sloane series. Sloane is an unbeatable lawyer, but his conscience sometimes comes in the way of himself and his job.
This series sees him battle with some moral conundrums, whilst being a very successful lawyer! There are 5 books in this series.
The Jury Master
The first novel in this series is a New York Times bestseller. It follows David Sloane, a lawyer who is able to work a courtroom like magic! He is able to read the expressions of the jurors’, know their thoughts and feel their emotions.
Sloane has the ability to make the jury believe whatever he wants them to, no matter how unbelievable it may be. He is able to get inexcusable people off the hook. The only problem with this is that Sloane has a conscience.
This is one barrier that he faces in his professional success. When Sloane gets a call from a man who is found dead later on, things start to spiral!
Pros
- Very engaging
- Heartwarming
Cons
- Some holes in the story
Wrongful Death
The second book of the series sees Beverly Ford mourn the death of her husband. He died in Iraq due to faulty body armor. This caused her to lose faith in the government.
She hires David Sloane who knows that her case has a very low chance of winning. However, when Sloane digs into this case, he confronts a law called the Feres Doctrine.
This law stops a soldier’s family from suing the government under any circumstance. This law has been contested over 3000 times over the past 50 years, but it has not been overturned. Sloane won’t let it lie, however, and he searches for a loophole.
Pros
- Very well researched
Cons
- Difficult to follow at times
Bodily Harm
This novel focuses on a case that looks at medical malpractice. The case surrounds the death of a child.
While they seem to win the case, it is all thrown into question when the toy designer Kyle Horgan puts himself forward for being at fault for the death of this little boy.
He claims it is not the pediatrician that Sloane has just won a case against. Jenkins looks into this claim, only to find out that Horgan’s apartment has been ransacked, and he has vanished.
Along with Charles Jenkins, from Dugoni’s other series, Sloane searches for Horgan. He wants to get to the bottom of this problem and get justice for anyone who was harmed.
Pros
- Realistic characters
- Emotional
Cons
- Quite a dark storyline
Murder One
This is the fourth book in the series. It sees Sloane defending the woman he loves. After he returns home after spending some time in Mexico, he reconnects with another attorney who he has had a conflict with in the past.
They both have problems in the courtroom, Barclay specifically because she has recently lost her daughter to drugs. Sloane begins to fall for Barclay, much to his surprise.
So, when Barclay is accused of murdering a Russian drug dealer, Sloane must come to her defense. This is his first criminal case, and he has to juggle media attention along with everything else.
He finds himself deep in the history of the woman he has fallen for, and it is very complicated.
Pros
- Lots of twists and turns
Cons
- Can be difficult to follow
The Conviction
This is the final book in this series. As David Sloane tries to put his life back together after his wife was murdered, he also struggles with his teenage son. Jake is struggling with the loss of his mother, and he is playing up.
When Tom Molia invites them both on a camping trip, Sloane sees this as an opportunity to bond. However, the boys are arrested for vandalism in the middle of the night, and they are sent to a detention program.
They are not interested in the rehabilitation of ill-informed youths, so Jake is in a bad position. While Sloane can’t get them off the hook, Judge Boykin has power in lots of places. Sloane and Molia try everything to get their sons out of danger.
Pros
- Another great story to add to the series
Cons
- Some readers find the stories repetitive
Final Thoughts
Robert Dugoni is a fantastic author with many books to his name. This article has explored the different series that he has written, breaking them down in order of both publication and chronological order.
Having read this article, you should now know where to start with his work! So, what are you waiting for? You won’t be disappointed!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Novels Has Robert Dugoni Written?
Robert Dugoni is the author of three series. He has written many different books over the years, and they have all done very well.
He has won many different awards and has found himself on the New York Times bestseller list many times.
Where Did Robert Dugoni Study?
Robert Dugoni studied at Stanford University. He worked for the Stanford daily as a reporter for a while before becoming a writer.
He studied law prior to this and worked as a prosecutor in San Francisco. It was in 1998 that he decided to devote himself to writing.
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