Bill Gastner Books in Order
See the Bill Gastner books by Steven F Havill in order, with short summaries, series background, and a clear guide to where to start these New Mexico mysteries.
Last updated: June 30, 2026
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Publication Order
11 books
Heartshot
by Steven F Havill
1991
When a car crash kills five local teens, Undersheriff Bill Gastner uncovers drugs, grief, and a chain of violence that reaches deep into Posadas County. The case pushes the aging lawman, and his heart, to the limit.
Bitter Recoil
by Steven F Havill
1992
On a mountain vacation meant to keep him resting, Bill Gastner stumbles into the death of a pregnant young woman. When more murders follow, he joins Estelle Reyes to hunt a killer in rural northern New Mexico.
Twice Buried
by Steven F Havill
1994
A suspicious death at the bottom of a cellar stairway opens into a tangle of burglaries, arson, poisonings, and old family secrets. Bill Gastner calls back Estelle Reyes-Guzman to help clear her great-uncle before the county spins further out of control.
Before She Dies
by Steven F Havill
1996
After a deputy is shot during a confrontation with a troubled young man, Bill Gastner thinks the worst is over. Then a woman tied to the case dies in a wreck that looks far from accidental, and the questions only grow.
Privileged to Kill
by Steven F Havill
1997
A stranded bicyclist is quickly blamed when a teenage girl is found dead under the high school bleachers. Bill Gastner is not convinced, and as more violence follows, he digs into the town's prejudices and buried motives.
Prolonged Exposure
by Steven F Havill
1998
Back home after heart surgery, Bill Gastner finds his house burglarized, a neighbor's burial suspicious, and a small boy missing from a campground. What begins as scattered troubles turns into one of Posadas County's most personal investigations.
Out of Season
by Steven F Havill
1999
Just as Bill Gastner faces retirements and transfers in his tiny department, the sheriff dies in a plane crash that makes no sense. Evidence from the wreck points to murder, and the case could reshape the whole Posadas County force.
Dead Weight
by Steven F Havill
2000
Sheriff Bill Gastner is dealing with an anonymous accusation against one of his deputies when a mechanic's death stops looking like an accident. The deeper he digs, the more petty grudges and dangerous lies begin to overlap.
Bag Limit
by Steven F Havill
2001
In his final days as sheriff, Bill Gastner expects a quiet exit. Instead, a drunk teen's fatal arrest and the murder of the boy's father pull him into a fast, messy case built around fake IDs, bad choices, and small-town secrets.
One Perfect Shot
by Steven F Havill
2011
A county road worker is killed by an impossibly precise shot, and Undersheriff Bill Gastner has a baffling case on his hands. Just as important, the investigation marks the beginning of young deputy Estelle Reyes's long partnership with him.
Easy Errors
by Steven F Havill
2017
Set in 1986, this prequel follows Bill Gastner and rookie Robert Torrez after a brutal highway crash leaves local teenagers dead. What looks straightforward soon widens into a case that tests a new deputy from his first day on the job.
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