Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries Books in Order
Part ofTom Schreck Books in OrderSee the Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries by Tom Schreck in order, with book summaries, series background, and simple guidance on where to begin.
Last updated: July 14, 2026
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Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries books in publication order
12 books
On the Ropes
by Tom Schreck
2007
Duffy Dombrowski, a drug counselor and part-time boxer, investigates after a client is murdered and her teenage stepdaughter vanishes. Caring for the woman's basset hound, Al, pulls him toward exploitation and a terrorist plot.
TKO
by Tom Schreck
2008
Duffy is assigned to monitor Howard Rheinhart after his release from prison for a notorious school murder case. When former high-school VIPs begin turning up dead, Duffy doubts the obvious suspect and digs for the truth.
Out Cold
by Tom Schreck
2009
Duffy's troubled veteran client makes alarming predictions about terrorism and powerful interests, and soon those warnings look frighteningly real. After a brutal boxing injury, Duffy races to separate paranoia from an unfolding threat.
The Vegas Knockout
by Tom Schreck
2012
Duffy heads to Las Vegas to spar with a Russian heavyweight contender and earn badly needed money. Instead, he gets pulled into murders involving Mexican street workers, boxing, and the dangerous people surrounding the Strip.
The Ten Count
by Tom Schreck
2014
After a private-school football coach is murdered, Duffy is sent in as a grief counselor. A client with a violent threat, a student beaten into a coma, and troubling rumors push him to investigate.
Christmas Rescued
by Tom Schreck
2015
A holiday short story set in Duffy Dombrowski's world. Duffy, Al, and the people around them bring the series' blend of compassion, mischief, and low-key crime-solving to a Christmas-time visit.
Duffy by Decision
by Tom Schreck
2016
Duffy Dombrowski returns in a brief crime story that leans on the character's stubborn moral compass. Between social work, boxing, friends, and Al the basset hound, Duffy finds that a choice rarely stays simple.
Duffy, Elvis and a Very Special Hound Dog
by Tom Schreck
2020
This short Duffy Dombrowski story puts Duffy's Elvis obsession and his bond with Al the basset hound at the center. It offers a brief visit to the series' funny, warmhearted, rough-around-the-edges world.
Hounding Duffy
by Tom Schreck
2020
When possessions begin disappearing from residents at a county home, Duffy takes the thefts personally after someone from his past is affected. He and Al pursue a small crime that carries real emotional weight.
The Duffy Vinci Code
by Tom Schreck
2020
A compact Duffy Dombrowski mystery that returns to the social worker-boxer, his offbeat circle of friends, and Al the basset hound. Expect a quick case told with the series' mix of humor and trouble.
The Hound Who Went Moo
by Tom Schreck
2020
A short Duffy Dombrowski mystery with Al the basset hound in a starring role. It is a quick dose of the series' oddball humor, loyal friendships, and Duffy's instinct to step into trouble.
The Right Choice
by Tom Schreck
2020
A short mystery featuring Duffy Dombrowski, the social worker and boxer who has trouble walking away when somebody needs help. Al and Duffy's regular crew bring familiar humor to the tense situation.
Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries books in chronological order
On the Ropes
by Tom Schreck
2007Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 1
TKO
by Tom Schreck
2008Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 2
Out Cold
by Tom Schreck
2009Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 3
The Vegas Knockout
by Tom Schreck
2012Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 4
The Ten Count
by Tom Schreck
2014Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 5
Christmas Rescued
by Tom Schreck
2015Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 6
Duffy by Decision
by Tom Schreck
2016Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 7
Hounding Duffy
by Tom Schreck
2020Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 8
The Duffy Vinci Code
by Tom Schreck
2020Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 9
Duffy, Elvis and a Very Special Hound Dog
by Tom Schreck
2020Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 10
The Right Choice
by Tom Schreck
2020Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 11
The Hound Who Went Moo
by Tom Schreck
2020Duffy Dombrowski Mysteries, Book 12
Series background & context
The Duffy Dombrowski mysteries follow a guy who is hard to pin down. Duffy works as a social worker in upstate New York, takes professional boxing matches at night, and spends plenty of time with a loyal but unruly group of friends. He is also an Elvis fan, a regular drinker of cheap beer, and the reluctant caretaker of Al, a basset hound with a taste for cheeseburgers and naps.
Duffy's real defining trait is that he cannot leave people alone when they are in trouble. His clients often live close to the edge, and he knows the system is not built to make their lives easy. When someone gets hurt, goes missing, or is treated as disposable, Duffy starts asking questions. He is not a private investigator and does not always follow the rules, which creates as many problems as it solves.
He has a left hook, a big heart, and very little patience for hypocrisy.
The series begins with Duffy's work as a counselor colliding with a murder and the disappearance of a teenage girl. In TKO, he is assigned to watch a man released after a long prison term while killings among former high-school stars raise the stakes. Out Cold moves into conspiracy territory when a troubled veteran's alarming predictions begin to look less far-fetched. Each case has its own setup, but Duffy's job, his boxing, Al, and his barroom circle give the books a continuing home base.
Later novels take him further afield. The Vegas Knockout sends Duffy to Las Vegas to spar with a heavyweight contender, only for him to get drawn into crimes involving vulnerable workers and the boxing world. In The Ten Count, he becomes a grief counselor at a private school after the murder of its football coach. The books can deal with grim subjects, including exploitation, trauma, and corruption, but Schreck keeps the tone moving with blunt jokes, oddball side characters, and Duffy's stubborn point of view.
Al matters more than a mascot. The basset hound adds humor, but he also anchors Duffy's softer side. Shorter works such as Christmas Rescued, Hounding Duffy, and Duffy by Decision give readers more time with Duffy, Al, and the wider crew between the longer mysteries.
These are working-class crime stories with bruises, bad decisions, and a strong sense that doing the right thing may cost you. Start with the earliest available full-length Duffy novel in this guide, then move forward for the clearest view of his friendships, work, fights, and increasingly complicated cases.
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