Joe Ryker Books in Order
Browse the Joe Ryker crime novels by Nelson DeMille in order, with gritty 1970s plots outlined, series background, character notes, and help choosing where to start.
Last updated: December 15, 2025
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Publication Order
6 books
The Smack Man
by Nelson DeMille
1975
Someone is slipping strychnine-laced heroin onto New York’s streets, leaving sex workers and addicts dead. Ryker teams up uneasily with an undercover female detective and a cop posing as her pimp to trace the poisoned supply back to a ruthless drug operation.
The Night of the Phoenix
by Nelson DeMille
1975
During a sweltering New York summer, a radical group plans a bombing campaign designed to plunge the city into chaos. With tensions rising and clues scattered, Joe Ryker races to stop a single night of orchestrated terror from becoming reality.
The Agent of Death
by Nelson DeMille
1975
NYPD Sergeant Joe Ryker is tasked with stopping a rogue CIA assassin who has turned New York into his personal killing ground. As bodies tied to covert operations pile up, Ryker clashes with federal handlers who would prefer the whole mess disappear.
Cannibal
by Nelson DeMille
1975
A string of brutal, ritualistic murders suggests a killer who feeds on both fear and flesh. Joe Ryker’s investigation drags him into a shadowy cult and a hunt for a charismatic leader whose followers will do anything to protect him.
The Sniper
by Nelson DeMille
1974
A coldly efficient sniper is murdering New Yorkers at random, picking targets from rooftops and alleyways. Joe Ryker leads the manhunt, determined to outthink a careful killer who treats the city as his personal shooting range.
The Hammer of God
by Nelson DeMille
1974
Women are being slain by a killer dressed like a monk who believes he is destroying witches. As panic spreads, Joe Ryker follows a trail through churches, back alleys, and fringe religious circles to stop a self-appointed executioner.
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