J. A. Jance has published 71 novels, 5 novellas, 1 poetry collection and 3 other books, beginning with Desert Heat (1993). The 3 series include J. P. Beaumont (29 books, starting with Until Proven Guilty), Joanna Brady (20 books, starting with Desert Heat) and Ali Reynolds (17 books, starting with Edge of Evil). The latest is Girl from Devil's Lake (2025).
Updated September 2026
J. P. Beaumont books in order (29)Series page
Reading order: 1 Until Proven Guilty (1990) · 2 Injustice for All (1988) · 3 Taking the Fifth (1987) · 4 Improbable Cause (1988) · 5 A More Perfect Union (1988) · 6 Dismissed with Prejudice (1989) · 7 Minor in Possession (1990) · 8 Payment in Kind (1991) · 9 Without Due Process (1992) · 10 Failure to Appear (1993) · … all 29 below
- 1.
Until Proven Guilty (1990)
- 2.
Injustice for All (1988)
- 3.
Taking the Fifth (1987)
- 4.
Improbable Cause (1988)
- 5.
A More Perfect Union (1988)
- 6.
Dismissed with Prejudice (1989)
- 7.
Minor in Possession (1990)
- 8.
Payment in Kind (1991)
- 9.
Without Due Process (1992)
- 10.
Failure to Appear (1993)
- 11.
Lying in Wait (1994)
- 12.
Name Withheld (1996)
- 13.
Breach of Duty (1999)
- 14.
Birds of Prey (2002)
- 16.
Long Time Gone (2005)
- 17.
Justice Denied (2007)
- 19.
Betrayal of Trust (2011)
- 20.
Second Watch (2013)
- 21.
Dance of the Bones (2015)
- 22.
Proof of Life (2017)
- 23.
Sins of the Fathers (2019)
- 24.
Nothing to Lose (2022)
- 25.
Den of Iniquity (2024)
Hour of the Hunter (1991)
Wings Bestsellers: J.A. Jance (1995)
Trial by Fury (1997)
Bird of Prey (2001)
Sentenced to Die (2005)
Still Dead (2017)
Joanna Brady books in order (20)Series page
Reading order: 1 Desert Heat (1993) · 2 Tombstone Courage (1994) · 3 Shoot/don't Shoot (1995) · 4 Dead to Rights (1996) · 5 Skeleton Canyon (1997) · 6 Rattlesnake Crossing (1998) · 7 Outlaw Mountain (1999) · 8 Devil's Claw (2000) · 9 Paradise Lost (2012) · 10 Partner in Crime (2002) · … all 20 below
- 1.
Desert Heat (1993)
- 2.
Tombstone Courage (1994)
- 3.
Shoot/don't Shoot (1995)
- 4.
Dead to Rights (1996)
- 5.
Skeleton Canyon (1997)
- 6.
Rattlesnake Crossing (1998)
- 7.
Outlaw Mountain (1999)
- 8.
Devil's Claw (2000)
- 9.
Paradise Lost (2012)
- 10.
Partner in Crime (2002)
- 11.
Exit Wounds (2003)
- 12.
Dead Wrong (2006)
- 13.
Damage Control (2008)
- 14.
Fire and Ice (2009)
- 15.
Judgment Call (2012)
- 16.
Remains of Innocence (2014)
- 17.
Downfall (2016)
- 18.
Field of Bones (2018)
- 19.
Missing and Endangered (2021)
- 20.
Blessing of the Lost Girls (2023)
Ali Reynolds books in order (17)Series page
Reading order: 1 Edge of Evil (2005) · 2 Web of Evil (2007) · 3 Hand of Evil (2007) · 4 Cruel Intent (2008) · 5 Trial by Fire (2009) · 6 Fatal Error (2011) · 7 Left for Dead (2012) · 8 Deadly Stakes (2013) · 9 Moving Target (2014) · 10 Cold Betrayal (2015) · … all 17 below
- 1.
Edge of Evil (2005)
- 2.
Web of Evil (2007)
- 3.
Hand of Evil (2007)
- 4.
Cruel Intent (2008)
- 5.
Trial by Fire (2009)
- 6.
Fatal Error (2011)
- 7.
Left for Dead (2012)
- 8.
Deadly Stakes (2013)
- 9.
Moving Target (2014)
- 10.
Cold Betrayal (2015)
- 11.
Clawback (2016)
- 12.
Man Overboard (2017)
- 13.
Duel to the Death (2018)
- 14.
The A List (2019)
- 15.
Credible Threat (2020)
- 16.
Unfinished Business (2021)
- 17.
Collateral Damage (2023)
Where to start with J. A. Jance
Start here
Desert Heat
J. A. Jance's most-read book and the first of the 20 Joanna Brady books.
Newest
Girl from Devil's Lake
Published 2025.
Standalone novels in order
Kiss of the Bees (2000)
Naked Came the Phoenix (Aug 2001), with Nora Roberts and Val McDermid
Day of the Dead (2004)
Bark M For Murder (2006)
Queen of the Night (2010)
Girl from Devil's Lake (2025)
Novellas in order
Ring in the Dead (2013)
A Last Goodbye (2014)
The Old Blue Line (2014)
No Honor Among Thieves (2015)
Random Acts (2016)
Poetry in order
After the Fire (2004)
Other books in order
J.A. Jance Mixed Prepack (2002)
Overkill (2025)
About J. A. Jance
Judith Ann Jance is an American author of mystery novels. She writes three series of novels, centering on retired Seattle Police Department Detective J. P. Beaumont, Arizona County Sheriff Joanna Brady, and former Los Angeles news anchor turned mystery solver Ali Reynolds. The Beaumont and Brady series intersect in the novel Partner in Crime, which is both the 16th Beaumount mystery and the 10th Brady mystery. They intersect again in Fire and Ice.
Biography from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Photo via Wikimedia Commons.
J. A. Jance FAQ
- How many books has J. A. Jance written?
- J. A. Jance has published 71 novels, 5 novellas, 1 poetry collection and 3 other books that we list, as of September 2026.
- What order should I read J. A. Jance's books in?
- Read each series in its own order: start J. P. Beaumont with Until Proven Guilty, Joanna Brady with Desert Heat and Ali Reynolds with Edge of Evil. The other books stand alone and can be read in any order.
- What is J. A. Jance's latest book?
- Girl from Devil's Lake (2025).
- What is J. A. Jance's most famous book?
- Desert Heat (1993) is J. A. Jance's most widely read book.
- Are J. A. Jance's books connected?
- 66 books belong to 3 series (J. P. Beaumont, Joanna Brady and Ali Reynolds); the other 14 books stand alone.
Authors like J. A. Jance
Sources: book lists and dates from Wikidata and Open Library, ratings from Open Library readers. Last updated September 2026.