Allen Eskens Books in Order

This reading order guide provides the complete list of Allen Eskens books in order, from the very first to the latest, so you won’t miss anything!

Allen Eskens is an award-winning author whose emotionally rich and suspenseful novels have touched the hearts of readers around the world. Though now celebrated for his gripping legal thrillers and layered mysteries, Allen’s journey into the world of writing began long before his first novel hit the shelves. Raised among the wooded hills of Missouri, Allen grew up surrounded by nature, which may have helped inspire the deep introspection and emotional landscapes found in his books.

After graduating high school, Allen made a bold decision that would shape the rest of his life—he left Missouri and moved north to Minnesota to pursue his dreams. He enrolled at the University of Minnesota, where he majored in journalism. It was there that his love for storytelling truly started to blossom. He learned how to dig deeper, observe the world through a writer’s eyes, and shape words in a way that could move people. His time in journalism laid the foundation for what would later become his signature writing style—honest, intense, and deeply human.

But Allen wasn’t done learning. He went on to earn a master’s degree from Minnesota State University, further sharpening his craft and expanding his knowledge. While pursuing his education, he also took part in creative writing workshops such as the Iowa Summer Writing Festival and classes at The Loft Literary Center in Minneapolis. These experiences gave him the tools, support, and inspiration he needed to pursue fiction writing seriously.

Later on, Allen followed another passion—law. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Hamline University School of Law. As a practicing attorney, he gained firsthand insight into the complexities of the justice system, human behavior, and moral conflict. This real-world experience would later play a huge role in the realistic and emotionally intense legal plots found in many of his novels.

Allen Eskens is perhaps best known for his debut novel, The Life We Bury, which was released to critical acclaim in 2014. The story follows a college student named Joe Talbert, who is assigned to write a biography and ends up interviewing Carl Iverson—a dying man with a dark past. The novel quickly captured the attention of readers and critics alike. It earned multiple award nominations, including the Edgar Award and the Anthony Award, and won the Rosebud Award for Best Debut Novel. It was also recognized by the Minnesota Book Awards for Best Genre Fiction. More than just a mystery, The Life We Bury explores themes of truth, forgiveness, and the burden of the past—elements that would become recurring motifs in Allen’s work.

Following that powerful debut, Allen continued to expand the fictional world introduced in The Life We Bury. His next novels, such as The Guise of Another and The Heavens May Fall, offer deeper looks into recurring characters like Detective Max Rupert and attorney Boady Sanden. In The Heavens May Fall, for example, Allen delves into the emotional and ethical challenges faced by these characters as they navigate a haunting murder case. The story is told through dual perspectives, offering readers a rich, thought-provoking experience. Allen’s characters are never just heroes or villains—they are people, shaped by their pain, their hopes, and the choices they’ve made.

What sets Allen Eskens apart is not just his talent for weaving tightly plotted mysteries, but his ability to create characters that feel truly real. His stories often explore themes like grief, redemption, and the complex nature of justice. Whether he’s writing about a detective haunted by his past or a lawyer wrestling with guilt, Allen’s writing always strikes an emotional chord. His background in journalism and law allows him to build stories that are not only engaging but believable.

Today, Allen Eskens is considered one of the most exciting voices in contemporary crime fiction. His novels have been translated into multiple languages, and he continues to earn praise for his thoughtful, character-driven approach to storytelling. While he has found commercial and critical success, he remains dedicated to writing stories that speak to the human condition. He understands that behind every crime, every case, and every mystery, there are people—and it’s those people, with all their flaws and beauty, that make his books so unforgettable.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or just discovering his work, one thing is clear: when you pick up a novel by Allen Eskens, you’re not just reading a mystery—you’re stepping into a story that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.