Reading the Nick Petrie books in order is straightforward because all of his novels follow Peter Ash, a former Marine dealing with PTSD and severe claustrophobia after returning home from war. The crime thrillers take Peter across the United States and beyond as he steps in to help people facing dangerous situations.
Nick Petrie introduced Peter in The Drifter. Along with the numbered novels, he has written an optional Lewis novella connected to the series and an award-winning short story published before his debut novel.
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Nick Petrie’s Peter Ash Series
Each Peter Ash novel has its own central conflict, but Peter’s recovery from war trauma, his relationship with June Cassidy, and his friendship with Lewis develop across the series. I recommend reading the numbered novels in publication order, beginning with The Drifter.
- The Drifter (2016)
- Burning Bright (2017)
- Light It Up (2018)
- Tear It Down (2019)
- The Wild One (2020)
- The Breaker (2021)
- The Runaway (2022)
- The Price You Pay (2024)
- The Dark Time (2026)
- Shadow Game (2027)
The Heavy Lift is the UK title of The Price You Pay. They are the same eighth Peter Ash novel, so you don’t need to buy both editions.
Nick Petrie also wrote The Cleveland Job, a novella set during Lewis’s earlier criminal years. Petrie has described it as a prequel to The Price You Pay. I recommend reading it after The Runaway and before The Price You Pay, but it’s optional rather than a numbered installment.
- The Cleveland Job (2024) (Novella) (found in Mystery Tribune Issue No. 21)
Other Short Fiction
Before publishing The Drifter, Petrie wrote short fiction for literary journals. His story At the Laundromat won the 2006 Short Story Contest in The Seattle Review and was later reprinted in the anthology Blood Work.
- At the Laundromat (2006) (Short Story) (found in Blood Work)
Who is Nick Petrie?
Before he became a novelist, Nick Petrie worked as a carpenter, remodeling contractor, and building inspector. He received an MFA in fiction from the University of Washington and won a Hopwood Award for short fiction while studying at the University of Michigan.
His debut novel, The Drifter, won the ITW Thriller Award and the Barry Award for Best First Novel. It was also nominated for the Edgar, Anthony, and Hammett Awards. Light It Up, The Wild One, and The Price You Pay were shortlisted for Barry Awards.
All of Petrie’s published novels belong to the Peter Ash series. His books and official website use Nick Petrie, although some editions and bibliographic records use Nicholas Petrie. He lives in Milwaukee with his family.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.
One thought on “Nick Petrie Books in Order: Complete Peter Ash Series”
what is the status of The Heavylift and The price you pay, and what is their order? Which is 8 and which is 9?