Brad Meltzer Books in Order

rad Meltzer is an American author best known for his political thrillers, conspiracy-driven, Washington-set novels that touch on into real historical secrets, from George Washington’s spy network to plots against sitting presidents. He’s had #1 New York Times bestsellers across five different categories: fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, advice, and comic books, which is a rather rare achievement. The Hollywood Reporter named him one of their 25 Most Powerful Authors, and he was recruited by the Department of Homeland Security to help identify potential terrorist threats, an experience that influenced directly the authenticity of his books.

His best-known thriller series is the Culper Ring trilogy, built around National Archives archivist Beecher White. His current series, Zig & Nola, launched with The Escape Artist hitting #1 on debut. Brad Meltzer also writes American history non-fiction, the long-running Ordinary People Change the World children’s series with illustrator Chris Eliopoulos, and has won an Eisner Award for his comic book work on Justice League of America.

This page lists all Brad Meltzer books in order, covering the Culper Ring trilogy, the Zig & Nola series, standalone thrillers, non-fiction, children’s books, and comics.

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Culper Ring Trilogy (Books in Order)

The Culper Ring trilogy follows Beecher White, a young archivist at the National Archives in Washington, D.C., who finds evidence that George Washington’s Revolutionary War spy ring, a real network society known as the Culper Ring, has never stopped operating. The trilogy is inspired by a real-life American spy network originally established by George Washington during the American Revolutionary War and explores modern political intrigue that is based on early U.S. history. Brad Meltzer builds the thriller plots directly on top of documented historical facts, which gives the series a different feel from the standard political thrillers.

Beecher isn’t a spy or a soldier. He’s just a paper-pusher with security clearance who suddenly finds himself in the middle of events that are way above his pay grade which he has no clearance for. That’s actually what makes the series work: the tension between an ordinary person and an extraordinary situation, set in the physical location of the Archives and the White House. The trilogy is a complete story, and it is best read in order, as both the conspiracy and Beecher’s personal arc develop across all three novels.

1. The Inner Circle, 2011
2. The Fifth Assassin, 2013
3. The President’s Shadow, 2015

Zig & Nola Series (Books in Order)

The Zig and Nola series follows Jim “Zig” Zigarowski, a former Army counterintelligence officer who works as a mortician at Dover Air Force Base, who teams up with portrait artist and highly trained soldier, Nola Brown, to solve murder cases while they both uncover dangerous historical conspiracies and deadly government secrets going up all the way to the top military and political ranks. The setup for The Escape Artist, with a body that isn’t who it’s supposed to be, brings both characters into a conspiracy going back to Harry Houdini.

Zig and Nola are an unusual pair, as Zig is methodical, working-class, who is grieving his own losses, while Nola is unpredictable, damaged, and quite brilliant. The series focuses on the American military institutions and government secrets the way the Culper Ring books lean into the Archives, both using real, verifiable places and historical facts as background. Each book can be read as a standalone, but the deepening relationship between Zig and Nola are worth checking out from book 1.

1. The Escape Artist, 2018
2. The Lightning Rod, 2022
3. The Viper, 2026

The Conspiracy Series (Books in Order)

The Conspiracy series is a standalone non-fiction series that examines documented political plots and conspiracies from American and world history, whereby each book focuses on a particular important point in the history of humanity.

Co-authored with Josh Mensch.

1. The First Conspiracy, 2019
2. The Lincoln Conspiracy, 2020
3. The Nazi Conspiracy, 2023

Standalone Novels

• The Tenth Justice, 1997
• Dead Even, 1998
• The First Counsel, 2001
• Natural Suspect, 2001 (with John Lescroart, Lisa Scottoline, et al)
• The Millionaires, 2002
• The Zero Game, 2005
• The Book of Fate, 2006
• The Book of Lies, 2008
• The House of Secrets, 2016

Graphic Novels

Identity Crisis

• Identity Crisis, 2004
• Absolute Identity Crisis, 2004

Justice League of America Series

• Justice League of America, 2008 (collected edition)

Picture Books

Stories Change the World

• I Am Batman, 2022
• I Am Superman, 2022
• I Am Wonder Woman, 2023

Ordinary People Change the World

Short Stories

• Green Arrow: Archer’s Quest, 2003

Short Story Collections and Anthologies

• The Mighty Johns, 2002 (with David Baldacci, Anne Perry, Dennis Lehane)
• Heroes for My Son, 2010
• Suspense Magazine, January 2011, 2011 (with Jeffery Deaver, Stuart Woods
• Half-Minute Horrors, 2011
• Heroes for My Daughter, 2012
• The Mystery Box, 2013
• Suspense Magazine January 2013, 2013
• Last Night, a Superhero Saved My Life, 2016

Non-Fiction Books

• History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time, 2013
• Make Magic: The Book of Inspiration You Didn’t Know You Needed, 2025

Brad Meltzer Biography

Brad Meltzer is an American author, non-fiction author, TV producer, known for his political thrillers, non-fiction books, children’s books, and his contributions to comics and television. He has published over 60 books, with every one reaching the New York Times bestseller list.
Official website: bradmeltzer.com

Brad Meltzer was born on April 1, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Sheepshead Bay and later in Miami. He studied History and Political Science at the University of Michigan, and in 1993, he earned a law degree from Columbia Law School.

While in college, he did a Capitol Hill internship in Washington, which influenced his later interest in political and historical topics in his books. During this time, he wrote the manuscript that would become his debut thriller, The Tenth Justice (1997), and Columbia actually awarded him course credit for it. The book landed on the New York Times bestseller list. After graduating from college, Brad Meltzer moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked for several years as a lawyer.

The Tenth Justice was published in 1997 which became a best-seller and launched his career as a published author. His early standalones, Dead Even, The First Counsel, The Millionaires, The Zero Game, established him as a reliable political thriller author, each built around various Washington institutions, and legal or governmental settings. The Book of Fate (2006) was researched in part with access granted by former Presidents Clinton and Bush, and Bush shared with Meltzer the private letter he left for Clinton in the Oval Office desk. This level of access was unusual for a novelist, and it shows the trust his books have earned.

This setting was also a template he would base his later books on and constantly refine over the years: Washington insiders, buried secrets, and plots that weaponize weaponize historical revisionism by widening the gap between fiction and what actually happened. The Culper Ring trilogy and the Zig and Nola series are his best-known series, and both have as basis real institutions and documented history.

The Culper Ring trilogy, beginning with The Inner Circle (2011), changed toward longer-arc storytelling. It was also based directly on Brad Meltzer’s existing relationship with the National Archives, where he sits on the board of the Archives Foundation. His high-level security clearance-level research led the Department of Homeland Security to recruit him for their Red Cell program, where he worked with a chemist and a Secret Service agent to help identify potential terrorist vulnerabilities. This was an assignment that not many thriller writers can claim, which that adds a layer of genuine credibility to his government-insider plots.

His comics work, Identity Crisis (DC) and Justice League of America, earned him an Eisner Award, the top honor in comics. His Ordinary People Change the World children’s series, co-created with illustrator Chris Eliopoulos, was adapted into the Emmy-nominated PBS KIDS show Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum. He has also hosted two History Channel shows: Brad Meltzer’s Decoded and Brad Meltzer’s Lost History, the latter of which led directly to locating the missing 9/11 flag that firefighters raised at Ground Zero, now on display at the 9/11 Museum in New York.

In addition, Brad Meltzer co-wrote the official AmeriCorps oath with his mentor Eli Segal, co-authored the non-fiction Conspiracy series with Josh Mensch, co-created the TV drama Jack & Bobby, and hosted two History Channel series.

Brad Meltzer lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Brad Meltzer TV Works

• Jack & Bobby – Political drama television series (2004-2005)
• Brad Meltzer’s Decoded – History Channel documentary series (2010-2012)
• Lost History – History Channel documentary series (2014)
• The Ordinary People Change the World – animated television series Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum (2019).
• Xavier Riddle and the Secret Movie: I Am Madam President! – Animated television movie based on the book series (2020)

Brad Meltzer Awards and Honors

Awards

• The Book of Fate – Florida Book Award Bronze medal (2006)
• Justice League of America #11: “Walls” – Eisner Award for Best Single Issue/One-Shot (2008)
• International Thriller Writers – Silver Bullet Award (2009)
• Heroes for My Son – Florida Book Award (2010)
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer – GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Comic Book (2011)
• The Fifth Assassin – Florida Book Award (Silver) (2013)
• History Decoded: The 10 Greatest Conspiracies of All Time – Killer Nashville Silver Falchion Award (2014)
• I Am Jane Goodall – Nerdy Book Award (Nerdies) (2016)

Nominations and Shortlists

• Identity Crisis – ALA Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens (2007)
• The Fifth Assassin – Audie Award for Thriller/Suspense (2014)
• I Am Jane Goodall – Washington Library Association OTTER Award (2018)
• The First Conspiracy – Goodreads Choice Award (2019)
• The First Conspiracy – Audie Award for History/Biography (2020)
• The Lincoln Conspiracy– Goodreads Choice Award (2020)
• The Lincoln Conspiracy – Audie Award for History/Biography (2021)
• Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum – Emmy Award for Outstanding Preschool Animated Series (2022)
• I Am Oprah Winfrey – Eisner Award for Best Publication for Early Readers (2022)
• The Nazi Conspiracy – Goodreads Choice Award (2023)

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