Paul Levine Books In Order – Complete List

Paul Levine is the American bestselling author of the Jake Lassiter legal thrillers, the Solomon vs. Lord legal thriller series, standalone novels, and short stories.

While the two series are separate, the characters work together in the last few books. Jake Lassiter, Steve Solomon, and Victoria Lord are now friends so they meet and work together (and even save each other) at some point.

Here are two Paul Levine books in order for his two legal thriller (and sometimes quite amusing) series.

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Jake Lassiter Books in Publication Order

1. To Speak for the Dead, 1990
2. Night Vision, 1991
3. False Dawn, 1993
4. Mortal Sin, 1994
5. Riptide, 1995 (aka Slashback)
6. Fool Me Twice, 1996
7. Flesh and Bones, 1997
8. Lassiter, 2011
9. State vs. Lassiter, 2013
10. Bum Rap, 2015
11. Bum Luck, 2017
12. Bum Deal, 2018
13. Cheater’s Game, 2020
14. Early Grave, 2022

Jake Lassiter Novellas

• Last Chance Lassiter ( #0.5), 2012 (prequel novella)

Solomon Vs. Lord Books in Publication Order

1. Solomon vs. Lord, 2005
2. The Deep Blue Alibi, 2006
3. Kill All the Lawyers, 2006
4. Habeas Porpoise, 2007 (aka Trial and Error)

Solomon Vs. Lord Short Stories

• Sink or Swim, 2013

Lassiter, Solomon & Lord Books in Publication Order

1. Bum Rap, 2015
2. Bum Luck, 2017
3. Bum Deal, 2018

Superbowl Thrillers

• Paydirt, 2011

Standalone Novels in Publication Order

• Naked Came the Manatee, 1997
• 9 Scorpions, 1998 (aka Impact)
• Illegal, 2009
• Ballistic, 2011

Anthologies and Short Story Collections in Publication Order

• Naked Came the Manatee, 1997
• Miami Noir, 2006
• The Prosecution Rests: New Stories about Courtrooms, Criminals, and the Law, 2009 (Mystery Writers of America Presents series, edited by Linda Fairstein)
• Intrigue, 2011 (edited by Aaron Patterson)
• Top Suspense, 2011 (edited by Dave Zeltserman)
• Suspense Magazine July 2012, 2012
• Writing Crime Fiction, 2012
• The Road to Hell, 2013

Paul Levine Biography

Paul Levine was born in 1948 in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

While studying at the Pennsylvania State University he was editor-in-chief of the newspaper The Daily Collegian.

He graduated in 1969, after which he enrolled at the University of Miami, from where he got his J.D. in 1973.

After finishing his studies, Paul Levine became a trial lawyer, during which time he was made a partner at Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. He also worked as a legal TV commentator, newspaper reporter, and a law professor. Starting from 1990, he started writing novels, heavily drawing from his personal experiences as a trial lawyer. In 1999, he moved from Florida to Los Angeles after receiving an invitation from his friend, Don Bellisario.

Paul Levine also wrote 20 episodes for “JAG”, a popular CBS military drama series, and co-created the Supreme Court drama “First Monday” with James Garner and Joe Mantegna as main protagonists.

Paul Levine’s books have been translated into well over 20 languages. Paul Levine won the John D. MacDonald Fiction award and he was nominated for several other awards, including the Edgar, Macavity, International Thriller, and James Thurber prizes.

Jake Lassiter is a former second-string linebacker turned lawyer for Penn State who started practicing law with his own ideas about what justice should be. The Miami Herald mentioned that Jake has a stronger charisma than Perry Mason himself.

In addition to Jake Lassiter, the author also created two additional important lawyers, Steve Solomon and Victoria Lord, both of whom appear in several of the Lassiter books. Steve and Victoria are partners, not only in business but also in life. Also, Jake has a crush on Victoria, which makes for some interesting moments.

Based on the Paul Levine’s notes, Early Grave is the last book written in the Jake Lassiter series which started with To Speak For the Dead in 1990. As to whether we can read the books in order, while they are part of the series, they can be read in any order we choose as they are intended to be standalone novels in their own right.

While all the books are included in one main series, they are also included in their own sub-series, some with all three main characters in them, while others only include Solomon and Lord.

Paul Levine’s Book Adaptations

To Speak For the Dead was adapted into a TV movie titled Jake Lassiter: Justice on the Bayou with Gerald McRaney as the main character along with James Sikking and Tracy Scoggins in other major roles. McRaney plays as the famous ex-football player who has now become a top defense attorney. He is now hired to defend Dr. Roger Salisbury, a surgeon who has been charged with malpractice in the case of the mysterious death of a wealthy patient, Phillip Corrigan.

Paul Levine Awards and Nominations

• Solomon vs. Lord was nominated for the Macavity Awards in the Best Novel category in 2006. It was also nominated for the Edgar Award, International Thriller Award, Shamus Award, and James Thurber prizes.
• Early Grave won the PenCraft Best Book of 2023 Award in 2023. It also won the Best Thrillers “Best Legal Thriller of 2023” Award.
• The Deep Blue Alibi was nominated for the Edgar Award, Best Paperback Original, and the International Thriller Writers Award – Best Original Paperback Novel in 2007.
• In addition, Paul Levine also received the John D. MacDonald Fiction Award.
• To Speak For the Dead was included by the Los Angeles Times among the top 10 best mysteries of the year.
• Early Grave received the Best Book Award by PenCraft in 2023