Order of Bill Crider Books

Bill Crider was a prolific American novelist who wrote across multiple genres, including mystery, western, horror, and children's literature. While he gained recognition for various series including the Truman Smith books, Crider achieved his greatest fame through the beloved Sheriff Dan Rhodes series.

Crider's path to writing began in academia, where he spent more than ten years teaching English at Howard Payne University before pursuing his PhD at the University of Texas at Austin. In 2003, he made the decision to retire from academic life and focus entirely on his fiction writing career.

Crider's publishing journey started in 1984 when he penned The Coyote Connection, which was released under the house name Nick Carter and written in collaboration with Jack Davis. Two years later, in 1986, he launched his signature Dan Rhodes series with Too Late to Die, marking his debut as a solo novelist under his own name.

Throughout his career, Crider proved himself a versatile collaborator, working with numerous co-authors on various projects. He partnered with Judy Crier on The Blackline County Files, joined forces with Willard Scott for the Stanley Waters series, and collaborated with Lee Goldberg and William Rabkin on The Carnival of Death. His other collaborative works included projects with Stephen Mertz on M.I.A. Hunter and with Clyde Wilson on both Houston Homicide and Mississippi Vivian.

Crider also wrote under the pseudonym Jack MacLane, publishing several novels including Keepers of the Beast, Goodnight Moom, Blood Dreams, Rest in Peace, and Just Before Dark. Additionally, he contributed to anthology collections such as Murder, Mayhem and Mistletoe, The Spider Chronicles, and Die, Lover, Die!, working alongside numerous established authors in the mystery and crime fiction community.