A Micah Reed Q&A with the Author, Jim Heskett

Recently, I sat down with myself (it was a tough interview), to discuss items related to the Micah Reed series, and to clear the air and answer some questions I often receive from fans. I have since been granted permission (by me) to publish this interview. Here you go, thirsty book readers:

Q: Is there a specific order in which we should read all the Micah Reed novels?

Technically, no (except for the last book, Among Thieves). Unlike my series The Whistleblower Trilogy, which tells a single, unified story over the course of a few books, the Micah Reed books are stand-alone. Each story is independent in terms of the plot, in that you can read one book and get a full story with no pesky cliffhangers.

However, I do think people should read the series in the order they’re published because they’ll get a better sense of who Micah was, who he is, and who he’s becoming as his arc progresses.

The books follow Micah’s journey from “bad guy” to a path (hopefully) leading toward redemption, and if you consume the series out of order, seeing him grow and change won’t have the same deep emotional payoff. Plus, there are some little nuggets I place in early books that pay off in later books.

For example, if you’ve read the first couple books, you know Micah keeps a certain business card in a shoebox hidden under the floorboards of his bedroom. Later on, you’ll find out exactly what significance that business card has.

Reading the books in order provides more a fun and surprising chain of reveals, as opposed to going through them all willy-nilly.

Q: What’s different about Micah Reed, as compared to other fictional heroes?

In every action/thriller series I’ve read, the hero was an ex-cop, or an ex-Navy seal, or something like that. While a lot of these books are great, I wanted to write something different. I wanted to write a hero who was compelling enough to star in multiple books, but also feel a little closer to a normal human being.

Something like an everyman who becomes caught up in situations bigger than himself. And, I love characters who live in that murky, morally gray area (like Breaking Bad’s Walter White), so I wanted to write a hero with a mysterious and checkered past, but also who is trying to do the right thing. He’s my “hooker with a heart of gold,” if you will.

Q: What is the main genre of the Micah Reed books?

Noir pulp fiction mystery crime thrillers, basically. Is that specific enough?

I never want the Micah Reed books to become so formulaic that they become predictable. As a result, the books cross genres. A little.

In general, though, I would call them “crime” books, a la Elmore Leonard, Harlen Coben, and Steig Larssen.

Nailgun Killer is a novel of suspense. It’s full of intrigue, tension, plot twists, and a sense of foreboding that builds from the first chapter all the way to a powerful conclusion that ties everything together. But it’s not a balls-to-the-wall thriller. It builds over time.

And then, the book Breaking Bullets is a straight-up thriller, with Micah going on a whirlwind adrenaline-based ride from page 1.

Blood Thief is more of an old-fashioned detective story, with Micah working to solve a mystery by uncovering clues.

But, I think if you like any of these books, you’ll like all of them, because they all feature common threads: Micah being his usual, snarky self; plenty of conflict and action; and a build-up to a satisfying and explosive climax.