Reading Order
Maddie Castle
After an on-duty shooting ends her career as a K-9 handler and takes her canine partner, Maddie Castle has to find a way forward. Private investigations draw her back into Pittsburgh’s darkest corners, where her work with dogs becomes part of a new life. Written by L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray, these mysteries pair dangerous cases with the difficult business of rebuilding trust.
A strong starting point for readers drawn to K-9 investigations, a city setting, and a lead whose recovery matters alongside the case.
Start here
Begin with The Handler, Book 1, then read Tracking Justice and Hunting Grounds. The novella titled Maddie Castle is a separate prequel, rather than the first numbered novel.
Reading Order
Follow the Maddie Castle novels by their series numbers, beginning with The Handler. This keeps the investigations and Maddie’s developing story together. The prequel and the Books 1–3 collection are shown separately so neither changes the main sequence.
- The Handler
- Tracking Justice
- Hunting Grounds
- Vanished Trails
- Smoldering Lies
- Field of Bones
- Beneath the Grove
- Disappearing Act
- Silent Witness
- The Cost of Silence
Preorder · Expected release December 15, 2026. Release date subject to change; check your chosen edition with the retailer.
Your first read
The Handler introduces the circumstances behind Maddie’s move into private investigation and her work with a traumatized K-9. Starting there gives you the foundation for the investigations that follow. Continue with Tracking Justice, Hunting Grounds, and then the remaining numbered novels in order.
The prequel novella
Maddie Castle is also the title printed on a separate novella. The series reading list identifies it as a prequel. Look for the novella designation when choosing it: it is not an alternate title for The Handler and should not push The Handler into the second position.
What follows the opening box set?
The Maddie Castle Series: Books 1–3 collects The Handler, Tracking Justice, and Hunting Grounds. If you read that collection, your next numbered novel is Vanished Trails. The set is another way to read the opening books, rather than an additional investigation.
Editions and formats
A print, ebook, or audio listing can have a different release date while containing the same novel. Use the title and series number to track your progress. Translated editions of The Handler likewise belong to Book 1; they are not later entries in Maddie’s story.
Reader questions
What is the first Maddie Castle novel?
The Handler is Book 1. The shorter book titled Maddie Castle is a separate prequel novella.
What comes after the Maddie Castle Books 1–3 box set?
Vanished Trails, Book 4. The set contains The Handler, Tracking Justice, and Hunting Grounds.
Who writes the Maddie Castle books?
L.T. Ryan and C.R. Gray.