Best David Ellis Books

The best books by David Ellis — 9 titles spanning Thriller, Mystery, averaging 4.11 BLT stars.

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David Ellis writes the kind of legal thriller that actually knows how the law works — because he spent years as a courtroom attorney before turning to fiction. That insider credibility runs through everything: the procedural detail is exact, the moral ambiguity is real, and the plot twists feel earned rather than cheap. His Billy Harney series, led by The Black Book and The Red Book, follows a Chicago detective with a gift for trouble, moving at a pace that makes it genuinely hard to stop reading. Line of Vision, his Edgar Award-winning debut, announced a writer with serious instincts for psychological tension. Ellis is best when he's layering competing loyalties — cops, lawyers, politicians, all with something to hide. If you want thrillers with authentic legal and procedural texture, not just courtroom set dressing, Ellis delivers.

David Ellis's highest-rated book in our collection is Escape (4.54 BLT stars). Browse the full list below.

Where to Start with David Ellis

  1. 1
    Escape cover

    Escape

    Billy Harney • Book 3

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    ★ 4.54 BLT Score (16.2K ratings)
    ★ 4.33 Goodreads (16.2K)
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  2. 2
    The Red Book cover

    The Red Book

    Billy Harney • Book 2

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    ★ 4.54 BLT Score (19.5K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (19.5K)
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  3. 3
    The Black Book cover

    The Black Book

    Billy Harney • Book 1

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    ★ 4.46 BLT Score (43.4K ratings)
    ★ 4.28 Goodreads (43.4K)
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  4. 4
    Guilty Wives cover

    Guilty Wives

    by James Patterson, David Ellis

    ★ 4.18 BLT Score (37.5K ratings)
    ★ 3.9 Goodreads (37.5K)
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  5. 5
    The Wrong Man cover

    The Wrong Man

    Jason Kolarich • Book 3

    by David Ellis

    ★ 4.03 BLT Score (1.7K ratings)
    ★ 4.04 Goodreads (1.7K)
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  6. 6
    The Last Alibi cover

    The Last Alibi

    Jason Kolarich • Book 4

    by David Ellis

    ★ 4.02 BLT Score (2.0K ratings)
    ★ 4.21 Goodreads (2.0K)
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  7. 7
    Breach of Trust cover

    Breach of Trust

    Jason Kolarich • Book 2

    by David Ellis

    ★ 3.88 BLT Score (1.6K ratings)
    ★ 3.93 Goodreads (1.6K)
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  8. 8
    Eye of the Beholder cover

    Eye of the Beholder

    by David Ellis

    ★ 3.81 BLT Score (1.4K ratings)
    ★ 3.83 Goodreads (1.4K)
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  9. 9
    Line of Vision cover

    Line of Vision

    by David Ellis

    ★ 3.49 BLT Score (1.8K ratings)
    ★ 3.92 Goodreads (1.8K)
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How We Rank Audiobooks

Rankings are driven by listener ratings and review counts from Audible and Goodreads. Books with high ratings across a large number of listeners rank higher — a 4.5 with 50,000 ratings says more than a 4.8 with 200.

Unlike most book lists, we weight audiobook-specific factors: narrator performance, production quality, and how well a story translates to audio. A great book with a poor narration isn't a great audiobook.

We don't accept paid placements or prioritize new releases. These rankings reflect what listeners actually enjoy, not what's being promoted.

Rankings update periodically as new ratings come in and new titles are added to the collection.

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