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Quick answer: If you loved Wild Fire, read Nelson DeMille's The Gold Coast, then Lee Child's Killing Floor, then Harlan Coben's Fool Me Once and Tell No One, and David Baldacci's Absolute Power and Vince Flynn's Transfer of Power. All are wry, fast-moving crime thrillers.
Nelson DeMille's 2006 novel Wild Fire features NYPD detective turned federal agent John Corey. These picks offer the same sharp humour and action.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Gold Coast | Nelson DeMille | Adult | readers who like social comedy |
| Killing Floor | Lee Child | Adult | readers who like action |
| Fool Me Once | Harlan Coben | Adult | readers who like twists |
| Absolute Power | David Baldacci | Adult | readers who like conspiracies |
| Transfer of Power | Vince Flynn | Adult | political action |
| The Lincoln Lawyer | Michael Connelly | Adult | modern legal thriller |
| The Black Echo | Michael Connelly | Adult | readers who like procedurals |
| The Poet | Michael Connelly | Adult | serial killer thrillers |
| Tell No One | Harlan Coben | Adult | readers who like twists |
| The Day of the Jackal | Frederick Forsyth | Adult | readers who want a classic |
| Open Season | C.J. Box | Adult | wilderness mysteries |
| Without Remorse | Tom Clancy | Adult | revenge thrillers |
| The Bone Collector | Jeffery Deaver | Adult | readers who like forensic thrillers |
| Primal Fear | William Diehl | Adult | courtroom twist |
| The Gray Man | Mark Greaney | Adult | assassin on the run |
1. The Gold Coast by Nelson DeMille
A lawyer in Long Island gets mixed up with the Mafia. Witty and sharp.
Best for: readers who like social comedy.
2. Killing Floor by Lee Child
Jack Reacher arrives in a Georgia town and is arrested for murder. The first Reacher novel and a model of the fast thriller.
Best for: readers who like action.
3. Fool Me Once by Harlan Coben
A former soldier sees her dead husband on a nanny cam. A twisty, fast read.
Best for: readers who like twists.
4. Absolute Power by David Baldacci
A thief sees the President commit a crime and is hunted. A big, fast political thriller.
Best for: readers who like conspiracies.
5. Transfer of Power by Vince Flynn
A counterterrorism hero fights a siege in the White House. Fast and patriotic.
Best for: political action.
6. The Lincoln Lawyer by Michael Connelly
Mickey Haller works out of his car and defends clients across Los Angeles. Sharp, fast and clever.
Best for: modern legal thriller.
7. The Black Echo by Michael Connelly
Harry Bosch investigates a body in a drainpipe. The first Bosch novel and a strong police procedural.
Best for: readers who like procedurals.
8. The Poet by Michael Connelly
A reporter hunts a serial killer who leaves poetry. Dark and tense.
Best for: serial killer thrillers.
9. Tell No One by Harlan Coben
A doctor receives a message from his wife, who was killed eight years ago. Twisty and quick.
Best for: readers who like twists.
10. The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth
An assassin plans to kill French President de Gaulle, and detectives race to stop him. A classic of the genre.
Best for: readers who want a classic.
11. Open Season by C.J. Box
Wyoming game warden Joe Pickett finds a body in his garage. Outdoorsy and tense.
Best for: wilderness mysteries.
12. Without Remorse by Tom Clancy
A Navy SEAL seeks revenge for his family's murder. Origin story for John Clark.
Best for: revenge thrillers.
13. The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver
A quadriplegic forensic expert and a young cop hunt a serial killer. Twisty and tense.
Best for: readers who like forensic thrillers.
14. Primal Fear by William Diehl
A lawyer defends an altar boy accused of murder. A classic twist ending.
Best for: courtroom twist.
15. The Gray Man by Mark Greaney
A rogue assassin is hunted by his former employers. Fast and relentless.
Best for: assassin on the run.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with Wild Fire: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
If you are not sure where to begin, start with the first three picks in the table: they are the closest match to Wild Fire. The rest of the list moves further out, so it works well once you know which part of the original you liked most.
How to Choose
For humorous detectives, read Killing Floor or Fool Me Once. For political thrillers, try Absolute Power or Transfer of Power. For smart legal action, pick The Lincoln Lawyer.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who wrote Wild Fire?
Nelson DeMille, in 2006.
Is it part of a series?
Yes, the John Corey series.
What should I read first?
Plum Island, the first book in the series.
Which book here is best for assassin on the run?
Try The Gray Man by Mark Greaney, which suits readers looking for assassin on the run.
Which book here is best for courtroom twist?
Try Primal Fear by William Diehl, which suits readers looking for courtroom twist.
Which book here is best for readers who like forensic thrillers?
Try The Bone Collector by Jeffery Deaver, which suits readers looking for readers who like forensic thrillers.
Which book here is best for revenge thrillers?
Try Without Remorse by Tom Clancy, which suits readers looking for revenge thrillers.
Which book here is best for wilderness mysteries?
Try Open Season by C.J. Box, which suits readers looking for wilderness mysteries.