Warren Murphy
Warren Murphy is an American novelist of adventure, spy fiction and crime fiction novels. He is the co-creator of the Destroyer series, author of several other book series (such as Trace and Digger) and a screenwriter with credits like Lethal Weapon II and The Eiger Sanction to his name. Murphy is a veteran of the Korean War and before becoming a novelist, he worked in journalism and politics.

Warren Murphy became a published author in 1973 with the novel Created, The Destroyer, launching the Destroyer series. Below is a list of Warren Murphy’s books in order of when they were first released:

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Publication Order of The Destroyer Books

Created The Destroyer (With: Richard Sapir)(1971)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Check (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Chinese Puzzle (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mafia Fix (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dr. Quake (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Therapy (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Union Bust (With: Richard Sapir)(1972)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Summit Chase (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Murder's Shield (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Terror Squad (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Kill or Cure (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Slave Safari (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Acid Rock (With: Richard Sapir)(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Judgment Day (With: Richard Sapir)(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Murder Ward (With: Richard Sapir)(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Oil Slick (With: Richard Sapir)(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Last War Dance (With: Richard Sapir)(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Funny Money (With: Richard Sapir)(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Holy Terror (With: Richard Sapir)(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Assassin's Play Off (With: Richard Sapir)(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Deadly Seeds (With: Richard Sapir)(1975)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Brain Drain (With: Richard Sapir)(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Child's Play (With: Richard Sapir)(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
King's Curse (With: Richard Sapir)(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Sweet Dreams (With: Richard S. Meyers)(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
In Enemy Hands (With: Richard Sapir)(1976)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Last Temple (With: Richard Sapir)(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ship of Death (With: Richard Sapir)(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Final Death (With: Richard Sapir)(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mugger Blood (With: Richard Sapir)(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Head Men (With: Richard Sapir)(1977)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Killer Chromosomes (With: Richard Sapir)(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Voodoo Die (With: Richard Sapir)(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Chained Reaction (With: Richard Sapir)(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Last Call (With: Richard Sapir)(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Power Play (With: Richard Sapir)(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bottom Line (With: Richard Sapir)(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bay City Blast (With: Richard Sapir)(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Missing Link(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dangerous Games (With: Robert J. Randisi)(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Firing Line (With: Richard Sapir)(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Timber Line (With: Richard Sapir)(1980)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Midnight Man (With: Robert J. Randisi)(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Balance of Power (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Spoils of War (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Next of Kin (With: Molly Cochran)(1981)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Profit Motive (With: Richard Sapir)(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Skin Deep (With: Molly Cochran)(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Killing Time (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dying Space (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Shock Value (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Fool's Gold (With: Richard Sapir)(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Time Trial (With: Molly Cochran)(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Last Drop (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Master's Challenge (With: Richard Sapir,Molly Cochran)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Encounter Group (With: Will Murray)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Date with Death (With: Molly Cochran,Ed Hunsburger)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Total Recall (With: Robert J. Randisi)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Arms of Kali (With: Richard Sapir)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The End of the Game (With: Richard Sapir)(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lords of the Earth (With: Richard Sapir)(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Seventh Stone (With: Richard Sapir,Ed Hunsburger)(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sky Is Falling (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Last Alchemist (With: Richard Sapir)(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lost Yesterday (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Sue Me (With: Richard Sapir)(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Look into My Eyes (With: Richard Sapir)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
An Old-Fashioned War (With: Richard Sapir)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Blood Ties (With: Will Murray)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Eleventh Hour (With: Will Murray,Molly Cochran)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Return Engagement (With: Will Murray)(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Sole Survivor (With: Will Murray)(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Line of Succession (With: Will Murray)(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Walking Wounded (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Rain of Terror (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Final Crusade (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Coin of the Realm (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Blue Smoke and Mirrors (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Shooting Schedule (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Death Sentence (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Hostile Takeover (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Survival Course (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Skull Duggery (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ground Zero (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Blood Lust (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Arabian Nightmare (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Ultimate Death (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dark Horse (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Ghost in the Machine (With: Richard Sapir)(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mob Psychology (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Cold Warrior (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Last Dragon (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Terminal Transmission (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Feeding Frenzy (With: Will Murray)(1993)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
High Priestess (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1994)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Infernal Revenue (With: Will Murray)(1994)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Identity Crisis (With: Will Murray,Richard Sapir)(1994)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Target of Opportunity (With: Richard Sapir)(1994)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Color Of Fear (With: Richard Sapir)(1995)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Last Rites (With: Richard Sapir)(1995)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Continental Divide (With: R.J. Carter)(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Monumental Terror (With: Richard Sapir,R.J. Carter)(2019)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Blood Brotherhood (With: Richard Sapir,James Mullaney)(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Trial By Fire (With: Richard Sapir,James Mullaney)(2021)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Destroyer Short Stories/Novellas

The Day Remo Died(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Savage Song(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Number Two(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Razoni & Jackson Books

City in Heat(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead End Street(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
One Night Stand(1973)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Down and Dirty(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lynch Town(1974)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Digger Books

Smoked Out(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Fool's Flight(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Letter(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Lucifer's Weekend(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Trace Books

Trace(1983)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
And 47 Miles of Rope(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
When Elephants Forget(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Pigs Get Fat(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Once a Mutt(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Too Old a Cat(1986)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Getting Up with Fleas(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Grandmaster Books

(with Molly Cochran)

Grandmaster (With: Molly Cochran)(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
High Priest (With: Molly Cochran)(1987)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Forever King Books

The Forever King (With: Molly Cochran)(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Broken Sword (With: Molly Cochran)(1998)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Third Magic (By: Molly Cochran)(2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
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Publication Order of The New Destroyer Books

(with James Mullaney)

Choke Hold(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Guardian Angel(2007)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Dead Reckoning(2008)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Killer Ratings(2008)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Legacy Books

Forgotten Son(2012)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Killing Fields(2013)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Overload(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Trial and Terror(2014)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Mother Mine(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Laughing Matter(2017)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
100 Proof(2018)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Leonardo's Law(1978)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Atlantic City(1979)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Red Moon(1982)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Ceiling of Hell(1984)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Remo (With: Richard Sapir)(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Hand of Lazarus (With: Molly Cochran)(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Sure Thing(1988)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
The Temple Dogs (With: Molly Cochran)(1989)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Jericho Day(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Scorpion's Dance(1990)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Destiny's Carnival(1991)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Honor Among Thieves(1992)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
World Without End (With: Molly Cochran)(1996)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Bloodline(2015)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Inside Sinanju (With: Richard Sapir)(1985)Description / Buy at Amazon.com
Destroyer World: The Way of the Assassin(2003)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Another Day, Another Dollar(1998)Description / Buy at Amazon.com

Publication Order of Anthologies

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Notes: The Destroyer series was co-created by Richard Sapir, and the novels largely ghostwritten by other authors. The New Destroyer series was co-authored with James Mullaney. The Assassin’s Handbook was later updated and revised as Inside Sinanju. Remo: The Adventure Begins was co-authored by Richard Ben Sapir.

The Forever King, Grandmaster and the novels The Hand of Lazarus, The Temple Dogs and World Without End were co-authored with Molly Cochran. The Legacy series was co-authored by Gerald Welch. Atlantic City was written with Frank Stevens. Destiny’s Carnival was co-authored by Mark Brownwood. The Razoni & Jackson books were written as W.B. Murphy.

If You Like Warren Murphy Books, You’ll Love…

Warren Murphy Synopsis: Smoked Out by Warren Murphy is the first of four novels in the Digger humourous crime series. The title character is an insurance investigator who enjoys drinking, fast women and being a smartass. He has a girlfriend who works as a hooker part-time. Digger wants to know if a death of a doctor’s wife is an accident or murder, so he decides the best course of action is to crash the funeral.

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