📖 About Hackberry Holland

Hackberry Holland is a series universe written by James Lee Burke. The complete collection runs to 13 books across 3 series, published between 1971 and 2025.

The main series is Publication Order of Hackberry Holland Books with 7 books. It opens with Lay Down My Sword and Shield (1971) and currently runs to Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie (2025).

Series included on this page:

🎯 Where to Start with Hackberry Holland

New readers should begin with the first book of the main series in publication order: Lay Down My Sword and Shield (1971), book 1 of Publication Order of Hackberry Holland Books. Reading in publication order lets the world and characters develop the way the author intended, and it avoids spoilers that later books may contain.

Each of the 3 series on this page is expandable — click a series heading to see every title it contains, in order, with a direct link to buy the book on Amazon.

📚 Hackberry Holland Books in Order

Publication Order of Hackberry Holland Books
7 books
1
Lay Down My Sword and Shield book cover1Lay Down My Sword and Shield1971Buy on Amazon
Rain Gods book cover2Rain Gods2009Buy on Amazon
Feast Day of Fools book cover3Feast Day of Fools2011Buy on Amazon
House of the Rising Sun book cover4House of the Rising Sun2015Buy on Amazon
Another Kind of Eden book cover5Another Kind of Eden2021Buy on Amazon
Every Cloak Rolled in Blood book cover6Every Cloak Rolled in Blood2022Buy on Amazon
Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie book cover7Don't Forget Me, Little Bessie2025Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Billy Bob Holland Books
4 books
2
Cimarron Rose book cover1Cimarron Rose1997Buy on Amazon
Heartwood book cover2Heartwood1999Buy on Amazon
Bitterroot book cover3Bitterroot2001Buy on Amazon
In the Moon of Red Ponies book cover4In the Moon of Red Ponies2004Buy on Amazon
Publication Order of Weldon Holland Books
2 books
3
Wayfaring Stranger book cover1Wayfaring Stranger2014Buy on Amazon
The Jealous Kind book cover2The Jealous Kind2016Buy on Amazon

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

How many Hackberry Holland books are there?
There are 13 books in the Hackberry Holland collection, organised into 3 series and published between 1971 and 2025.
What is the first Hackberry Holland book?
The first book is Lay Down My Sword and Shield, published in 1971.
What order should I read the Hackberry Holland books in?
Most readers use publication order, which is the order the books were originally released. A chronological order is also provided on this page for readers who prefer to follow the internal timeline of the story.
Who wrote the Hackberry Holland books?
The Hackberry Holland books were written by James Lee Burke.
Is the Hackberry Holland series finished?
The main series, Publication Order of Hackberry Holland Books, has 7 books so far. The most recent title listed on this page gives the current end point of the series.
When did the Hackberry Holland series start?
The earliest title in this collection was published in 1971, and the most recent in 2025.