The Garrett Mann Series in Order

About the Garrett Mann series

Series Premise

Special Agent Garrett Mann and his ARTEMIS team investigate gruesome, dismembered bodies dumped along remote rural roads—killings initially linked to cartel activity—but each case peels back to reveal deeper, more sinister patterns involving hidden motives, powerful interests, and far-reaching conspiracies that threaten national security. As Mann pushes his team and himself to the limit, he navigates bureaucratic pressures, personal risks, and moral gray areas to expose truths that could upend everything he believes about justice and the system he serves.

The series is strongly best read in publication order, as Mann's investigations form an interconnected arc with progressive revelations about the overarching threats, character development (including the psychological strain on Mann and his team), recurring elements, and escalating stakes that build toward a climactic payoff in the finale. That said, each book stands as a self-contained thriller with its own complete case, central mystery, investigation, high-stakes resolution, and satisfying conclusion, so jumping in mid-series won't leave readers lost on the immediate plot—though the full emotional weight and conspiracy depth reward sequential reading.

Main Characters

Special Agent Garrett Mann — The driven protagonist: a seasoned, no-nonsense FBI agent leading the ARTEMIS task force, expert in cartel-related killings but forced to adapt when cases defy expectations. Tactical, intuitive, and fiercely committed, Mann carries the weight of past failures and current pressures, making him both formidable and deeply human as he risks everything to connect the dots.

Setting

The stories root primarily in the vast, sun-baked Southwest U.S.—remote desert highways, dusty border towns, rural backroads stretching across states like Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas—where bodies appear dumped in isolated spots, amplifying the sense of desolation and vulnerability. Investigations expand into urban FBI field offices, secure facilities, abandoned sites, and occasionally cross into higher-level government or corporate shadows. The expansive, unforgiving landscape mirrors the sprawling nature of the crimes and conspiracies, with heat, distance, and isolation heightening tension and making pursuits feel endless.

Tone & Themes

The tone is gritty, urgent, and adrenaline-charged—packed with tactical precision, graphic violence when necessary, sharp dialogue, and moments of raw intensity that keep pages turning, balanced by Konkoly's grounded realism and occasional dark humor amid the chaos. The writing avoids melodrama, focusing on authentic FBI operations and the human cost of the job.

Themes explore the corrupting reach of power and hidden agendas, the blurred line between hunter and hunted, the personal sacrifices demanded by duty (family strain, moral compromises, burnout), justice versus expediency in a flawed system, and the relentless pursuit of truth even when it endangers everything. Loyalty to team and country, the psychological scars of repeated exposure to evil, and the fight against systemic threats recur powerfully.

In the end, Steven Konkoly's Garrett Mann series is a white-knuckle thrill ride—smart, relentless thrillers that hook you with clever misdirection, deliver explosive action, and leave you pondering the shadows behind every headline. These books capture the electric tension of an agent racing against time and deception, the grim satisfaction of uncovering buried truths, and the quiet heroism of those who keep fighting despite the cost. If you're craving high-stakes FBI procedurals with authentic grit, layered conspiracies, and a protagonist worth rooting for, this series is pure adrenaline—dive in, buckle up, and prepare for a wild, satisfying chase across the American Southwest.