Which Book First?
Readers have been asking me if they should start the Detective Matt Jones series with City of Echoes. Yes, of course, if that’s what you want to do. But I think starting with the latest book, I’m All Better Now, has certain advantages worth considering.
If you enjoy sorting through a cold case, or the process of discovery, then starting with I’m All Better Now is a great way to meet Matt Jones. The opposition he faces in this book is unlike anything he’s seen before. At a certain point in the story, and you’ll know when, the world begins to collapse around Matt so completely that even I was afraid for him.
This series is unique because of its timeline. Matt is thirty years old in October when City of Echoes begins. By I’m All Better Now, it’s only February — he’s still thirty — and everything from the earlier books is still in play. But here’s the key: every book works as a standalone. That’s the whole concept.
You can start anywhere. You can read them in any order. All the same, I’m hoping you’ll start with I’m All Better Now — that you’ll be drawn into the characters and want to investigate and discover where Matt Jones came from and who he really is.
ROBERT ELLIS WRITERS BLOG
10/17/26
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