Mackenzie White Books In Order

Publication Order of Mackenzie White Mysteries Books

The name ‘Mackenzie White’ refers to a series of novels written by Blake Pierce. The name also refers to the primary protagonist of the novels.

+The Story

The Mackenzie White series can be categorized as a psychological crime drama. The books follow the exploits of a law enforcement officer by the names of Mackenzie White. Blake Pierce is best known for his Riley Paige series.

And it is common for authors to struggle when it comes to writing multiple series in the same genre and keeping them separate. One would expect the Mackenzie White series to blend with the Riley Paige series in some way.

However, you will be hard pressed to find anyone comparing the two series. In fact, you won’t find that many readers claiming to confuse the Riley Paige novels with the Mackenzie White series. And that is an impressive achievement on the part of Blake Pierce.

After all, both series feature female protagonists working in law enforcement to stop killers and murders. However, the Mackenzie White series stands apart from the Riley Paige because of its tone.

The Riley Paige books are very dark and they can even get depressing in some instances. Riley Paige, who works for the Behavioral Analysis Unit, eventually begins to struggle mentally and emotionally as a result of her work hunting for serial killers.

This isn’t the case for Mackenzie. When the character is first introduced in ‘Before He Kills’ she is a highly intelligent detective working in Nebraska. Mackenzie is clearly far more capable than all the men in her office. However, no one ever takes her seriously. The chauvinistic tendencies around her become a hindrance to the heroine.

And it isn’t until she discovers a crucial clue in an important case that she is finally given the opportunity she desires to prove her mettle. Mackenzie eventually leaves her department and enrolls at the FBI Academy, encountering challenges along the way but finally overcoming the obstacles to become an FBI agent.

However, the heroine’s adventures do not end there. Life as an FBI agent only means that Mackenzie is dealing with cases with far greater stakes and contending with killers of a deadlier nature.

The Mackenzie White series has as many fans as it does detractors. The books are pretty short and easy to read, which is why many readers appreciate them. They are the sort of simple read that will keep one busy in a waiting room.

However, the Mackenzie White series has been criticized for the approach Blake Pierce has taken to using and developing his protagonist. Mackenzie is too perfect as a character. She’s always the one person in the room that can see all the pieces in the puzzle. She’s also always the only one that can put those pieces together to see the bigger picture.

Blake Pierce tends to sacrifice the characterization of his supporting cast in order to prove just how amazing Mackenzie White is. Every male character in the series is a buffoon. Not only do they all refuse to accept and trust in Mackenzie’s abilities but they tend to make such foolish mistakes, all so that Mackenzie White can swoop in and save the day.

Blake Pierce’s inability to develop a notable supporting cast, one that can challenge and operate effectively besides Mackenzie definitely hurts the Mackenzie White series. Because Mackenzie is so perfect and because she seems to have no flaws to speak of, readers struggle to root for her and to relate to her.

Interestingly enough, Mackenzie White seems to be the exact opposite of Riley Page who Blake Pierce wrote to be a complete mess. Though, Riley, like Mackenzie, seems a little too effective at her job.

+Mackenzie White Adaptations

2013 saw the release of an Indian Malaysian crime thriller called ‘Memories’. The movie starred notable Asian actors like Suresh Krishna, Prithviraj Sukumaran, and Meghana Raj. Few Blake Piece fans realize that this movie, which was produced by Anantha Visions, was an adaptation of ‘Before He Kills’, the first novel in the Mackenzie White series.

The movie follows the exploits of a broken detective whose family was murdered before his eyes. Now consumed by alcohol, Sam Alex is forced to undertake an impossible case and find a murderer with an obsession with women.

+Before He Kills

When a woman is killed and tied to a pole in Nebraska, the police realize that the murder might mark the start of a killing spree. To solve the case, the police are forced to rely on Detective Mackenzie White.

The young, tough detective always knew she was smarter than all the men in her department. However, their chauvinistic attitudes wouldn’t let her prove her abilities. But now, these officers have no choice but to turn to the intelligent detective.

Having proven her capabilities by cracking cold cases on previous occasions, Mackenzie could have the mental capacity to tangle with this new serial killer.

When even Mackenzie’s abilities fail to deliver results, the FBI comes into play and initiates a manhunt. However, Mackenzie isn’t ready to give up. If she can just overcome the demons of her dark past and even ignore her attraction to the new FBI agent, she just might have what it takes to get into the mind of a killer and stop him in his tracks.

The first book in the Mackenzie White series introduces Mackenzie White as a young, brash detective who must stop a serial killer in order to prove her mettle to an office full of chauvinistic men.

+Before He Sees

After proving herself as a competent officer in Nebraska, Mackenzie White is now undergoing training at the FBI Academy. She hopes to prove herself to everyone who doubted her by graduating and becoming a full blown FBI agent.

Mackenzie’s future is complicated when someone begins killing women in a manner similar to a serial killer Mackenzie is famous for stopping back in Nebraska, the serial killer that made her famous.

As the FBI undertake the task of finding out whether or not the Scarecrow killer has returned, Mackenzie is brought onboard to help solve the case because of her experience. Mackenzie knows that she must stop the killer so as to keep him from killing again. However, she cannot ignore the chance she also has to prove her skills to the FBI.