North Florida Trilogy Books In Order

Publication Order of North Florida Trilogy Books

P.V. LeForge Biography

Although born in Detroit, P.V. LeForge has spent most of his life in Florida, where he worked for several years as an editor for the Department of Education. One day a colleague, Anne Petty, showed him a photo she had taken of a small abandoned church out in the North Florida woods—and the North Florida Trilogy was born. P.V. is also the author of the novel The Notebooks of William Wilson, two books of short stories, and four books of poetry. He makes his home in rural North Florida with his wife Sara Warner and various animals.

Anne Petty Biography

Anne Petty was born in North Florida and received her PhD in English Literature from Florida State University. She was a pioneer J.R.R. Tolkein scholar and her doctoral dissertation, One Ring to Bind Them All, is still a go-to book for current scholars. In addition to co-writing the North Florida Trilogy, she is the author of several books of dark fantasy and literary criticism. She was also the publisher of Kitsune Press, which specialized in poetry and literary fiction. Anne died in 2013 of cancer—just after her final review of the manuscript of Time Piece.

The North Florida Trilogy

These three novels are best described as literary mysteries with strong female protagonists. Each takes place in a different city on Florida’s Gulf Coast and all involve mysteries that intersect with Florida myths and history. They are set in the 1980s and range from the small fictional town of Tate’s Hammock to Panama City to Pensacola. Only one character appears in all three novels. She shows up in a very minor role in book 1, a secondary character in book 2, and the POV protagonist in book 3.

Book 1: Hell and High Water (2011)

Carla Conway is a shrimp boat operator in the small town of Tate’s Hammock. It is reputed to be the place where a mythological wanderer made his way back to civilization from a swampy wilderness called thereafter Tate’s Hell. Carla is appalled when she learns that her old nanny has been murdered in an old church and vows to find her killer. With the help of the old woman’s niece Pixie and three old codgers that inhabit a loafer’s bench in front of the town’s country store, she gathers clues. But just as she feels she is on the right track, a hurricane hits the area and cuts her off from civilization—much like Tate was 100 years earlier.

Book 2: Museum Piece (2013)

Vicki Rankin, along with her husband Rick and teenage son Rusty have moved from Miami to Panama City, where Rick has gotten a job operating a small motel near the beach. Vicki, too, is starting a new job—one as a private investigator. Her first case involves the owner of a junk shop / museum, who wants her to investigate the origin of what appears to be the bible of one of Panfilo Narvaez’ soldiers, who were routed by Native Americans in 1527.

Book 3: Time Piece (2014)

Melanie Truslow—the only character to appear in all 3 novels, has been making plans for a move to Pensacola from Panama City to be near her father, who she never knew while growing up. Unfortunately, her father was found drowned in the Gulf before Melanie can move. As the sole beneficiary of her father’s estate, she moves into his large house and begins to take inventory. What she finds takes her straight into the history of the Vietnam War and introduces her to the mysterious Alexandre Metraux—journalist, filmmaker, and pornographer. But how could her father possibly be involved with such a person?

(Thanks so much to P.V. for the bio!)