Alex Abella Books in Order

Alex Abella is a Cuban-born American crime fiction and thriller author, screenwriter, and Emmy award winning newswriter, best known for the Charlie Morell series, a groundbreaking trilogy of Cuban-American crime novels set in Los Angeles. His debut novel The Killing of the Saints was a New York Times Notable Book, translated into twelve languages, and optioned for film by Paramount Pictures. Beyond fiction, he has written acclaimed non-fiction, including Soldiers of Reason, which was longlisted for the National Book Award.

This page lists all Alex Abella books in order, including the Charlie Morell series, standalone novels, and non-fiction works, organized primarily by publication order.

Charlie Morell Series (Books in Order)

The Charlie Morell series follows Cuban-American attorney and court-appointed private investigator Charlie Morell, who becomes entangled in cases rooted in the Santería religion and the occult underworld of the Los Angeles Cuban exile community. Blending legal thriller, noir, and Afro-Cuban mythology, the trilogy is distinctive for its authentic insider portrayal of Latino Los Angeles and its morally complex protagonist who is running from his own past.

Reading Order

  1. The Killing of the Saints, 1991
  2. Dead of Night, 1998
  3. Final Acts, 2000

Standalone Novels

Non-Fiction Books

Alex Abella Biography

Alex Abella

Alex Abella is a Cuban-born American author, journalist, and screenwriter whose work includes fiction books, non-fiction, and television reporting.
Official website: alexabella.com

Alex Abella was born in Cuba in 1950 and emigrated to the US with his parents as a child. He lived in New York where he got a Pulitzer scholarship which allowed him to attend Columbia University.

After graduating, he moved to San Francisco in California where he worked as a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle covering local news. He then worked for KTVU-TV, Channel 2 News as a producer, writer, and reporter.

In the late 1980s, Alex Abella moved to Los Angeles to focus on writing. At the same time, he also worked as a Spanish interpreter at the Los Angeles Superior Court and an assistant to a Private Investigator. He lives in the Los Angeles suburbs with his family.

His debut novel, The Killing of the Saints, which was named a New York Times Notable Book the same year it was published, introduced Charlie Morell, who became the main character of the author’s trilogy.

Alex Abella has also written standalone novels and non-fiction books that examine historical and political events.

Edited by

Marika

Founder of Mystery Sequels, a reference site focused on listing mystery and thriller books in the correct reading order. I maintain and update the site’s bibliographies as new titles are released, ensuring accuracy and consistency across author and series pages.

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