Charles Ray Willeford

1919–1988

1 series 6 books in order 2 standalone books

Charles Ray Willeford III was born on January 2, 1919, in Little Rock, Arkansas. He wrote across multiple genres, including poetry, crime fiction, and literary criticism, and held academic positions at the University of Miami and Miami Dade Junior College. Willeford served in the Army Air Corps and later as a tank commander with the 10th Armored Division in Europe during World War II, earning several military decorations. His first novel, High Priest of California, was published in 1953, and he later received the Mark Twain Award.

Born
1919
Known for
Hoke Moseley Detective Series

Series by Charles Ray Willeford

Hoke Moseley Detective Series

4 books in order · 1984–1988

  1. Cover of Miami blues

    Miami blues

    1984 · Charles Ray Willeford

    Detective Hoke Moseley, after investigating a quadruple homicide, stays at the El Dorado Hotel and is later beaten and hospitalized, losing his…

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  2. Cover of New hope for the dead

    New hope for the dead

    1985 · Charles Ray Willeford

    Miami homicide detective Hoke Moseley investigates a lethal overdose in a posh Miami neighborhood, where he encounters the stepmother of the…

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  3. Cover of Sideswipe

    Sideswipe

    1987 · Charles Ray Willeford

    Hoke Moseley, a Miami homicide detective, relocates to Singer Island to escape financial strain, family responsibilities, and his job, vowing never…

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  4. Cover of The way we die now

    The way we die now

    1988 · Charles Ray Willeford

    Miami Homicide Detective Hoke Moseley is ordered to grow a beard and is then assigned to work undercover far from his jurisdiction without his badge,…

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Standalone books

  1. Cover of Pick-up

    Pick-up

    1987

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  2. Cover of The Burnt Orange Heresy

    The Burnt Orange Heresy

    1971

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Frequently asked questions

How many books has Charles Ray Willeford written?

We list 6 books by Charles Ray Willeford across 1 series, published between 1971–1988 — each shown in full reading order.

What order should I read Charles Ray Willeford's books?

Read each series in publication order. A good place to start is “Miami blues.” Open any series above for its complete numbered reading order.

Where can I buy Charles Ray Willeford's books?

Every title links to Amazon from its series page — see our affiliate disclosure in the footer for how that supports the site.

Reading order compiled from author/publisher guidance and verified bibliographic data. Spotted a wrong order, a missing book, or any other mistake? and we'll correct it.