Gary Gerlacher Books in Order: The AJ Docker Series Guide
Gary Gerlacher brings his experience as a pediatric emergency physician to the AJ Docker books, a series that combines medical thriller, crime, police procedural, and action-adventure elements. AJ Docker works as an emergency physician, but his encounters with patients sometimes pull him into investigations far beyond the hospital.
The series also features Banshee, Docker’s K9 partner, and moves from emergency rooms to criminal investigations and high-stakes threats in different locations. Although the books can generally be read independently, following publication order gives you the clearest introduction to the characters and their continuing world. Gerlacher’s official website currently lists six released books and Zero Drop as the upcoming seventh installment.
AJ Docker and Banshee Books in Order
1. Last Patient of the Night (2023)
Last Patient of the Night introduces Dr. AJ Docker, an emergency physician whose routine hospital work takes an unexpected turn when an unidentified woman dies in his emergency room.
Unable to simply forget about the patient, Docker begins looking for answers with the help of a police officer and a K9. The investigation takes him into a dangerous criminal world while the novel also gives readers a look at the pressure and unpredictability of emergency-room medicine.
This is the natural starting point for the series because it establishes Doc, Banshee, and the combination of medical and crime-thriller storytelling that defines the books. It was published by Black Rose Writing in 2023.
2. Faulty Bloodline (2024)
Faulty Bloodline continues the AJ Docker and Banshee series with another case that begins with Docker’s medical work and develops into a much larger investigation.
The book continues to combine emergency medicine with crime and suspense, while giving readers more time with Doc and Banshee outside the hospital.
It is officially identified as Book 2 of the series by Gerlacher’s website and publisher listings.
3. Sin City Treachery (2024)
In Sin City Treachery, Doc and Banshee find themselves involved in an investigation in Las Vegas.
The case takes them from a seedy bar to some of the city’s famous landmarks before building toward a dangerous confrontation connected to a major event. The story mixes medical knowledge, investigation, action, and the fast pace associated with the AJ Docker books.
Sin City Treachery is Book 3 in the series and was published in 2024.
4. Deadly Equation (2024)
Deadly Equation takes the series into a larger-scale threat involving Capitol Hill, while still placing an emergency physician and his K9 partner at the center of the action.
The story combines clues, medical knowledge, political danger, and an investigation that pushes Doc and Banshee well beyond their normal environment.
It is officially listed as Book 4 of the AJ Docker series.
5. Terminal Exchanges (2025)
Terminal Exchanges raises the stakes with threats involving both a local gang and international terrorists.
When Doc and Banshee interfere with the plans of dangerous criminals, they become targets themselves. Alongside the thriller plot, Doc is also trying to help a close friend through a serious medical emergency.
The book was published in 2025 and is Book 5 in the AJ Docker and Banshee series.
6. Phantom Files (2026)
Phantom Files is the sixth AJ Docker and Banshee thriller.
It continues Gerlacher’s combination of medical drama, crime, action, and the relationship between Doc and his K9 partner. The book was released in March 2026 and is currently the most recent published installment.
7. Zero Drop (2026)
Zero Drop is the upcoming seventh AJ Docker book.
Gerlacher’s official website currently lists the release date as December 3, 2026, so it should be treated as an upcoming installment rather than a currently published book.
The official description promises another Doc and Banshee thriller, with an explosive opening and a mystery involving people who are described as “dead men walking.”
Gary Gerlacher Books in Simple Order
For readers who only want the reading order:
- Last Patient of the Night (2023)
- Faulty Bloodline (2024)
- Sin City Treachery (2024)
- Deadly Equation (2024)
- Terminal Exchanges (2025)
- Phantom Files (2026)
- Zero Drop (2026, upcoming)
Gerlacher’s own website numbers these books from Book One through Book Six and lists Zero Drop as the upcoming Book Seven.
Do You Need to Read the AJ Docker Books in Order?
Not necessarily.
The books are individual thrillers with their own central cases, and some publisher listings explicitly say the AJ Docker and Banshee thrillers can be read in any order. However, starting with Last Patient of the Night is still useful because it introduces AJ Docker and Banshee and establishes the medical-thriller format of the series.
For readers who plan to read the whole series, publication order remains the simplest choice:
Last Patient of the Night → Faulty Bloodline → Sin City Treachery → Deadly Equation → Terminal Exchanges → Phantom Files → Zero Drop.
Who Is AJ Docker?
AJ Docker is an emergency physician and the central character of Gerlacher’s thriller series.
His medical profession is not simply background decoration. Cases frequently begin through his work in emergency medicine, giving the novels a medical perspective before the investigations expand into crime and action.
Gerlacher’s own medical career strongly informs this setting. His author biography states that he spent approximately 30 years working as a pediatric emergency physician before moving into fiction.
Who Is Banshee?
Banshee is AJ Docker’s K9 partner and an important part of the series’ identity.
The dog is not simply a background animal companion. The official series name itself is AJ Docker and Banshee Thriller, and the books repeatedly place Doc and Banshee together as they become involved in dangerous investigations.
The real-world inspiration behind this part of the series also connects with Gerlacher’s interest in working dogs. His website features Banshee’s Pack, a charitable effort supporting protective equipment for service dogs.
What Genre Are the AJ Docker Books?
The series sits at the intersection of several thriller categories:
- Medical thriller
- Crime thriller
- Mystery
- Police procedural
- Action and adventure
- Suspense
Google Books classifies the series under medical fiction, crime, and police procedural, while Gerlacher’s own author profile describes his work in crime fiction, thriller, suspense, and action-adventure.
That combination makes the books somewhat different from a conventional medical thriller. The hospital setting is often the starting point, but the stories can expand into criminal investigations, terrorism, organized crime, and action.
Which Gary Gerlacher Book Should You Read First?
Start with Last Patient of the Night
For a first-time reader, Last Patient of the Night is the obvious starting point because it is Book 1 and introduces both AJ Docker and Banshee.
It also establishes the central idea of the series: an emergency physician becomes involved in criminal investigations because of what he encounters through his medical work.
Can You Start With a Later Book?
Yes. The books are designed so that individual cases can be followed without necessarily reading every previous installment. Publisher descriptions for later books explicitly state that the AJ Docker and Banshee thrillers can be read in any order.
However, if you are building a complete reading list for the series, publication order provides the cleanest experience.
Gary Gerlacher Books by Publication Year
| Year | Book |
| 2023 | Last Patient of the Night |
| 2024 | Faulty Bloodline |
| 2024 | Sin City Treachery |
| 2024 | Deadly Equation |
| 2025 | Terminal Exchanges |
| 2026 | Phantom Files |
| 2026 | Zero Drop |
Zero Drop is included as a 2026 title because the author’s official website currently gives December 3, 2026 as its release date. It is not yet a published book as of the current date.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gary Gerlacher Books
How many Gary Gerlacher books are there?
The AJ Docker and Banshee series currently has six published novels, with a seventh, Zero Drop, scheduled for December 3, 2026.
What is the first Gary Gerlacher book?
Last Patient of the Night is Gary Gerlacher’s debut novel and the first book in the AJ Docker and Banshee series. It was published in 2023.
What order should I read the AJ Docker books?
Read them in this order: Last Patient of the Night, Faulty Bloodline, Sin City Treachery, Deadly Equation, Terminal Exchanges, Phantom Files, and then Zero Drop when it is released.
Is Zero Drop already published?
No. As of September 2026, Zero Drop is scheduled for release on December 3, 2026. The author’s website currently lists it as “Coming Soon.”
Are the AJ Docker books connected?
Yes. They form the AJ Docker and Banshee series and share the central characters AJ Docker and Banshee. However, the individual thrillers can generally be read independently.
Is Gary Gerlacher a doctor?
Gerlacher’s official biography identifies him as a pediatric emergency physician who spent about 30 years working in medicine. His medical background is reflected in the emergency-room setting and medical details of the AJ Docker novels.
What is the AJ Docker series about?
The series follows emergency physician AJ Docker and his K9 partner Banshee as they become involved in criminal investigations and increasingly dangerous threats. The books combine medical drama with crime, mystery, suspense, and action.
Is AJ Docker a police detective?
No. AJ Docker is an emergency physician. His medical work brings him into contact with cases that lead him into investigations, where he works alongside law enforcement and Banshee.
Final Thoughts
Gary Gerlacher’s bibliography is currently straightforward compared with many long-running thriller authors: the books all belong to the AJ Docker and Banshee series, and the official numbering provides a clear reading order.
If you are new to the series, begin with Last Patient of the Night and continue through Phantom Files. Then add Zero Drop when it releases in December 2026. Even though the individual mysteries can be read independently, the publication order gives you the best introduction to Doc, Banshee, and the world Gerlacher has built around emergency medicine and crime.
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