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Casey Barrett

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Casey Barrett has published 3 books. The recommended reading order starts with Under Water (2017).

About Casey Barrett

Casey Barrett is a crime novelist who has won three Emmy awards and one Peabody award for his work on NBC's broadcasts of the Olympic Games. A Canadian Olympian turned television commentator and swimming entrepreneur, he brings an insider's knowledge of competitive athletics to his fiction.

Barrett swam from a young age and became a nine-time All-American at the University of Southern California and Southern Methodist University before competing for Canada at the 1996 Olympics. After his athletic career, he co-founded Imagine Swimming, New York City's largest learn-to-swim school, which now teaches thousands of students each week. He turned to writing and made his debut in 2007 with Under Water, the first in a series of swim-centered crime novels. He is best known for the Duck Darley series, set in present-day Manhattan and featuring Lawrence Darley, Jr., a fallen rich kid, convicted felon, and unlicensed private investigator whose father ran a Madoff-style fraud scheme. The series earned a Shamus nomination. Barrett also wrote the swimming blog Cap & Goggles and contributed regularly to the Village Voice, with work appearing in GQ, Rolling Stone, and Swimming World magazine.

Tags
crimemysterythrillersuspensehorror
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Order of Duck Darley Books

  1. Tags
    mysterysuspensecrimethriller
    Description
    Duck Darley has spent years trying to outswim his past, but some currents pull you back no matter how hard you kick. The disgraced competitive swimmer turned unlicensed private investigator gets a call from a former roommate, and the job seems straightforward enough—find his missing daughter. But in Duck's world, nothing stays simple for long, and when the girl's ex-boyfriend turns up murdered, the investigation plunges into darker, more dangerous waters. What started as a favor becomes a race against time, with Duck navigating a treacherous undertow of secrets, lies, and violence that threatens to drag him under. Casey Barrett crafts a taut, propulsive thriller that dives deep into the murky intersection of past and present, where old debts come due and redemption is never guaranteed. Duck Darley is a compelling protagonist—flawed, relentless, and haunted by the choices that cost him everything he once had. As he chases leads through a case that grows more tangled by the hour, he's forced to confront not just the mystery of a missing girl, but the wreckage of his own life. Barrett writes with the precision of someone who understands both the discipline of competitive swimming and the gritty desperation of those operating on society's margins, delivering a mystery that moves with the speed and inevitability of a riptide.
    Publication date
    28 November 2017
    Amazon rating
    3.9/5
    Print length
    318
    Language
    English
    Publisher
    Kensington Books
  2. Tags
    mysterycrimesuspensethriller
    Description
    This is a book about the cost of loyalty when the person you saved won't stop pulling you under. Duck Darley has traded the chaos of his P.I. days for something resembling normalcy—a wealthy divorcée, her sharp eight-year-old, the kind of quiet that feels almost earned. Then Cass Kimball sends a text. She's the former partner he took a bullet for, and she's screaming murder. Her boyfriend fell to his death researching Cold War doping horrors in East Germany, and now a champion javelin thrower is dead too. Cass is arrested for both. Duck doesn't believe it. Or does he? What follows is a stumbling, reckless hunt through the underworld of performance enhancement—steroids, secrets, and the kind of people who don't leave witnesses. Duck is outmatched, outsmarted, and dragging everyone he loves into the crosshairs. The deeper he digs, the less he knows about the woman he once trusted with his life. Barrett writes noir that sweats and bleeds, where professional sports aren't glamorous but grotesque, and where doing the right thing might just be the worst decision Duck ever makes. This is hardboiled detective fiction with a pulse—taut, morally murky, and impossible to put down.
    Publication date
    31 July 2018
    Amazon rating
    4.1/5
    Print length
    340
    Language
    English
    Publisher
    Kensington Books
  3. Tags
    mysterysuspensecrimethriller
    Description
    Duck Darley is back, and this time the stakes are personal. In this installment of Casey Barrett's gripping series, the former Olympic swimmer turned private investigator finds himself navigating treacherous waters that go far beyond the pool. When a case pulls him into the shadowy world of music, money, and murder, Duck must rely on his instincts and his unconventional methods to stay afloat. Barrett writes with the precision of someone who knows both the athletic world and the darker corners of human ambition. Duck is the kind of protagonist you want in your corner—flawed, relentless, and sharp enough to see through the lies people tell themselves. The investigation twists through unexpected territory, each revelation raising the stakes and tightening the noose around secrets that powerful people would kill to protect. What makes this series sing is Barrett's ability to blend propulsive plotting with genuine character depth. Duck isn't just solving crimes; he's wrestling with his own demons while trying to do right in a world that rarely rewards it. The Tower of Songs delivers the tension and pace thriller readers crave, but it's Duck's humanity that keeps you turning pages long past bedtime. If you're looking for a detective series with bite, intelligence, and a protagonist who feels refreshingly real, Duck Darley's latest case won't disappoint.
    Publication date
    27 August 2019
    Amazon rating
    4.2/5
    Print length
    317
    Language
    English
    Publisher
    Kensington Books

Frequently Asked Questions about Casey Barrett

Casey Barrett writes the Order of Duck Darley series. The books in this series should be read in the order they were published to follow the story of Duck Darley. The first book is Under Water, published in 2017. It is followed by Against Nature, published in 2018, and then The Tower of Songs, published in 2019. Reading them in this sequence will provide the intended narrative progression for the characters and plot developments within the series.

A good starting point for Casey Barrett is the first book in the Order of Duck Darley series, Under Water. This novel introduces the main character, Duck Darley, and establishes the world and initial conflicts of the series. By beginning with Under Water, readers can understand the foundational elements of the story and the character arcs that unfold in subsequent books. This approach ensures a clear understanding of the narrative as it progresses through the series.

Yes, it is recommended to read Casey Barrett's books in order, particularly the Order of Duck Darley series. The books are structured to follow a continuous narrative arc for the protagonist, Duck Darley. Each installment builds upon the events, character development, and plot points established in the previous books. Reading them out of order may lead to confusion and a diminished understanding of the overarching story and its nuances. The series is designed for sequential reading.

Casey Barrett writes series, specifically the Order of Duck Darley series. The books within this series are interconnected and intended to be read in sequence to fully appreciate the developing storyline and character relationships. While each book might offer elements that could be understood in isolation, the complete narrative experience and the intended impact of the plot are best achieved by reading them as a connected set rather than as standalone novels. Therefore, the books function as part of a larger, ongoing story.

Casey Barrett has written three books, all of which are part of the Order of Duck Darley series. These are Under Water (2017), Against Nature (2018), and The Tower of Songs (2019). As of now, this constitutes the entirety of the published works by Casey Barrett. The series has been released over a three-year period, with one book published each year. There is no indication of additional books outside of this specific series.

The first book Casey Barrett wrote is Under Water, published in 2017. This novel marks the beginning of the Order of Duck Darley series and introduces the titular character. It sets the stage for the subsequent installments in the series, establishing the world, the primary conflicts, and the initial character dynamics. Under Water serves as the entry point into the narrative that continues in Against Nature and The Tower of Songs, providing the foundational story for readers.

The most recent book written by Casey Barrett is The Tower of Songs, published in 2019. This is the third and currently final book in the Order of Duck Darley series. It concludes the narrative arc that began with Under Water and continued through Against Nature. As of the current publication information, no new books have been released or announced beyond this title. The Tower of Songs represents the latest addition to Casey Barrett's published works.

Casey Barrett writes fiction, specifically within the genre of the Order of Duck Darley series. This series appears to focus on a narrative that involves character-driven plots and potentially elements of adventure or drama, centered around the character of Duck Darley. The titles themselves, such as Under Water, Against Nature, and The Tower of Songs, suggest a thematic exploration that could touch upon journeys, challenges, and perhaps introspective or fantastical elements. The genre is best understood through the context of this specific series.

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How We Verified This Reading Order

We verified the reading order for Casey Barrett's books by cross-referencing official publication dates, ISBN databases, and publisher catalogs.

Last verified: March 2026

How to Cite This Page

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