Daniel Kraus Books in Order: Standalones, Series and Where to Start

Daniel Kraus’s books range from the underwater survival thriller Whalefall to unsettling coming-of-age stories, zombie epics, and dark fantasy. His bibliography also includes collaborations with Guillermo del Toro and George A. Romero, illustrated children’s series, comics, and nonfiction.

If you are looking for Daniel Kraus books in order, the most useful approach is to separate his standalone novels from his continuing series. You can read Whalefall, Rotters, or Angel Down independently. The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch, the Teddies Saga, and Graveyard Girls should be read in sequence.

This guide covers his book-length fiction, major collected comics, and nonfiction, with forthcoming work clearly marked. Publication years refer to original U.S. book releases where applicable; collected comics are listed separately from their original serialized issues.

Do You Need to Read Daniel Kraus’s Books in Order?

There is no single reading order connecting all of Kraus’s books. Most of his novels tell separate stories, so your starting point can depend on the kind of reading experience you want.

Readers interested in a survival story can begin with Whalefall. Those looking for dark coming-of-age fiction can try Rotters. For a longer story that blends history with the supernatural, start with the first Zebulon Finch volume.

Follow the numbered order within each series below. Publication order is useful for exploring his development as a writer, but you do not need to begin with his debut.

Daniel Kraus’s Standalone Novels in Publication Order

These books do not form a continuing series. The author’s official bibliography also includes his collaborations, series, and comics, which appear in their own sections below.

The Monster Variations

Kraus’s debut follows three boys during a dangerous summer in a small town where a killer is targeting children. Friendship, cruelty, and the uneasy transition out of childhood shape the story.

Start here if you want to explore his fiction from the beginning. Later anniversary editions are reissues of the same novel.

Rotters

After his mother dies, teenage Joey Crouch moves in with a father he barely knows and discovers a disturbing world of grave robbing.

The premise makes this a useful starting point for readers interested in family relationships and macabre coming-of-age fiction. It is a standalone, so you can pick it up without reading The Monster Variations.

Scowler

Scowler centers on Ry Burke, his family’s isolated farm, and the threat posed by his abusive father. Ry’s childhood imaginary protectors become part of his struggle to survive.

Readers choosing between Kraus’s early books should expect a particularly harsh story of family violence here.

Blood Sugar

Published through Hard Case Crime, Blood Sugar brings Kraus’s dark imagination to a Halloween crime story. It offers another route into his work for readers who prefer crime fiction to supernatural fantasy.

Bent Heavens

Bent Heavens follows a teenager whose missing father believed he had been abducted by aliens. A discovery in the woods draws her into a disturbing search for answers.

Its mixture of grief, violence, and uncertainty makes it a possible next choice for readers interested in the family themes running through Kraus’s fiction.

The Ghost That Ate Us

Despite its subtitle, The Ghost That Ate Us: The Tragic True Story of the Burger City Poltergeist is fiction. It uses the conventions of investigative reporting and true crime to explore a supposedly haunted fast-food restaurant.

Choose it if you enjoy horror presented through interviews and documentary-style storytelling.

Whalefall

Whalefall follows Jay Gardiner, a young diver searching for his father’s remains who is swallowed by a sperm whale. The survival ordeal gives the novel an immediate hook, while grief and a difficult father-son relationship provide its emotional stakes.

For a first Daniel Kraus book, this is my suggested starting point: the premise gives readers a clear way into his combination of physical danger and family conflict. Readers interested in the adaptation can also explore our guide to the Whalefall movie and the book behind it.

Angel Down

Set during World War I, Angel Down follows soldiers who encounter a fallen angel on the battlefield. It combines historical fiction with supernatural horror.

It is a separate novel, so you can read it before or after Whalefall.

The Sixth Nik

Published on June 23, 2026, The Sixth Nik takes Kraus’s fiction into deep space. Its story involves a living spacecraft, an unusual crew, and an investigation of a mysterious planet.

The publisher’s description of The Sixth Nik makes it a relevant choice for readers seeking science fiction with body horror. It is not a sequel to Whalefall or Angel Down.

The Death and Life of Zebulon Finch Books in Order

This duology follows a murdered teenager who returns to life and experiences decades of American history.

Begin with At the Edge of Empire. Empire Decayed continues and concludes Zebulon’s story, so reading the second volume first would mean missing the foundation of his journey.

The Teddies Saga Books in Order

Illustrated by Rovina Cai, the Teddies Saga follows living teddy bears searching for belonging and answers about their creation.

These are books for younger readers, although their ideas and dangers can be unsettling. Start with Buddy waking in a garbage dump in They Threw Us Away, then continue through the trilogy. Macmillan identifies They Set the Fire as Book 3 and the conclusion.

Graveyard Girls Books in Order

Written with Lisi Harrison, Graveyard Girls combines spooky mysteries with friendship and middle-school life.

Read these in numbered order to follow the friendships and continuing supernatural storyline.

As of October 15, 2026, Hachette lists January 26, 2027 for Where There’s Smoke, There’s a Liar, describing it as the series conclusion. Older listings showing a 2026 release should not be used as the current publication date.

Daniel Kraus’s Collaborative Standalone Novels

These novels do not need to be read as one sequence.

Trollhunters and The Shape of Water offer different entry points into Kraus’s collaborations with del Toro. Wrath explores genetic engineering and an unusually intelligent rat.

Kraus completed Romero’s unfinished novels The Living Dead and Pay the Piper. Although both carry Romero and Kraus’s names, Pay the Piper is not the second installment of The Living Dead.

Daniel Kraus’s Graphic Novels and Collected Comics

These dates refer to collected book editions; some stories began appearing in individual comic issues earlier.

The Autumnal, created with artist Chris Shehan, offers small-town horror. Year Zero: Volume 0, illustrated by Goran Sudžuka, is a prequel within the wider Year Zero comics franchise. Athanasia, created with artist Dani, approaches superheroes through horror.

There is no shared reading order across all five titles. Readers looking for a single collected story can start with The Autumnal.

Daniel Kraus’s Nonfiction

Partially Devoured: How Night of the Living Dead Saved My Life and Changed the World — 2026

Published on March 10, 2026, Partially Devoured combines film criticism, cultural investigation, and memoir. Kraus examines George A. Romero’s Night of the Living Dead and its place in his own life.

It is a useful companion to his Romero collaborations, but you can read it independently.

Where Should You Start With Daniel Kraus?

Choose your first book by the kind of story you want:

My suggested route for a new adult reader is Whalefall, followed by Rotters, then Angel Down. That is a recommendation based on their premises and scope, rather than a required chronology.

Disclosure to use when affiliate links are added: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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