Mitch Rapp
thriller
Series · thriller
NUMA Files
The NUMA Files series by Clive Cussler has 22 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Serpent (1999).
- Books
- 22 books
- First published
- 1999
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Serpent (1999) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Serpent
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Serpent - Book 2:
Blue Gold
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Blue Gold - Book 3:
Fire Ice
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fire Ice - Book 4:
White Death
Alternative text for cover: Cover of White Death - Book 5:
Lost City
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lost City - Book 6:
Polar Shift
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Polar Shift - Book 7:
The Navigator
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Navigator - Book 8:
Medusa
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Medusa - Book 9:
Devil's Gate
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Devil's Gate - Book 10:
The Storm
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Storm - Book 11:
Zero Hour
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Zero Hour - Book 12:
Ghost Ship
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ghost Ship - Book 13:
The Pharaoh's Secret
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Pharaoh's Secret - Book 14:
Nighthawk
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Nighthawk - Book 15:
The Rising Sea
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Rising Sea - Book 16:
Sea of Greed
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Sea of Greed - Book 17:
Journey of the Pharaohs
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Journey of the Pharaohs - Book 18:
Fast Ice
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Fast Ice - Book 19:
Clive Cussler's Dark Vector
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's Dark Vector - Book 20:
Clive Cussler's Condor's Fury
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's Condor's Fury - Book 21:
Clive Cussler's Desolation Code
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's Desolation Code - Book 22:
Clive Cussler's Cold Fire
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Clive Cussler's Cold Fire
About the NUMA Files series
The NUMA Files follows Kurt Austin, the Special Projects Director for the National Underwater and Marine Agency, and his partner Joe Zavala as they investigate environmental disasters, sunken relics, and eco-terrorist or state-sponsored plots with an oceanographic hook — toxic algae blooms, deep-sea mining, arctic resource wars, ancient shipwrecks and lost technologies. It's a sister series to Clive Cussler's flagship Dirk Pitt novels, sharing the NUMA setting and men's-adventure DNA but following a different lead duo and team of specialists (including tech expert Hiram Yaeger and, later, twins Dirk Pitt Jr. and Summer's own generation of NUMA staff). Cussler co-wrote the series first with mystery novelist Paul Kemprecos through Medusa (2009), then with Graham Brown from Devil's Gate (2011) onward.
Since Cussler's 2020 death, Graham Brown has continued the series solo, keeping to Cussler's format of globe-trotting action, real ocean science, and a lightly comic partnership at the center. It's a good pick for readers who enjoy Dirk Pitt but want a parallel cast, or who prefer Kurt Austin's slightly more environmentally-focused mission briefs.
Frequently asked questions
How many NUMA Files books are there?
There are 22 NUMA Files novels as of Clive Cussler's Cold Fire (2026).
What order should I read the NUMA Files books in?
Publication order, starting with Serpent (1999). Most mysteries are self-contained, but Kurt Austin's NUMA team develops across the series.
Is NUMA Files connected to the Dirk Pitt series?
Yes, both are set in the same Clive Cussler NUMA universe and share some characters and continuity, but NUMA Files follows a different lead, Kurt Austin, rather than Dirk Pitt.
Who writes NUMA Files now that Clive Cussler has died?
Graham Brown, who began co-writing the series with Devil's Gate (2011), has continued it solo since Cussler's death in 2020.
Is the NUMA Files series finished?
No, it's ongoing. Graham Brown has published a new entry most years since taking over, most recently Cold Fire (June 2026).
If you like the NUMA Files series
Reading order last verified .