Noah Kayne

A Psychological Thriller Duology by David Edward

Series Overview

The Noah Kayne series is a mind-bending two-book psychological thriller that plunges readers into the humid, dangerous world of 1970s Florida, where private investigator Wade Clay navigates between Miami's organized crime families and the mystical darkness of the Everglades. What begins as straightforward detective work spirals into something far more sinister, as Wade confronts not just external enemies but the fragmenting nature of his own identity and memories.

Set against the atmospheric backdrop of the Florida Keys and the untamed Everglades, these novels blur the lines between crime fiction and psychological horror. Wade Clay, who runs an ice cream shop as cover for his real work as an unlicensed investigator, finds himself pulled into increasingly bizarre cases that challenge his understanding of reality itself. With his enigmatic partner Noah Kayne living deep in the swamps, Wade must determine what is real, what is remembered, and what price must be paid for the truth.

What Makes This Series Different

The Noah Kayne books transcend typical crime fiction by weaving psychological complexity into every layer of the narrative. David Edward creates a world where organized crime collides with cult mysticism, where repressed memories surface with violent consequences, and where the narrator himself may be the greatest mystery of all. The Everglades becomes more than a setting: it's a primordial space where civilization's rules dissolve and ancient horrors feel entirely possible.

These aren't simple whodunits or straightforward mob tales. They're explorations of trauma, identity, and the violent potential that lurks within seemingly ordinary people. The series asks uncomfortable questions about the nature of memory, the price of survival, and whether some truths are better left buried in the swamp.

Reading Order

Southern Style: Wade Clay investigates a mole within Miami's crime families
Brotherhood of the Sun Dragon: A cannibalistic death cult returns from Wade's fractured past

Who Should Read This Series

Readers who appreciate unreliable narrators and psychological complexity
Fans of Southern Gothic atmosphere mixed with crime fiction
Those who enjoy stories where nothing is quite what it seems
Readers seeking authentic 1970s Florida noir with a supernatural edge
Anyone who appreciates fiction that challenges conventional genre boundaries
Those drawn to explorations of memory, trauma, and identity wrapped in thriller packaging

Critical Themes

The fragmenting nature of identity and memory under trauma
The thin line between civilization and primal violence
Family betrayal versus chosen loyalty
The price of confronting repressed memories
The Everglades as a space where reality becomes negotiable
The question of whether violence can ever truly be left behind
The cost of protecting others from harsh truths about ourselves

A Warning

This series doesn't offer comfortable resolutions or clear moral victories. Wade Clay's journey through mob territory and cult rituals will leave you questioning what really happened and what was imagined. The violence is visceral, the psychological horror runs deep, and by the end, you may find yourself as uncertain about the truth as Wade himself. These books demand active engagement from readers willing to piece together a fractured narrative where memory and reality collide.

"The world was what it was, and we each had to get through it as best we could."

Get the Complete Series

Both books in the Noah Kayne series are available now. Start with Southern Style and descend into a world where ice cream shops front for darker business, mob bosses fear what lurks in the Everglades, and the greatest danger may be remembering who you really are.