This is the online home of David Healey, author of thrilling historical fiction and regional histories.
You can also get your free Caje Cole story by sending an email to david@davidhealeyauthor.com with the subject line “My free story”
Recent releases and re-releases



Deadly Anthem Time Reich Pirate Moon
The Caje Cole sniper series






Ghost Sniper Iron Sniper Gods & Snipers Ardennes Sniper
Get started with the Caje Cole series audiobooks

Samurai & Snipers (Pacific Sniper Book 6)
Sniper Deacon Cole finds himself caught up in the Battle of Manila, known as “the Stalingrad of the Pacific.” Deke and the rest of Patrol Easy are soon fighting from street to street and house to house against an enemy that doesn’t know when to call it quits. The sniper duels prove to be every bit as savage as those that took place in the jungle. In the midst of the battle, they are called to help rescue hostages being held by the Japanese. If negotiations fail, Deke figures that he can let his rifle do the talking.

Righteous Sniper (Caje Cole Book 10)
In the icy grip of 1944’s Battle of the Bulge, US sniper Caje Cole is trapped in Bastogne, hunted by Panzers and a lethal sniper. Tasked with a critical mission, Cole must escort a German officer, a war criminal, through a snow-covered battlefield. Pursued by vigilantes eager to exact revenge on the German, Cole’s mission turns into a desperate alliance as they seek shelter in a desolate chateau. Surrounded by treachery and the harsh winter, Cole faces a harrowing choice of loyalty in the midst of the wintry battlefield.

Savage Sniper (Pacific Sniper Book 5)
Deacon Cole and his rifle face off against a cruel Japanese commandant while liberating Allied POWs from a remote jungle prison camp. Before they can get there, they must continue the battle for Leyte in the Philippines across rice fields and roads still held by the enemy.

Hunter Sniper (Pacific Sniper Book 4)
Patrol Easy finds itself divided as the battle rages for the Philippines. One group of snipers sets sail for yet another beach landing on the far side of the Leyte peninsula. Crack shot Deacon Cole joins a unit fighting its way across the jungle interior, where he encounters not just the enemy but also a nasty tropical fever. Meanwhile, the largest naval battle in history begins off the coast as the Japanese make a gambit to crush the landing effort. The patrol reunites in time for the final attack on the port city of Ormoc, where enemy snipers lurk. Feverish and exhausted, Deke must look deep within himself to take his best shot before the enemy can pick off yet another GI. Fighting from street to street and house to house, can the country boy outwit the hidden enemy before it’s too late?

Jungle Sniper (Pacific Sniper Book 3)
Deacon Cole and the rest of Patrol Easy hoped that they had seen their last combat for a while, but they soon find themselves in the first wave during the invasion of the Philippines in October 1944. They witness the bold military leader General Douglas MacArthur wading ashore even as Japanese bullets still fly. After taking the beach, they return to Hill 522 to help knock out the enemy bastion there. Deke soon joins a patrol fighting its way across Leyte island in an effort to link up with US forces that have a toehold on the opposite shore. All that stands between Deke and the American outpost are miles of jungle, mountains, monsoon rains, fanatical Japanese troops, and an enemy sniper with a grudge. What could go wrong?

Now available … RISING SNIPER
The fight for victory in the Pacific continues, this time at Leyte in the Philippines. Deacon Cole and the rest of Patrol Easy are sent as an advance unit to help crack the formidable Japanese defenses before the American invasion. To make the mission even more difficult, the Japanese have deadly snipers of their own. If Deke and the others can’t bring down the enemy defenses in time, there will be a terrible price to pay when US troops hit the beach.

Pacific Sniper
In December 1941, the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor plunges the United States into war. On farms and cities nationwide, lives are upended as young men and women volunteer for the war effort.
One of these young men is Deacon Cole, fresh from the hardscrabble mountains of Appalachia. He’s never been good at much except hunting and hard work. He soon finds himself sent to the Pacific Theater to join the fight against Imperial Japan.
Deacon hits the beach for his first test against the enemy. He will use all his skill with a rifle against a deadly Japanese marksman. Across the beaches and jungle, they take part in the savage battle for control of a Pacific island. Can he protect his squad, or will they fall, one by one, under the enemy’s crosshairs?

REBEL DAWN: A Civil War Novel
An April morning in Baltimore turns bloody and violent as the first Union troops arrive in the border state of Maryland, where adventurer Tom Flynn soon finds himself forced to choose sides. Will his skills as a soldier best serve the North or the South?
Called to return to the Southern capitol of Richmond, Flynn must work to save an idealistic Union spy. His journey takes him to the first Battle of Bull Run. In the midst of the battlefield, Flynn must fight to save the spy, protect new friends, and settle old scores.

SNIPER’S JUSTICE
Just when it looks like Allied troops are finally winning the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes forest, German forces launch a devastating counter-attack called Operation Nordwind.
Just when it looks like Allied troops are finally winning the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes forest, German forces launch a devastating counter-attack called Operation Nordwind.
Surrounded in the wintry hills, the odds seem impossible, but the defenders have Cole and his rifle on their side. For Cole, the battle leaves some unfinished business. Years later, Cole will have to settle the score once and for all to satisfy his “Sniper’s Justice.”

Fallen Sniper
Deep in the Korean mountains, U.S. sniper Caje Cole and his squad are on patrol when they witness a dogfight that ends with a pilot being shot down over enemy territory. Cole leads the rescue effort that puts him in conflict with a deadly Chinese sniper, but that turns out to be the least of his worries. Chinese forces are on the move, starting with the capture of an outpost just forward of the American line. To stop a large Chinese force poised to smash the American line, Cole joins a makeshift unit sent to hold an ancient fort at a mountain pass. These misfits plan a desperate fight to the last man against overwhelming odds as Cole faces a showdown with the enemy sniper.

Sniper Ridge
At the Battle of Triangle Hill, Cole and his squad find themselves in a stalemate with Chinese forces, fighting to capture and then regain a strategic foothold. To make matters worse, a deadly enemy shooter has positioned himself on the hill known as Sniper Ridge, picking off the defenders and outshooting Cole. To defeat this enemy, Cole must return to his mountain roots as a hunter, tracker, and jaw-dropping marksman.
Sniper Ridge is the the seventh Caje Cole novel, now available in ebook and print. Click here to get your copy.
Civil War novels



Sharpshooter Rebel Fever Rebel Train
Mysteries and more






The House That Went Down With The Ship Beach Bodies Deadly Anthem
First Voyage Ship of Spies The Duelist
Regional History (non-fiction)



Rediscovering 1812 Great Storms Delmarva Legends
Blog Posts & News
Shore Stories NPR Interview
I had the honor of being featured on the Eastern Shore of Maryland’s NPR affiliate WHCP as part of their “Shore Stories” segment. I talked a bit about my books and also about the Eastern Shore Writers Book Festival, which we hope to turn into an annual event that celebrates the amazing literature about this…
Fall & Winter Book Events 2025
Coming up this holiday season, I’ll be taking part in a few book signings, some with other regional authors. Maybe you can join us … my newest books are Righteous Sniper and Samurai & Snipers. I’ll also be glad to tell you about my next one, The Guns of Liberty, set during the Revolutionary War…
Join us for a book signing
Since the closing of the Old Gray Mare gift shop, which is dearly missed, Susan and Bailey at The Mercantile at Back Creek have been kind enough to carry my local books. We’re having sort of a “kick off” book signing this Saturday. It’s a beautiful shop in a building with lots of Canal Town…
The novelist next door
Exciting News! As we approach the much-anticipated release of RIGHTEOUS SNIPER, a riveting tale set during the Battle of the Bulge, I’m thrilled to share that a local publication has spotlighted my books in a fantastic article! The Battle of the Bulge took place 80 years ago, a historical event that has inspired countless stories…
Fall and holiday book events 2024
‘Tis the season for book signings because we all know that books make some of the best gifts. Plus, it’s just nice to get out from behind the keyboard and see actual people. Cecil County Public Library, Elkton Branch, Book Lovers Market November 9, 10-1. Many local authors will be there to sign books and…
How to get started writing video
I’ve made a few Youtube videos over the years, mainly to promote books, but “video production” isn’t my strongpoint. I’m more of a words guy. That said, I sat down the other day and recorded this brief video on getting started with your writing. I would say this topic is geared more toward those who…
D-Day memories 80 years later
Back in July 1998 I went to see the new Tom Hanks’ film “Saving Private Ryan” with a group of Cecil County (Maryland) veterans who had been at D-Day. The idea was to get a reaction to the film from guys who had been there. For me, the story became one of my most memorable…
Storytelling from Delmarva Legends & Lore
Cannibals, duelists, mapmakers and Redcoats! I’ll be telling stories about local Legends & Lore on October 19, 6:30 pm at the Elkton MD public library. Join us for some entertaining and intriguing Delmarva history. The sign-up link is below. https://www.cecilcountylibrary.org/event/delmarva-legends-lore-0
Read ‘The Gift of the GI: A Caje Cole Christmas Story’
From the title, you will probably recognize that this holiday story was inspired by “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry. Growing up, I used to enjoy those classic short stories by the likes of O. Henry, H.H. Munro or Saki, Richard Connell (“The Most Dangerous Game”), and Somerset Maugham. Most of them had…
Jungle Sniper coming soon
Deacon Cole and the rest of Patrol Easy hoped that they had seen their last combat for a while, but they soon find themselves in the first wave during the invasion of the Philippines in October 1944. They witness the bold military leader General Douglas MacArthur wading ashore even as Japanese bullets still fly. After…
Rising Sniper reading
At 7 pm on June 29, I will be giving a 10-minute reading from Rising Sniper. If you’d like to listen in, please sign up at the link. Thank you! https://docs.google.com/…/1FAIpQLSeaOKH7QTcvam…/viewform
Interview on the Tory Gates podcast
I enjoyed being a guest on Tory’s podcast recently, talking about books, writing, World War II, and the Civil War. After we wrapped up, Tory and I talked for nearly another hour off recording. That’s what happens when you get two writers together! https://www.blogtalkradio.com/bookspeak/2021/11/12/pacific-sniper-author-david-healey-is-torys-guest-on-the-bpp-show#
When Heroes Flew: The Shangri-La Raiders
By David Healey for The Big Thrill Magazine In the fight against Imperial Japan, the early months of 1942 were some of the bleakest and most uncertain. The Japanese had already pummeled the United States with their devastating surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. In swift order, outposts from the Philippines to Guam quickly fell to…
A Civil War substitute
This seemed like a good story to share as we get into Independence Day celebrations and the anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Sometimes I actually get out from behind the keyboard and that was the case this week when I went exploring and visited Bethesda Methodist Episcopal, a country church and old cemetery near…




















