Insured for Murder (1993) — Co-written with Cathy Candisky, this true-crime book examines a series of insurance-related murders and the people behind them.
Dead Before Deadline: … and Other Tales from the Police Beat (2004) — Drawing on his years as a police reporter for The Columbus Dispatch, Yocum recounts memorable crimes, investigations and the people he encountered while covering the police beat.
Favorite Sons (2011) — Set in a small Ohio town, this novel follows a young man whose mistake from his teenage years threatens to derail his political ambitions decades later.
The Essay (2012) — A high school essay exposes a long buried secret, prompting an investigation that reaches back decades and forces a small Ohio community to confront its past.
A Brilliant Death (2016) — Journalist Mitch Malone investigates the mysterious death of his friend's mother, uncovering long-hidden secrets in the small Ohio town of Brilliant.
A Welcome Murder (2017) — Set in Steubenville, Ohio, this darkly humorous mystery brings together a cast of colorful characters whose ambitions, grudges and schemes lead to deadly consequences.
A Perfect Shot (2018) — Set in the struggling steel town of Mingo Junction, Ohio, the novel centers on the disappearance of a local man and the secrets surrounding what happened to him.
The Sacrifice of Lester Yates (2021) — A sequel to Favorite Sons, this novel returns to politician Hutchinson Van Buren as a dangerous secret threatens his career and everything he has worked to achieve.
The Last Hitman (2025) — Set in Steubenville, this novel follows an aging contract killer who hopes to retire, only to find that his past — and those who know about it — will not let him go quietly.