Order of Book Series
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Valerie Wilson Wesley Books in Order

Valerie Wilson Wesley has written 28 books, published between 1991 and 2025. The first book is Great Women in the Struggle (1991) and the newest is The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum (2025). Publication order is the reading order below.

Books
28
Published
1991–2025
Pages on record
4,023 in 20 of 28 books
Reading time
67–101 hours

Reading time is an estimate, not a recorded figure: 4,023 pages at 300 words a page, read at 200–300 words a minute, covering the 20 of 28 titles with a page count on record.

See all 28 books in order Printable Valerie Wilson Wesley checklist

Valerie Wilson Wesley writes mysteries, adult novels and children's books, and was an executive editor of Essence magazine. Tamara Hayle, a woman private investigator in New Jersey, heads one series; Odessa Jones and Harriet Stone head two more, and Willimena Rules! and the Book Of Black Heroes are for younger readers. The catalogue holds 28 books published between 1991 and 2025, from Great Women in the Struggle (1991) to The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum (2025). African American women, schools and sisters run through the subject headings.

How many Valerie Wilson Wesley books are there?

Valerie Wilson Wesley has 28 books, released between 1991 and 2025. They include 5 series and 6 titles listed outside any series.

Valerie Wilson Wesley Books in Publication Order

The table lists all 28 Valerie Wilson Wesley books in the order they were published, with the release year, the page count where one is on record, and how many independent book listings confirm each title. Catalogue data as of September 2026.

  1. Cover of Great Women in the Struggle by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 2 of the Book Of Black Heroes series (1991)
  2. Cover of When Death Comes Stealing by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 1 of the Tamara Hayle series (1994)
  3. Cover of Devil's Gonna Get Him by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 2 of the Tamara Hayle series (1995)
  4. Cover of Where Evil Sleeps by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 3 of the Tamara Hayle series (1996)
  5. Cover of Freedom's Gifts by Valerie Wilson Wesley (1997)
  6. Cover of No Hiding Place by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 4 of the Tamara Hayle series (1997)
  7. Cover of Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do by Valerie Wilson Wesley (1999)
  8. Cover of How to Lose Your Cookie Money by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 1 of the Willimena Rules! series (2000)
  9. Cover of The Devil Riding by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 6 of the Tamara Hayle series (2000)
  10. Cover of Scientists, Healers & Inventors by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 3 of the Book Of Black Heroes series (2002)
  11. Cover of Always True to You in My Fashion by Valerie Wilson Wesley (2002)
  12. Cover of How to Lose Your Class Pet by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 2 of the Willimena Rules! series (2003)
  13. Cover of How to Fish for Trouble by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 3 of the Willimena Rules! series (2004)
  14. Cover of Dying in the Dark by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 7 of the Tamara Hayle series (2004)
  15. Cover of How to Ruin Your School Play by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 4 of the Willimena Rules! series (2005)
  16. Cover of 23 Ways to Mess Up Valentine's Day by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 5 of the Willimena Rules! series (2005)
  17. Cover of Playing My Mother's Blues by Valerie Wilson Wesley (2005)
  18. Cover of How to Face Up to the Class Bully by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 6 of the Willimena Rules! series (2007)
  19. Cover of 9 Steps to the Best, Worst, Greatest Holiday Ever! by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 7 of the Willimena Rules! series
  20. Cover of A Glimmer of Death by Valerie Wilson Wesley, book 1 of the Odessa Jones series (2021)
  1. 1
    Great Women in the StruggleBook Of Black Heroes #21991 · 107 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1991107
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  2. 2
    Where Do I Go from Here?1993 · confirmed 1/4
    1993–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  3. 3
    When Death Comes StealingTamara Hayle #11994 · 241 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1994241
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  4. 4
    Devil's Gonna Get HimTamara Hayle #21995 · 288 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1995288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  5. 5
    Where Evil SleepsTamara Hayle #31996 · 261 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1996261
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  6. 6
    Freedom's Gifts1997 · confirmed 1/4
    1997–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  7. 7
    No Hiding PlaceTamara Hayle #41997 · 288 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1997288
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  8. 8
    Easier to KillTamara Hayle #51998 · 290 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1998290
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  9. 9
    Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do1999 · 336 pages · confirmed 1/4
    1999336
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  10. 11
    The Devil RidingTamara Hayle #62000 · 304 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2000304
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  11. 12
    Scientists, Healers & InventorsBook Of Black Heroes #32002 · 70 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200270
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  12. 13
    No Way of Dying2002 · confirmed 1/4
    2002–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  13. 14
    Always True to You in My Fashion2002 · 352 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2002352
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  14. 15
    How to Lose Your Class PetWillimena Rules! #22003 · confirmed 1/4
    2003–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  15. 16
    How to Fish for TroubleWillimena Rules! #32004 · 89 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200489
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  16. 17
    Dying in the DarkTamara Hayle #72004 · confirmed 1/4
    2004–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  17. 18
    How to Ruin Your School PlayWillimena Rules! #42005 · 96 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200596
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  18. 19
    23 Ways to Mess Up Valentine's DayWillimena Rules! #52005 · 89 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200589
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  19. 20
    Playing My Mother's Blues2005 · 264 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2005264
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  20. 21
    How to Face Up to the Class BullyWillimena Rules! #62007 · 98 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200798
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  21. 22
    9 Steps to the Best, Worst, Greatest Holiday Ever!Willimena Rules! #72008 · 68 pages · confirmed 1/4
    200868
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  22. 23
    Of Blood and SorrowTamara Hayle #82008 · 222 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2008222
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  23. 24
    How to Have the Best Kwanzaa EverWillimena Rules! #82009 · confirmed 1/4
    2009–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  24. 25
    A Glimmer of DeathOdessa Jones #12021 · 240 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2021240
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  25. 26
    A Fatal GlowOdessa Jones #22022 · confirmed 1/4
    2022–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  26. 27
    A Shimmer of RedOdessa Jones #32023 · confirmed 1/4
    2023–
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK
  27. 28
    The Mysterious Death of Junetta PlumA Harriet Stone Mystery #12025 · 224 pages · confirmed 1/4
    2025224
    Buy at Amazon USAmazon UK

Valerie Wilson Wesley books grouped by series

Each title below is a row in the publication-order table above. None of these groups has a reading-order page of its own on this site.

Tamara Hayle in order

8 books
  1. 1. When Death Comes Stealing
  2. 2. Devil's Gonna Get Him
  3. 3. Where Evil Sleeps
  4. 4. No Hiding Place
  5. 5. Easier to Kill
  6. 6. The Devil Riding
  7. 7. Dying in the Dark
  8. 8. Of Blood and Sorrow

Willimena Rules! in order

8 books
  1. 1. How to Lose Your Cookie Money
  2. 2. How to Lose Your Class Pet
  3. 3. How to Fish for Trouble
  4. 4. How to Ruin Your School Play
  5. 5. 23 Ways to Mess Up Valentine's Day
  6. 6. How to Face Up to the Class Bully
  7. 7. 9 Steps to the Best, Worst, Greatest Holiday Ever!
  8. 8. How to Have the Best Kwanzaa Ever

Book Of Black Heroes in order

2 books
  1. 2. Great Women in the Struggle
  2. 3. Scientists, Healers & Inventors

Odessa Jones in order

3 books
  1. 1. A Glimmer of Death
  2. 2. A Fatal Glow
  3. 3. A Shimmer of Red

A Harriet Stone Mystery in order

1 book
  1. 1. The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum

Standalone books

6 books

6 Valerie Wilson Wesley titles here are not listed as part of any series.

Do you have to read Valerie Wilson Wesley books in order?

You only need to read Valerie Wilson Wesley books in order within each series: the books listed here span 5 separate series, and each series has its own publication order.

Where to start with Valerie Wilson Wesley

Start with Great Women in the Struggle (1991), the earliest published title.

What is the newest Valerie Wilson Wesley book?

The Mysterious Death of Junetta Plum (2025) is the newest Valerie Wilson Wesley book released so far.

Is there a new Valerie Wilson Wesley book coming?

No next Valerie Wilson Wesley book is announced in the catalogue, which is a gap in the listings it merges rather than a sign that the run has ended.

Valerie Wilson Wesley at a glance

Still publishing
Valerie Wilson Wesley published a book as recently as 2025.
Release pace
Valerie Wilson Wesley books have appeared about one a year on average.
Length
4,023 pages across the 20 of 28 books with a recorded length, a median of 232 pages each.
Busiest decade
Most Valerie Wilson Wesley books, 15 of 28, were published in the 2000s.

What the Valerie Wilson Wesley books are about

22 of the 28 Valerie Wilson Wesley books carry subject tags in Open Library's catalogue. The subjects below are the ones that recur across them, most frequent first: african americans is tagged on 12 of 22. The subjects are cataloguers’ headings, not a plot summary.