Widows book series in reading order

by Veronica Heley

by Simon Brett

by Robyn Carr

by Dean Koontz

by Rachel Lee

by Tennessee Williams

by Karen Templeton

by Charlotte Hubbard / Naomi King

by Elin Hilderbrand

Veronica Heley writes British mystery fiction with women sleuths at the centre. Ellie Quicke, a widow turned investigator, and Bea Abbot of the Abbot Agency head the two longest series, both set around London. Heley also writes the Sam & Co School Adventures and Kate Overcomes books. Eighty titles span 1974 to 2026, beginning with the alliterative early run of Sue for Mercy, Scream for Sarah, Cry for Kit and Fear for Frances, and reaching False Relation (2026).

Historical romance set in the Regency and the wider Georgian period is Mary Balogh's territory. Born Mary Jenkins in Swansea on 24 March 1944, Balogh moved to Canada in 1967, taught in Kipling, Saskatchewan, and became a school principal there before the first novel appeared in 1985. The catalogue runs to 106 books, from A Chance Encounter (1985) to A Waltz to Remember (2026). Series headings include Westcott, Bedwyn Family, Survivor's Club, Huxtable Quintet, Simply Quartet, Dark Angel and Ravenswood. Mary Balogh is still publishing.

Ann B Ross published The Murder Cure in 1978 and The Murder Stroke in 1981 before the books that made her name. Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind (1990) started a comic mystery series about a North Carolina widow, and it fills most of a 27-title catalogue. Humour, small-town life and women sleuths are the recurring subjects. Miss Julia Happily Ever After (2021) is the last entry.

Wanda E. Brunstetter writes Amish romance and has sold more than 10 million books, with titles on the New York Times Best Seller list; Brunstetter is based in Washington. The catalogue lists 125 books from A Merry Heart (1997) to A Castle of Sand (2026). Series include Brides Of Lancaster County, Brides Of Webster County, Brides Of Lehigh Canal, Daughters Of Lancaster County, Sisters Of Holmes County, Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club, Amish Millionaire, Creektown Discoveries and Rachel Yoder: Always Trouble Somewhere. Subjects include Amish women and children, Pennsylvania and Amish cooking.

Across 194 catalogued books, Danielle Steel writes contemporary romance and family drama: love stories, marriages, widowhood and the turns that reshape a life. The run starts with Going Home (1973) and continues through Celebration, with 24 Hours scheduled for 2027. Steel's catalogue also holds children's picture books, short stories and non-fiction beside the standalone novels that make up most of it.

Tracie Peterson, born 1959, writes Christian fiction, mostly historical novels carrying romance and faith themes. Peterson used the pen name Janelle Jamison early on and has written joint novels with other Christian authors; Bethany House publishes many of the titles. Several Peterson series feature Harvey Girls, the waitstaff of the Fred Harvey Company. The catalogue lists 153 books from A Kingdom Divided (1991) to Devoted to Love (2026), across series such as Heirs of Montana, Westward Chronicles, Ribbons West, Yukon Quest, Shannon Saga and Desert Roses. Peterson lives in Montana and runs Peterson Ink with husband Jim.

Anita Stansfield writes Christian romance and family sagas, much of it with Mormon characters and settings. First Love and Forever (1994) opens a catalogue of 90 books built largely from sagas, Byrnehouse-Davies & Hamilton, the Trevor Family, the Buchanans, the Barringtons, the Keane-Morrisons and Shadows of Brierley. The Scoundrel's Widow (2022) is the newest catalogued title.

Sandra Brown

94 books• 11 series

Sandra Brown, born Sandra Lynn Cox on March 12, 1948, is an American author of romance and suspense thrillers. Brown has also published under three pen names: Rachel Ryan, Laura Jordan and Erin St. Claire. The catalogue counts 94 titles from 1981, when Love's Encore and Love Beyond Reason came out as Rachel Ryan, to Bloodlust (2026). Listed series include the Texas! Tyler Family Saga, the Coleman Family Saga, Mason Sisters and Lee Coburn. Texas, widows and murder recur among the subject headings.

Shirlee McCoy writes Christian romance and inspirational romantic suspense, with subjects that include police, widows and single mothers. The catalogue lists 64 books from Still Waters (2003) to Blizzard Showdown (2021) and marks the author as dormant. Series include Heroes For Hire, Mission: Rescue, Lakeview, FBI: Special Crimes Unit, Apple Valley and Bradshaws. Die Before Nightfall (2005), Little Girl Lost (2007) and Lakeview Protector (2008) are among the titles.

Marilyn Pappano/ Rachel Butler is the combined catalogue name for 76 books from 1987 to 2020. Contemporary romance and romantic suspense appear among the subjects, with widows, veterans, assassins, women journalists and kidnapping also recorded. The Lights of Home (1987) is the first title and Dangerous Reunion (2020) the latest. Series include Copper Lake, Bethlehem, Southern Knights, Heartbreak Canyon, Tallgrass, Cedar Creek and Rawlins Brothers.

Debbie Macomber

245 books• 35 series

Debbie Macomber, born October 22, 1948, is an American author of romance novels and contemporary women's fiction. Six Macomber novels became made-for-TV movies, and the Cedar Cove novels became a television series of the same name, with Macomber serving as executive producer on the adaptations. Macomber won the first fan-voted Quill Award for romance in 2005 and holds a RITA Award and a lifetime achievement award from the Romance Writers of America. The catalogue counts 245 books between Starlight (1983) and A Date with Santa (2026). Series include Heart of Texas, Midnight Sons, Navy, Those Manning Men, Orchard Valley and Angels Everywhere.

Robyn Carr is the American author of the Virgin River books, and an executive producer on the television versions of Virgin River and Sullivan's Crossing. The catalogue records 70 Carr books, from Chelynne (1980) to The Friendship Club (2024). Thunder Point, Sullivan's Crossing and the Grace Valley Trilogy are Carr's other series. Several novels, The Hero among them, reached The New York Times Best Seller list. Subject tags on the books include contemporary romance, California, single mothers, veterans and city and town life.

Heather Graham is the name under which Heather Graham Pozzessere, an American writer born on 15 March 1953, publishes mainly romance fiction; Shannon Drake is a further pen name. Graham's work has been published in about 25 languages, with more than 75 million copies printed. The catalogue records 311 books from Tender Taming (1983) to Destiny Rising (2026). Krewe of Hunters, Harrison Investigation, Cafferty & Quinn, Alliance Vampires, Keepers: L.A., New York Confidential and Finnegan Connection are among the Graham series. Subjects span historical, paranormal, contemporary and suspense romance.

Melody Carlson, born March 2, 1956 in San Francisco, is an American author of more than 250 books for women, teens and children, including the Diary of a Teenage Girl series. The catalogue lists 298 books from 1995, when Contemplative Bible Reading and How to Start a Quality Childcare Business in Your Home appeared, to All Booked Up (2026). Series include Carter House Girls, On The Runway, TrueColors, 86 Bloomberg Place, Secret Life of Samantha McGregor, Beary Patch Bears and Fruit Troops. Subjects include Christian life, high schools, friendship, Bible stories and stories in rhyme. Carlson grew up in Springfield, Oregon, attended Lane Community College and lives in Sisters, Oregon.

Linda Ford writes Christian historical romance, and the catalogue counts 125 books from The Heart Seeks a Home (2000) to Christmas in Golden Valley (2026). Cowboys, ranchers, widows, orphans and Montana are among the recorded subjects. Series include Big Sky Country, Glory, Montana, Montana Mail-Order Brides, Stagecoach to Golden Valley, Wagon Train Romance, Cowboys of Eden Valley and Dakota Brides. Early titles include Crane's Bride (2001) and Darcy's Inheritance (2007).

Rochelle Alers, born August 7, 1943, is an American romance novelist who has also written as Susan James and Rena McLeary. The catalogue lists 95 books from Careless Whispers (1988) to A Maverick of Honor (2026). Subjects cover African American romance, contemporary and historical romance, widows and New Orleans. Series include Hideaway Legacy, Eatons, Wickham Falls Weddings, Cavanaugh Island, Blackstones of Virginia and Whitfield Brides. Hideaway (1995) is among the titles.

Christian romance and romantic suspense make up the catalogue of Margaret Daley, and the subject tags also mark inspirational fiction and the Love Inspired line. The catalogue holds 110 books from A Matter of Pride (1983) to Into the Danger (2021). Family for Keeps, Sadie's Hero and The Power of Love all appeared in 2002, and Gold in the Fire (2004) and Light in the Storm (2005) came soon after. Series include Strong Women, Extraordinary Situations; Fostered by Love; Guardians Inc.; Lone Star Justice; Men of the Texas Rangers; Caring Canines; Alaskan Search and Rescue; and Heart of the Amazon. Widows, bodyguards and missing persons recur in the tags.

Stephanie Grace Whitson is an American writer of historical fiction who has lived in Nebraska since 1975 and took her subject from the lives of pioneer women in the West. Walks The Fire (1994) opens a catalogue of 36 books reaching 2024, and the series include Prairie Winds, Dakota Moons, Keepsake Legacies, Quilt Chronicles and Pine Ridge Portraits. Women pioneers, Dakota Indians, women missionaries, quilts and Christian historical romance recur as subjects.

Nicola Cornick, born in Bradford, Yorkshire, in 1964, is a British writer of historical romance novels and time slip mysteries that merge several genres: historical fiction, romance, suspense, adventure, crime, science fiction, fantasy and the supernatural. Cornick's books have been translated into more than 40 languages. The catalogue lists 47 titles from True Colours (1998) to The Fourth Queen (2026), among them Lady Polly (1999), The Virtuous Cyprian (1999), Lady Allerton's Wager (2000) and The Earl's Prize (2002). Series recorded include Scandalous Women Of The Ton, Brides Of Fortune, Suffolk, Tallants, Scottish Brides, Mostyn/Trevithick Feud and New Timeslip. Cornick chaired the Romantic Novelists' Association from 2017 to 2019 and serves as its archivist.

Karen Templeton writes contemporary romance, with catalogue subjects that include marriage, weddings, pregnancy, single fathers, widows, widowers and romantic suspense. The catalogue lists 47 books from Wedding Belle (1998) to A Gift for the Rancher (2019), with the 2000s the busiest decade. Wedding Daze (1998), Plain-Jane Princess (2001) and Loose Screws (2002) are among the titles. Series include Wed In The West, Men Of Mayes County, Babies Inc., Guys and Daughters, Jersey Boys and How To Marry A Monarch.

Fern Michaels was the pen name of Mary Ruth Kuczkir, born Mary Ruth Koval on April 9, 1933, who died on November 12, 2025. The American novelist wrote romance and thrillers, including the Texas quartet, the Captive series, Family Blessings, Pretty Woman and Crown Jewel. Michaels's output passed 200 books with an estimated 150 million copies sold. The catalogue lists 190 titles, from Pride and Passion (1975) to A Season of Secrets (2026). Series include the Sisterhood, Godmothers, Men of the Sisterhood, Lost and Found, Vegas, Kentucky and Twin Lights. Female friendship, vigilantes and revenge appear among the subject tags.

Jude Deveraux

78 books• 14 series

Historical and contemporary romance make up Jude Deveraux's 78 catalogued books, many following the Montgomery and Taggert families across generations. Edilean, James River, Summerhouse, Nantucket Brides, Peregrine, Providence Falls and the Medlar Mystery books are among her series. The catalogue begins with The Enchanted Land (1978), runs densest through the 1980s, and reaches Order of Royals in 2026.

Jayne Ann Krentz, born Jayne Castle on 28 March 1948 in Cobb, California, is an American romance novelist with New York Times bestsellers under seven pseudonyms. Three names remain in use: Krentz for contemporary romantic suspense, Amanda Quick for historical romantic suspense and Jayne Ann Castle for futuristic and paranormal romantic suspense. More than 35 million copies are in print. The catalogue lists 205 books, from Vintage of Surrender (1979, as Jayne Castle) to Enter the Nightmare (2026), with The Book Hunter due in 2027. Early titles also appeared as Jayne Bentley, Jayne Taylor and Stephanie James. Series include Burning Cove, Eclipse Bay and the Dreamlight Trilogy.

Amish romance and Christian fiction fill the catalogue of Shelley Shepard Gray, which holds 101 books. Hidden (2008) is the earliest, followed by Forgiven and Wanted, and the series include Sisters of the Heart, Seasons of Sugarcreek, Families of Honor, the Amish of Hart County, Walnut Creek, Days of Redemption and the Amish ABCs. The Persistent Caller is scheduled for 2027.