Women physicians book series in reading order

by Patricia Cornwell

by Emily March

Patricia Cornwell

45 books• 6 series

Medical examiner Kay Scarpetta is the character that made Patricia Cornwell's name. Cornwell, born Patricia Carroll Daniels on June 9, 1956, is an American crime writer. The first Scarpetta novel drew on a string of murders in Richmond, Virginia, the city where most of the books take place, and the plots lean heavily on forensic science. The catalogue lists 46 Cornwell titles, from Ruth, A Portrait: The Story of Ruth Bell Graham (1983) and Postmortem (1990) through True Crime (2026), with Rapid and Fatal due in 2027. Other series include Andy Brazil/Judy Hammer, Winston Garano and Captain Chase. Cornwell has also named Walter Sickert as Jack the Ripper.

Gilbert Morris produced Christian historical fiction at length: 248 catalogued books between 1977 and 2014. The House of Winslow follows one family across American history; the Appomattox Saga and Bonnets & Bugles take up the Civil War; Cheney Duvall, M.D. follows a woman physician; the Seven Sleepers, Dixie Morris and Too Smart Jones series sit alongside, with children's fiction among the subjects. The catalogue opens with Race Against Time (1977), reaches Raina's Choice, and is listed as likely complete.

Karin Slaughter

39 books• 10 series

American crime writer Karin Slaughter was born in 1971. Her debut, Blindsighted (2001), made the Crime Writers' Association shortlist for best thriller debut, and Cop Town won the CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger in 2015. The catalogue carries 39 of her books through The Secrets We Hide (2026). Will Trent, Sara Linton and Jeffrey Tolliver are recurring figures, and her series listings include Andrea Oliver, North Falls Thriller, Pretty Girls and Good Daughter alongside standalone novels. Subjects cover police work, medical examiners, murder and the state of Georgia. Slaughter's books are published in 120 countries.

Paul Doherty writes historical mysteries set largely in England, with 127 books catalogued from The Death of a King (1985) to The Meadows of Murder (2026). Recurring detectives include Hugh Corbett, Brother Athelstan, Kathryn Swinbrooke and Amerotke. Other series cover the Canterbury Tales Mysteries, Ancient Rome, Egyptian Mysteries, Nicholas Segalla, Mathilde of Westminster, Margaret Beaufort and Vlad Drakulya. Satan in St Mary's (1986) and Spy in Chancery (1988) are among the early titles.

Tess Gerritsen

38 books• 6 series

Tess Gerritsen, born Terry Tom on June 12, 1953, is an American novelist who worked as a general physician before retiring from medicine. Gerritsen's 39 catalogued books start with Adventure's Mistress (1985) and continue through The Shadow Friends (2026), with The Italian Affair listed for 2028. Rizzoli & Isles is the recurring pairing named on the page, and Detective Jane Rizzoli appears in the subject tags. Other series are the Martini Club and the Tavistock Family. Subjects range across suspense, thrillers, medical fiction, women forensic scientists and romantic suspense.

Hannah Alexander is the shared pseudonym of Cheryl and Mel Hodde, a married Christian writing team who blended their two names into one. Mel Hodde is a physician, and the pair specialise in medical romantic suspense. The catalogue lists 33 books from Hideaway (1990) to Ashes Over Yellowstone (2025). Hideaway, Missouri, Hallowed Halls, Healing Touch and Sacred Trust are the series. Subjects include emergency physicians, women physicians, hospitals and inspirational romance.

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.

Karen Rose Smith is an American author born in Pennsylvania whose first romance appeared in 1992. Smith has written for Meteor/Kismet, Kensington, Silhouette and Harlequin, and has indie-published novels and short story collections as e-books. Awards include New Jersey's Golden Leaf Award for short contemporary romance (twice), CRA's Award of Excellence and the Golden Quill for Traditional Romance. The catalogue lists 124 books from A Man Worth Loving (1992) to If Books Could Kill (2026). Mystery lines include Caprice De Luca Mystery and Daisy's Tea Garden Mysteries.

Medical suspense is Michael Palmer's register, physicians, patients and hospitals, several of them in Boston. The Sisterhood (1982) opens a catalogue of 25 books that runs through Side Effects (1986), Extreme Measures (1991), Silent Treatment (1995) and Miracle Cure (1998) to The First Family in 2018. Dr. Lou Welcome heads the one series, and nothing later than 2018 is catalogued.

JoAnn Ross, an American writer, has published more than 100 novels since 1983 across romance, romantic suspense and women's fiction, and has also written as JoAnn Robbins and JoAnn Robb. She belongs to the Romance Writers of America's Honor Roll of best-selling authors and holds Romantic Times Career Achievement Awards in both category and contemporary single title. The catalogue lists 114 books from Winning Season (1983) to Just One Look (2022) and marks the run as dormant. Series include Shelter Bay, Honeymoon Harbor, Castlelough, High Risk, Lucky Penny, Callahan Brothers, Stewart Sisters and New Orleans Knights. Subjects include Navy SEALs, private investigators and first loves.

C.J. Lyons writes medical thrillers and police procedurals. Lifelines (2008) opens 47 catalogued books that stop at Save Her Child (2021). Nine series divide the run, among them the Lucy Guardino FBI Thrillers, Angels of Mercy, Hart and Drake, Caitlyn Tierney FBI Thriller and Fatal Insomnia. Emergency medicine, nurses, women physicians and murder in Pittsburgh supply the material. No title has followed since 2021.

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.

Iris Johansen writes crime fiction, suspense and romance, and was born on April 7, 1938, in St. Louis, Missouri. The catalogue lists 120 books from Stormy Vows (1983) to Wait and See (2026), with the 1980s as the busiest decade. Eve Duncan, Kendra Michaels and Catherine Ling are the recurring characters, and facial reconstruction and women sculptors appear among the subject headings. Johansen's series also include Sedikhan, Wind Dancer, Clanad and Delaneys.

Julie Garwood (1944-2023) was an American novelist who wrote more than twenty-seven romance novels across historical and suspense subgenres. More than 35 million copies of Garwood's books are in print, and at least 24 reached the New York Times bestseller list. A Girl Named Summer is a Garwood novel for young adults. For the Roses became the television feature Rose Hill. The catalogue records 36 books, running from Gentle Warrior (1985) to Grace Under Fire (2022), with series including Buchanan-Renard-MacKenna, Claybornes of Rose Hill, Crown's Spies, Highlands' Lairds and Lairds' Brides.

Robin Cook

43 books• 4 series

Medical thrillers are Robin Cook's whole catalogue: physicians, forensic pathologists and medical examiners. Cook published The Year of the Intern in 1972 and Coma in 1977, and the run reaches 43 books with Bleed in 2026. Jack Stapleton and Laurie Montgomery lead the longest series, and Marissa Blumenthal and Pia Grazdani head shorter ones. The 1990s were the busiest decade, at 403 pages a book.

Wilbur Smith was a British-South African novelist born in Northern Rhodesia. Smith's historical fiction covers four centuries of international involvement in Southern Africa. The catalogue lists 66 books, from When the Lion Feeds (1964) to Flashpoint (2026). Series include Courtney, Jack Courtney, Ancient Egypt, Hector Cross and Prey Zone. Recurring character listings include the Courtney family, Ballantyne and Hector Cross. David Churchill and Tom Harper each share the credit on 1 book. Subjects include Africa, Egypt, revenge, espionage and terrorism.

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.

Emily March's catalogue holds 35 books, from The Scoundrel's Bride (1995) to Second Chance Season (2024). Eternity Springs names three series, Eternity Springs, Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas and Celebrate Eternity Springs, and Lake in the Clouds, Cedar Dell, Texas and Brazos Bend are further series. Simmer All Night (1999), Sizzle All Day (2000), Season of Sisters (2002) and A Callahan Carol (2010) are other listed titles. Contemporary romance, women veterinarians, widowers and Colorado appear among the subjects.

Ariana Franklin is the pen name of Mary Diana Norman (1933-2011), a British author and journalist who wrote historical crime fiction. The catalogue lists 21 titles across 1970 to 2020, opening with Stately Ghosts of England (1970) and closing with Death and the Maiden (2020). Subjects run to medieval England, women forensic pathologists and the character Adelia Aguilar, and the Makepeace Hedley series also appears under this name. The 2000s were the heaviest decade, and the run is likely complete.

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.

Crime and medical thrillers are Danielle Girard's territory: medical examiners, women physicians and murder investigations in San Francisco run through her subject matter. Three series carry the work, the Rookie Club, Dr. Schwartzman and Badlands Thriller. Eighteen titles span Savage Art (2000) to Pinky Swear (2026), and Girard is still publishing.

Lyn Cote writes inspirational romance: Christian romance, religious themes and historical romance are the recorded subjects, with frontier and pioneer life and Wisconsin recurring among them. The catalogue holds 74 books from Never Alone (1998) to A Life for Verity (2026). Series include Northern Intrigue, Northern Shore Intrigue, Harbor Intrigue, Patriots & Seekers, the Women of Ivy Manor, the Carlyle Women, Blessed Assurance and the Gabriel Sisters. Love Inspired also appears among the catalogue's subject headings.

Priscilla Masters writes English detective fiction. DI Joanna Piercy, Martha Gunn, Claire Roget and Florence Shaw each head a series, six groupings in all across 40 catalogued books published between 1988 and 2026. Mr. Bateman's Garden (1988) opens the list, which reaches The Cliff's Edge Murders (2026) by way of Winding Up the Serpent (1995), A Fatal Cut (2001) and Disturbing Ground (2002). Murder, missing children, physicians, coroners, forensic psychiatrists and serial murderers recur as subjects.

Iain M. Banks

32 books• 3 series

Iain M. Banks (16 February 1954 – 9 June 2013), born Iain Menzies Banks, was a Scottish author who published mainstream fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks. The Wasp Factory (1984), the debut novel, has sold over a million copies in 80 languages, allowed Banks to write full time, and was ranked second-best Scottish novel of all time in a 2016 BBC Scotland poll. The Times placed Banks on its 2008 list of the 50 greatest British writers since 1945. The catalogue of 32 books includes the Culture novels Consider Phlebas (1987), The Player of Games (1988) and Use of Weapons (1990), as well as The Crow Road (1992), and ends with The Culture: The Drawings (2023).