Jan 15, 2024
Do your books have to be read in any particular order?
This is another one of those questions that I can’t answer with a simple yes or no.
I’ve tried hard to write my books so they can be read in as standalone stories. It hasn’t always worked. The Harmony Dupre stories can be picked up and read individually, but they were written in chronological order and it makes sense to read the series that way. That way, the reader doesn’t have to stop and think about the backstory.
But then you throw the Jake Hennessey books into the mix and things get complicated. After all, The Fall of Jake Hennessey was written as a prequel to the Harmony books, but I recommend it be read after The Marquesa’s Necklace and Her Ladyship’s Ring so the reader gets a different view of the interplay between Harmony, Jake, and Eli. The Rise of Jake Hennessey can be read as a solo story, but it ties up the entire Harmony story arch neatly. So the answer to the question is yes, but no. The books can be read in any order, but I suggest you read them in (mostly) the order in which they were written.
It’s easier with the Free Wolves series. Those books are true standalones. There is an underlying story arch, but I’m probably the only one who cares about it. That’s on purpose. Each book has a different main character, although they take place in the same ‘world.’ (FYI-I’ve had another book in the series floating around in my head for a while, and when I get it written, the story arch may become important.) However, reading the books in the order I wrote them allows the reader to have a clearer picture of the overall world.
To make this all a little clearer, I’ve listed the books in suggested reading order below. Links to the other authors on this hop are also there.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
The Harmony Duprie and Jake Hennessey books. (link to the page on this website)
The Marquesa’s Necklace
Her Ladyship’s Ring
The Fall of Jake Hennessey
The Baron’s Cufflinks
The Countessa’s Brooch
The Samurai’s Inro
The Ranger’s Dog Tags
The Rise of Jake Hennessey
The Free Wolves
Wolves’ Pawn
Wolves’ Knight
Wolves’ Gambit
As an adult I’ve never read a series of books, as I prefer reading standalones. The only series I ever read were Enid Blyton’s ‘Adventure’ series back in the 1960s!
I’ve read bits and pieces of many series, often out of order. As a teen, I read the Nancy Drew mysteries in whatever order I could get my hands on the books! Finding a sweet spot between making books standalone while being part of a series can be tough.
Ah yes, Nancy Drew. I remember reading those too.
I never planned to write more than one book, I only wanted to prove to myself and the teachers (who had told me I couldn’t) that I could do it. Once I got started, the voices in my head had other ideas.
I was lucky and had some great teachers. But I didn’t have the desire to write fiction until I was long out of school.