Jess Lourey Reading Order
10 series Β· 43 books Β· Born 1970
Jess Lourey is a prolific American author known for her contributions to the crime genre, particularly through her engaging mystery series. With an impressive collection of 43 books spanning 10 series, including the popular Murder-By-Month Mystery and Salem's Cipher Mystery, she captivates readers with her unique storytelling. Active from 2006 to 2026, Lourey also explores themes of magic realism and young adult fiction in her standalone novels and short stories.
Anthologies Series
Complete3 books (2007β2020)
Start with Resort to Murder and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Resort to Murder 2007Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Writes of Spring 2012Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Shattering Glass 2020Buy πΊπΈ |
Claudette's Interactive Children's Series
Complete1 book (2021β2021)
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Leave My Book Alone! 2021Buy πΊπΈ |
Getaway Series
Likely Complete6 books (2022β2022)
Start with Belle Mer(By: Luanne Rice), the first of 6 books in the Getaway series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Belle Mer(By: Luanne Rice) 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Catch Her in a Lie 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | His Happy Place(By: Zakiya Dalila Harris) 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Shell Game(By: Rumaan Alam) 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Stockholm(By: Catherine Steadman) 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | Uncharted Waters(By: Sally Hepworth) 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
Murder-By-Month Mystery Series
Likely Complete14 books (2006β2022)
Start with May Day, the first of 14 books in the Murder-By-Month Mystery series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | May Day 2006Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | June Bug 2007Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Knee High by the Fourth of July 2007Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | August Moon 2008Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | September Fair / September Mourn 2009Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | October Fest 2011Buy πΊπΈ |
| 7 | December Dread 2012Buy πΊπΈ |
| 8 | November Hunt 2012Buy πΊπΈ |
| 9 | Death by Potato Salad 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
| 10 | January Thaw 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
| 11 | February Fever 2015Buy πΊπΈ |
| 12 | March of Crime 2017Buy πΊπΈ |
| 13 | April Fools 2019Buy πΊπΈ |
| 14 | Monday Is Murder 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
Non-Fiction Series
Complete2 books (2016β2017)
Start with Better Than Gin: A Coloring Book for Writers(As: Jessica Lourey, With: Tony Van Den Einde) and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Better Than Gin: A Coloring Book for Writers(As: Jessica Lourey, With: Tony Van Den Einde) 2016Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Rewrite Your Life: Discover Your Truth Through the Healing Power of Fiction(As: Jessica Lourey) 2017Buy πΊπΈ |
Salem's Cipher Mystery Series
Complete3 books (2016β2018)
Start with Salem's Cipher and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Salem's Cipher 2016Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Adventure of the First Problem 2016Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Mercy's Chase 2018Buy πΊπΈ |
Short Stories/Novellas Series
Complete3 books (2014β2014)
Start with Beauty Is in the Eye of the Newt and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Beauty Is in the Eye of the Newt 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Give Her a Hand 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Paper Frog 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
Standalone Novels Series
Ongoing6 books (2012β2026)
Start with The Toadhouse Trilogy, the first of 6 books in the Standalone Novels series.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Toadhouse Trilogy 2012Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | Unspeakable Things 2020Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | Bloodline 2021Buy πΊπΈ |
| 4 | Litani 2021Buy πΊπΈ |
| 5 | Quarry Girls 2022Buy πΊπΈ |
| 6 | The Verdant Cage 2026Buy πΊπΈ |
Steinbeck and Reed Series
Ongoing3 books (2023β2025)
Start with The Taken Ones and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | The Taken Ones 2023Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Reaping 2024Buy πΊπΈ |
| 3 | The Laughing Dead 2025Buy πΊπΈ |
The Catalain Book of Secrets Series
Complete2 books (2014β2014)
Start with Seven Daughters and read in order.
| # | Title |
|---|---|
| 1 | Seven Daughters 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
| 2 | The Catalain Book of Secrets 2014Buy πΊπΈ |
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many books has Jess Lourey written?
- Jess Lourey has written 43 books across 10 series. Their published works span from 2006 to 2026.
- What is the first book in each Jess Lourey series?
- Here are the first books in Jess Lourey's series: Anthologies: Resort to Murder; Getaway: Belle Mer(By: Luanne Rice); Murder-By-Month Mystery: May Day; Non-Fiction: Better Than Gin: A Coloring Book for Writers(As: Jessica Lourey, With: Tony Van Den Einde); Salem's Cipher Mystery: Salem's Cipher.
- What order should I read Jess Lourey's books?
- We recommend reading Jess Lourey's series in publication order. Each series can be read independently.
- Is Jess Lourey still writing new books?
- Yes, Jess Lourey has 2 ongoing series: Standalone Novels, Steinbeck and Reed.

