Which Susan Mallery Books In Order Belong To Each Series?

Curious about organizing Susan Mallery’s books by series? I love that—you’re in for a treat, because she’s one of those authors who churns out warm, funny, emotional reads and spins them into long-running series, novellas, and linked standalones. Rather than trying to memorize dozens of titles, I rely on a few simple tricks to figure out which books belong to each series and the best order to read them. Below I’ll walk you through the approach I use, explain how to handle novellas and omnibuses, and point out the one series most readers start with: 'Fool's Gold'.

First, identify the series name and official numbering. The fastest route is the author’s official site—Susan Mallery’s site lists her series and often shows publication order. If you don’t trust a random bookstore to have the order right, go to Goodreads and search the author; most series have a dedicated series page where books are listed in publication order and where fans note novellas and short stories that slot between main novels. Publisher pages (Harlequin, HQN, St. Martin’s) are also gold because they often display ISBNs, release months, and whether a title is a part of a boxed set or anthology. I also use Fantastic Fiction for a quick consolidated bibliography. When a series has dozens of entries (yes, that happens), publication order is usually the cleanest reading order unless an author provides a chronological list—some novellas function as prequels and you can slot them where the timeline fits.

Second, watch for special cases: numbered titles, omnibuses, and anthology novellas. A number on a cover usually means the publisher has already established a reading order. Omnibuses collect earlier works, and anthologies sometimes contain a novella that ties into a particular series; those novellas might not be in the author’s main bibliography but matter for character crossovers. If you care about seeing recurring characters in the order those crossovers happen, follow publication date and insert anthology novellas where they were released. A practical tip: build a simple reading list (I keep mine in a notes app) where I put the main novels in publication order and then list novellas with the month/year of release—this avoids accidentally skipping a short story that introduces future characters.

Finally, a quick note on the big one: the 'Fool's Gold' world is what most readers think of first. It’s long and full of town-wide continuity, so reading it in publication order gives the most satisfying payoff for recurring families and shared settings. If you’re diving into other series, the same rules apply: consult the author site or series page on Goodreads, watch for anthology placements, and prefer publication order unless an explicit chronology is given. I love tracking down little novellas that explain a side character’s backstory—those surprise moments feel like gifts. Enjoy building your list; once it’s set up you can binge in whatever order your heart chooses, and I’m always amazed at how many comforting re-reads I find in those series.