Lisa Gardner Books in Order | The Ultimate Guide

Lisa Gardner is one of the bestselling novelists of all time, credible for her engrossing psychological thrillers that captured millions of readers worldwide. With plots remarkably twisting, compelling characters, and suspenseful storytelling, Gardner has created a few series and some standalone novels that easily cemented her position in the upper ranks of crime fiction. 

Whether you are new to her work or read her in order, this ultimate guide will help you through her extensive bibliography.

Lisa Gardner Books in Order

Here is the Lisa Gardner books in order:

The Detective D.D. Warren Series

One more very popular series by Lisa Gardner is that of Detective D.D. Warren, led by the tenacious and sharp-witted Boston detective. This is the series for every crime fiction fan where complex cases will exercise characters’ and readers’ brains.

Alone (2005)

This first one leads off the series with Alone, where, for the first time, the troubled woman insists she has just shot her abusive husband in self-defence. However, as D.D. gets deeper into the case, she peels back layer upon layer of secrets that raise questions about what went down.

Hide, 2007

In Hide, D.D. Warren investigates a grim discovery: the mummified bodies of six women in an abandoned mental hospital. Things get personal when they are connected to a woman who is hiding from her dark past.

The Neighbor – 2009

The Neighbor pits D.D. Warren against a chilling case: a missing woman, a suspicious husband, and a young daughter who might hold the key to the truth. With themes of trust, deception, and lies, the readers are kept on the edge.

Live to Tell, 2010

In Live to Tell, D.D. Warren gets herself involved in the horrid case of murder whereby one whole family has been wiped out. Investigation takes her into the world of troubled children and families while uncovering secrets that lead to deadly results.

Love You More (2011)

Love You More, State trooper Tessa Leoni stands accused of killing her husband. D.D. Warren finds herself compromising the truth, lying amidst a web of lies, all the while wrestling with her own personal demons.

Catch Me (2012)

Catch Me follows D.D. Warren as she investigates a young woman’s claim that she will be murdered in four days. It is a race against time, with tension around every turn of the pages and a plot with twists and turns at every corner to prove that Gardner belongs in the echelons of master suspense writers.

Fear Nothing (2014)

In Fear Nothing, D.D. Warren is nursing a terrible injury but becomes entangled in a case connected to a notorious serial killer. The novel explores psychological trauma and dark connections between the past and present.

Find Her (2016)

Find Her is the introduction of Flora Dane, a vigilante survivor of kidnapping. D.D. Warren has to catch her before justice turns deadly. The novel speaks to the effects of trauma and how it tangles the distinction between victim and predator.

Look for Me (2018)

In Look for Me, D.D. Warren and Flora Dane team up to track down a missing girl whose family has been brutally murdered. The novel becomes—most importantly—a gripping exploration into family dynamics and the extent one is willing to go to in the process of protecting their loved ones.

Never Tell (2019)

Never Tell finds D.D. Warren is embroiled in a man’s murder, and his wife is suspected of the crime. The case begins to unravel secrets from the past that will question everything D.D. thought she knew.

When You See Me, 2020

In When You See Me, teaming up to solve a disturbing case that uncovers the hidden network of criminals is D.D. Warren, Flora Dane, and FBI Agent Kimberly Quincy. This novel gives the reader a very human look at human trafficking and, secondarily, survivors.

The Tessa Leoni Series

Lisa Gardner has also developed the Tessa Leoni series based on the state trooper character from Love You More. This is definitely a good read for all the readers who loved the character of Tessa and want to know more about her.

Love You More (2011)

It starts with Love You More, where Tessa Leoni is suspected of murdering her husband. The novel somewhat crosses the series of Detective D.D. Warren and goes deeper into Tessa’s life and issues.

Touch & Go (2013)

In Touch & Go, Tessa Leoni works as a private investigator and is hired to trace a missing family. It is a furiously paced thriller that delves deep into the secrets lying behind the veil of perfection a family seems to have.

Crash & Burn, 2015

Crash & Burn follows Tessa as she investigates a mysterious car crash involving a woman who claims to have lost her memory. The case leads Tessa into a web of lies where nothing seems to be as it is.

The FBI Profiler Series

However, another commendable series by Lisa Gardner is the FBI Profiler series, which takes the reader into the elusive world of criminal profiling and psychological suspense.

The Perfect Husband, 1997

It opens with The Perfect Husband where Tess Beckett teams up with FBI profiler Pierce Quincy in search of her murderous ex-husband. The book is an engrossing mix of suspense and action with psychic tension.

The Third Victim (2001)

In The Third Victim, Pierce Quincy investigates a school shooting in a small Oregon town. The book is haunting and questions guilt, revenge, and the blackness that can lie beneath normal life.

Some Questions

In what order should I read Lisa Gardner’s books?

The books really need to be read in order of publication to fully appreciate character development and overarching storylines. The recommended reading order is The Perfect Husband FBI Profiler Series and then The Alone Detective D.D. Warren Series.

Are the Lisa Gardner series interrelated?

There are some character connections between the two Detective D.D. Warren and Tessa Leoni series, but each series can be read alone.

Can I read Lisa Gardner’s books as standalone?

While some of her works merge into a series, most books are independent. Every book is written to give the reader a complete story; however, reading them in sequence has its plus points.

What genre does Lisa Gardner write?

Lisa Gardner writes psychological thrillers and crime fiction. Her themes include complex investigations, criminal profiling, and the psychological characteristics of crimes.

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