Lisa Unger Books In Order – Complete List
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger, often called the queen of psychological suspense, is best known for her psychological thriller standalone books and series such as Lydia Strong, Ridley Jones, Hollows, Whispers, and House of Crows. Here are the Lisa Unger books in order of publication, which also match the reading order.
Latest Lisa Unger Books
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Lydia Strong Books in Publication Order
the series was initially published under the author’s maiden name, Lisa Miscione
- Angel Fire, 2002
- The Darkness Gathers, 2003
- Twice, 2004
- Smoke, 2005
Ridley Jones Series in Order of Publication
- Beautiful Lies, 2006
- Sliver of Truth, 2007
The Hollows Books in Publication Order
aka the Jones Cooper Books
- Fragile, 2010
- Darkness, My Old Friend, 2011
- In the Blood, 2014
- Crazy Love You, 2015
- Ink and Bone, 2016
Whispers Books in Publication Order
a novella series in 3 parts to be read between Fragile and Crazy Love You
- The Whispers, 2014
- The Burning Girl, 2015
- The Three Sisters, 2015
- The Whispering Hollows, 2016 (omnibus of the 3 Whispers short stories)
House of Crows Books in Publication Order
- All My Darkest Impulses, 2021
- Fog Descending, 2021
- Circling the Drain, 2021
- Love the Way You Lie, 2021
Standalone Novels in Order of Publication
- Black Out, 2008
- Die for You, 2009
- Heartbroken, 2012
- The Red Hunter, 2017
- Under My Skin, 2018
- The Stranger Inside, 2019
- Confessions on the 7:45, 2020
- Last Girl Ghosted, 2021
- Secluded Cabin Sleeps Six, 2022
- The New Couple in 5B, 2024
- Close Your Eyes and Count to 10, 2025
Novellas and Short Stories in Order of Publication
- Christmas Presents, 2023
- The Doll’s House, 2024
Anthologies and Collaborations in Order of Publication
- Inherit the Dead, 2013, with others
- The Sleep Tight Motel, 2018 (Dark Corners collection)
- Let Her Be, 2020 (Hush collection)
- The Dark Door, 2022 (Bibliomysteries / Death Sentences)
- Best American Mystery and Suspense 2023 (with Steph Cha)
- Unknown Caller, 2023 (We Could Be Heroes)
The House of Crows Novellas Overview
The House of Crows series is a collection of interconnected novellas that describe some of the mysterious, bizarre, and sometimes supernatural events a group of friends experienced during a hot and memorable summer.
After some years, as they grew up, they tried to forget these uncomfortable memories. However, the secrets from that summer stayed with them, continuing to influence their lives in strange ways. This created a layer of tension and mystery to this psychological suspense to which various supernatural elements were added. The people involved soon realized that these were events in a past that they could never escape.
The Hollows Series Overview
The Hollows series includes five psychological thriller novels that feature Eloise Montgomery, who can learn secrets about when she touched them. The series explores some dark aspects of human nature and deals with some popular themes such as mystery, suspense, and the complexities of human relationships. The books are set in Hollows, a quiet and charming town which is outside of New York City.
Whispers, the connecting series, gives a deeper understanding of Eloise Montgomery’s journey and her unique paranormal gift. News & Observer, Raleigh mentioned that Hollows “rivals Stephen King’s Castle Rock for continuity and creepiness.”
The Whispers Short Stories Overview
The Whispers series consists of three novellas and follows the story of Eloise Montgomery, a reluctant psychic who discovers her abilities after a personal tragedy. The series gives a unique perspective on the supernatural through the eyes of Eloise.
Whispers is the prequel to Fragile, the first book in the Hollows series, and thus it connects to that series. Here we basically are introduced to Eloise Montgomery and learn about the origins of her supernatural powers. The novella goes into Eloise’s past and gives essential background information about the main character, which lays the foundation for future installments in the series.
The novella includes three short stories:
- The Whispers – This is the first story where we meet Eloise Montgomery and learn about her journey of discovering her psychic talents.
- The Burning Girl – The second part continues to follow Eloise as she comes to terms with her abilities and what are the impact those abilities have on her life and the lives of those around her.
- The Three Sisters – This is the final story which further explores Eloise’s psychic gifts.
These stories are collected in a novella titled The Whispering Hollows, which is often recommended as a starting point for those new to Lisa Unger’s work or her Hollows series.
Lisa Unger Biography – About the Author
Lisa Unger was born in 1970 in New Haven, Connecticut. During her early years, she lived in different countries like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, which made her childhood slightly challenging. These experiences helped gain sharp observational skills and patience.
Her mother was a librarian, which influenced her to become a storyteller. In an interview, Lisa mentioned that she always wanted to be a writer. Her father, an engineer, also gave her a sense of practicality which made her write every day from the moment she woke up.
In her adolescence, Lisa Unger lived in Long Valley, New Jersey, and this place influenced her both as a person and a writer. The town often featured in her future novels, including The Hollows. Although her brother thought Long Valley inspired The Hollows, Lisa kept the origins of her fictional world a mystery.
When Lisa turned 18, she moved to Manhattan, New York, and began her career as a publicist at a publishing company. Thirteen years later, feeling rather unhappy with her career, she decided to finish a novel she had started writing ten years before. This story basically became her first published novel, Angel Fire.
After she met her future husband, she moved from New York City to Florida to pursue her dream of becoming a published author.
Initially she started writing under the name Lisa Miscione. The first four of Lisa Unger’s books under this name launched her successful career as an author. However, under the name Lisa Unger, her first novel, Beautiful Lies, published in 2006 marked the beginning of her international bestselling status. The novel was translated into twenty-six languages with over two million sales.
Lisa Unger is a contemporary fiction author, named a master of suspense, who also wrote short fiction and non-fiction books published in places like The New York Times and NPR. As the co-president of the International Thriller Writers organization, she is never far away from the literary community.
Lisa Unger’s reputation as an author remains strong with over 20 novels, novellas, and short stories written to date. In her chilling thriller novels, she is known for her deep psychological insights and her ability to write gripping stories that keep us on the edge of our seats.
Lisa Unger’s books were This highlights her ongoing acclaim in the literary community, the anticipation for her new book The New Couple in 5B due in 2024, and her recent feature in Writer’s Digest discussing her writing philosophy.
Over the years, Lisa Unger’s books were published by various publishing houses, including Broadway Books, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, followed by St. Martin’s Minotaur, and then Simon & Schuster, which currently serves as the official publisher for Lisa Unger’s literary works.
Lisa is currently living on Florida’s West coast with her family. Her journey from the busy New York streets to the relaxed landscapes of Florida is also reflected in the suspenseful twists of her novels, making her name synonymous with words like “literary excellence” and “thrilling storytelling”.
Lisa Unger Book Adaptations
Confessions on the 7:45, one of the best-selling novels by Lisa Unger, is being adapted into a show. The project has attached an exciting talent, with Charise Castro Smith set to serve as the showrunner. This adaptation will delve into the gripping tale of a working mom whose life takes a dramatic turn after meeting a stranger on a train.
Adding to the anticipation, Jessica Alba has boarded the adaptation to star in a lead role and will also serve as an executive producer. This collaboration promises to bring Unger’s intricate storytelling and complex characters to life on the screen in a compelling way.
The adaptation of Confessions on the 7:45 is part of a slate of book adaptations coming to Netflix in 2023-2024.
Lisa Unger Awards and Nominations
- In the Blood – received the Silver Falchion Award in 2015
- Under My Skin – nominated for Edgar Awards Best Paperback Original in 2019
- House of Crows series:
- #1 Bestselling Kindle Single
- Top 10 Audible Bestseller
- Silver Falchion Award Winner: Best Short Story Collection
- Shirley Jackson Award Finalist
Several novels were featured on various Best Book lists including by popular platforms like The Today Show, People Magazine, The Boston Globe, Crime Reads/She Reads Mystery Tribune, Harper’s Bazaar, Today Show, Good Morning America, Entertainment Weekly, People, Amazon, Goodreads, L.A. Times, The Boston Globe, Tampa Bay Times, and Sun Sentinel.
They were also mentioned in various lists such as E! News‘s “14 Books to Add to Your Reading List in November,” PopSugar‘s “Best Thriller and Mystery Books of 2022,” and AirMail‘s “Best New Mystery Books for November 2022.”