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Ann Rule’s Crime Files Books in Order

17 Books
1993 – 2014 Published
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Reading order

Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start

Because the Ann Rule's Crime Files series consists of standalone anthologies rather than a single continuous storyline, there is no required reading order. However, if you are looking for the best entry points, we recommend these starting paths:

  • The Debut Collection: Start with A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases (Volume 1). It is her most celebrated collection in the series and won the Anthony Award for Best True Crime in 1994.
  • The Landmark Classic: If you are new to Ann Rule entirely, many readers suggest starting with her famous standalone work, The Stranger Beside Me, which chronicles her personal association with Ted Bundy, before diving into the Crime Files.

Ann Rule's Crime Files in Publication Order

If you prefer to see how Rule's investigative reporting and storytelling evolved, reading in publication order is a great option. Here is the chronological list of all 17 volumes:

  1. A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases (1993)
  2. You Belong to Me and Other True Crime Cases (1994)
  3. A Fever in the Heart and Other True Cases (1996)
  4. In the Name of Love and Other True Cases (1998)
  5. The End of the Dream: The Golden Boy Who Never Grew Up and Other True Cases (1998)
  6. A Rage to Kill and Other True Cases (1999)
  7. Empty Promises and Other True Cases (2001)
  8. Last Dance, Last Chance and Other True Cases (2001)
  9. Kiss Me, Kill Me and Other True Cases (2004)
  10. Worth More Dead and Other True Cases (2005)
  11. No Regrets and Other True Cases (2006)
  12. Smoke, Mirrors, and Murder and Other True Cases (2007)
  13. Mortal Danger and Other True Cases (2008)
  14. But I Trusted You and Other True Cases (2009)
  15. Don't Look Behind You and Other True Cases (2011)
  16. Fatal Friends, Deadly Neighbors and Other True Cases (2012)
  17. Lying in Wait and Other True Cases (2014)

Chronological Caveats and Formatting

Each volume typically highlights one major, long-form case (such as the Randy Roth case in Volume 1 or the Tim Harris case in Volume 2) followed by several shorter, unrelated case files. Because these real-life investigations occurred at various times and across different states—heavily focusing on the Pacific Northwest—a chronological timeline based on the dates of the crimes is not practical or recommended.

Subseries, Spin-offs, and Co-authored Books

Ann Rule wrote all 17 volumes of the Crime Files as a solo author, with no co-writers or direct spin-off series. However, readers interested in her complete bibliography should note her early work written under the pen name Andy Stack. While these books (like Lust Killer and The I-5 Killer) are separate from the Crime Files, they share the same meticulous investigation style that defines the main series.

Frequently Asked

QDo I need to read Ann Rule's Crime Files in a specific order?

No. Since each volume in the Crime Files series is a collection of standalone true crime anthologies, you can read them in any order without losing track of a storyline.

QWhat is the first book in Ann Rule's Crime Files?

The first book in the series is A Rose for Her Grave and Other True Cases, published in 1993, which won the Anthony Award for Best True Crime.

QWhere is the best place to start reading Ann Rule?

If you want to start with the Crime Files series, begin with the award-winning first volume, A Rose for Her Grave. If you want to start with her most famous standalone work, pick up The Stranger Beside Me.

QDid Ann Rule write under any other names?

Yes, early in her career, Ann Rule wrote under the pen name Andy Stack for true crime magazines and some of her earliest books, such as The I-5 Killer.

QHow many books are in the Crime Files series?

There are exactly 17 volumes in the Ann Rule's Crime Files series, published between 1993 and 2014.

QAre the stories in Crime Files real?

Yes, all the books in the series are true crime anthologies, covering real-life criminal investigations, trials, and psychological profiles of perpetrators.