The Recommended Reading Order
For the best experience, you should read the Ava Gold series in its publication order. Because the books follow a linear path covering Ava's evolving career, her ongoing battle against sexism in the NYPD, and her personal struggles as a widowed mother, reading them in order ensures you don't miss any character development or recurring subplots.
Since the publication order matches the chronological timeline of Ava's life and cases, there is no need to shuffle the books. Here is the recommended sequence:
- City of Prey (2021)
- City of Fear (2021)
- City of Bones (2021)
- City of Ghosts (2022)
- City of Death (2022)
- City of Vice (2022)
Publication Order vs. Chronological Order
There is no difference between the publication order and chronological order for Ava Gold. The story begins in 1920s New York City with Ava entering the homicide division as a trailblazing female detective and progresses forward through her subsequent cases. Start with the first book, City of Prey, and read straight through to the final installment, City of Vice.
Major Series Themes and Connections
The series is set against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties, capturing the grit and glamour of prohibition-era New York—from dark speakeasies to Wall Street. Ava Gold stands out because she uses early, experimental psychological profiling techniques to catch serial killers, a method that is heavily resisted by her male colleagues.
While author Blake Pierce has created many popular modern thriller series (such as the Riley Paige or Jessie Hunt books), the Ava Gold series is a historical standalone. Due to the era-specific setting, there are no crossovers or shared plotlines with Pierce's contemporary detective universes.