Books On Board
series Reading Order

Bishop/Special Crimes Unit Books in Order

23 Books
2 Reading orders
2000 – 2021 Published
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Reading order

The Recommended Reading Path

To get the most out of the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit (SCU) universe, we highly recommend reading the books in publication order. While each trilogy wraps up its main mystery, the characters, romantic subplots, and the evolution of the Special Crimes Unit itself carry over from book to book. Reading them in order prevents spoilers and helps you keep track of the growing team of psychic agents.

Bishop/Special Crimes Unit Books in Publication Order

This is the main series timeline. Start here to watch Noah Bishop build the unit from its early days:

  1. Stealing Shadows (2000)
  2. Hiding in the Shadows (2000)
  3. Out of the Shadows (2000)
  4. Touching Evil (2001)
  5. Whisper of Evil (2002)
  6. Sense of Evil (2003)
  7. Hunting Fear (2004)
  8. Chill of Fear (2005)
  9. Sleeping with Fear (2006)
  10. Blood Dreams (2007)
  11. Blood Sins (2008)
  12. Blood Ties (2010)
  13. Haven (2012)
  14. Hostage (2013)
  15. Haunted (2014)
  16. Fear the Dark (2015)
  17. Wait for Dark (2017)
  18. Hold Back the Dark (2018)
  19. Hidden Salem (2020)
  20. Curse of Salem (2021)

The Bishop Files Spin-Off (Where They Fit In)

In 2012, Kay Hooper introduced The Bishop Files, a companion trilogy that deals with a shadowy conspiracy targeting psychics. These books feature Noah Bishop and members of the SCU, and they tie directly into the main series timeline. For the complete experience, slot them into your reading list like this:

  • Read The First Prophet (2012) after Haven.
  • Read A Deadly Web (2015) after Haunted.
  • Read Final Shadows (2018) after Hold Back the Dark.

The Interconnected Trilogies

Kay Hooper structured the series into distinct thematic groups. If you prefer to read in blocks, here is how the trilogies break down:

Shadows Trilogy

  • Stealing Shadows, Hiding in the Shadows, and Out of the Shadows. This initial trilogy introduces the concept of psychic profiling and Cassie Neill's fight to stop a serial killer.

Evil Trilogy

  • Touching Evil, Whisper of Evil, and Sense of Evil. These books focus on the formal expansion of the SCU and psychic abilities colliding with small-town crimes.

Fear Trilogy

  • Hunting Fear, Chill of Fear, and Sleeping with Fear. This arc explores deeper psychological fears, memory loss, and dream manipulation.

Blood Trilogy

  • Blood Dreams, Blood Sins, and Blood Ties. The team investigates cults, ancient conspiracies, and bloodlines of psychic power.

Haven Trilogy

  • Haven, Hostage, and Haunted. These stories are set around the mysterious, isolated town of Haven, North Carolina, which has its own paranormal secrets.

Dark Trilogy

  • Fear the Dark, Wait for Dark, and Hold Back the Dark. A high-stakes, fast-paced trilogy dealing with an escalating threat against the unit itself.

The Salem Arc

  • Hidden Salem and Curse of Salem. The SCU is drawn to Salem, where ancient curses and founding families become targets of a serial killer.

Frequently Asked

QWhere is the best place to start reading the Special Crimes Unit series?

You should start with Stealing Shadows (2000), which is the first book in the Shadows Trilogy. It introduces the core concepts of the psychic FBI unit and the character of Noah Bishop.

QHow do The Bishop Files connect to the main series?

The Bishop Files is a companion trilogy set in the same universe. It features Noah Bishop and other SCU agents, focusing on a conspiracy targeting psychics. Reading it is highly recommended to fully understand character crossovers in the later SCU novels.

QCan I read the trilogies out of order?

Yes, each trilogy resolves its main mystery, but the overarching story of Noah Bishop's unit and its members develops continuously. Reading out of order will likely spoil previous books.

QWho is Noah Bishop?

Noah Bishop is the enigmatic leader and founder of the FBI's Special Crimes Unit. While he coordinates the team and appears in almost every book, he is rarely the primary viewpoint character of individual novels.

QIs Curse of Salem the final book in the series?

Curse of Salem (published in 2021) is currently the latest book in the Bishop/SCU series. Kay Hooper has not officially declared the series finished, but there have been no new releases since then.