Where to Start with The Cartel Series
To fully appreciate the rise and fall of the Diamond family empire, most readers should start with the first novel, The Cartel (2008). While the prequel trilogy provides the backstory of patriarch Carter Diamond, starting with the original book allows you to experience the mysteries and betrayal exactly as the authors intended.
The Main Cartel Series in Publication Order
The main storyline spans eight novels that follow the Diamond family and their fight for survival in Miami's drug trade:
- The Cartel (2008) – Introduces the Diamond family legacy and the death of patriarch Carter Diamond.
- Tale of the Murda Mamas (2009) (also known as The Cartel 2) – Features the deadly Murder Mamas and the forbidden romance between Carter Jones and Miamor.
- The Last Chapter (2010) (also known as The Cartel 3) – Kidnappings and family secrets push the family to their limits.
- Diamonds Are Forever (2012) (also known as The Cartel 4) – The struggle for control of the Miami streets continues.
- La Bella Mafia (2013) (also known as The Cartel 5) – The women of the Diamond family step into the crosshairs.
- The Demise (2016) (also known as The Cartel 6) – High-stakes drama and ultimate betrayals threaten to tear the family apart.
- Illuminati (2017) (also known as The Cartel 7) – The Diamond empire faces its darkest and most secretive rivals.
- Long Live The Cartel (2020) (also known as The Cartel 8) – Breeze steps up to take control of the family business in a new era.
The Carter Diamond Prequel Trilogy
If you want to discover how Carter Diamond built his notorious empire from his humble beginnings in Michigan, dive into the prequel trilogy. These can be read either before starting the main series or as flashback novels after reading the first few books:
- Carter Diamond (2012)
- Carter Diamond 2 (2013)
- Carter Diamond 3 (2015)
Official Spin-Offs and Universe Expansions
The Cartel universe expands beyond the Diamond family with several official spin-off series. It is recommended to read these after completing the main series:
Money Devils Series
Co-authored by Ashley & JaQuavis, this series follows the heist crew known as the Money Devils:
- Money Devils 1 (2020)
- Money Devils 2 (2021)
Cartel Queen Series
Written primarily by JaQuavis Coleman, this series focuses on a new branch of the Cartel universe:
- Cartel Queen: Aries Manifesto (2023)
- Cartel Queen 2: Mother of Murder (2025)
- Cartel Queen 3: Long Kiss Goodnight (2026)
Publication vs. Chronological Order
While reading chronologically means starting with the Carter Diamond prequels, we highly recommend following the publication order. Reading in publication order lets the suspense build naturally, making the twists and family reveals in the main series far more satisfying.