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series Reading Order

Chicago Fire Trilogy Books in Order

3 Books
2000 Published
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Reading order
01
The Hostage
The Hostage
2000
Amazon
02
The Mistress
The Mistress
2000
Amazon
03
The Firebrand
2000
Amazon

The Recommended Reading Order

If you want to experience the drama of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 exactly as Susan Wiggs intended, the best route is to follow the publication order. Because the novels start concurrently, they are structured to be read in this sequence:

  1. The Hostage (2000)
  2. The Mistress (2000)
  3. The Firebrand (2001)

How the Timeline Overlaps

Unlike most trilogies that move forward in a straight line, the Chicago Fire Trilogy uses a unique overlapping timeline. Faced with a tight writing deadline, Susan Wiggs decided to set all three books during the same historical crisis to simplify her research. Because of this, each book begins at the exact same moment: a party on the night of October 8, 1871, just as the Great Chicago Fire begins to spread.

Each novel starts with a shared scene depicting the outbreak of the fire from a different heroine's perspective before their paths diverge:

  • The Hostage follows Deborah Sinclair, a wealthy heiress who is caught in the flames and forced to flee with Tom Silver, a man seeking vengeance against her family.
  • The Mistress follows Kathleen O'Leary, a penniless Irish maid playing a high-stakes game of deception with a charming con-artist named Dylan Kennedy.
  • The Firebrand follows Lucy Hathaway, a passionate suffragette who rescues an orphaned baby from the blaze, leading to a fateful marriage of convenience years later.

The Unwritten Fourth Story

While the series functions perfectly as a complete trilogy, Susan Wiggs has mentioned in blog posts on her official website that there is a concept for a fourth book starring the character Phoebe Palmer. Although she noted that the story remains on her "back burner," it has not yet been written or published. As such, the series remains a trilogy.

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading the Chicago Fire Trilogy?

We recommend starting with The Hostage, followed by The Mistress, and concluding with The Firebrand. Although the stories overlap chronologically and can technically stand alone, reading them in publication order provides the best experience.

QHow does the timeline overlap across the books?

All three books start at the exact same moment on the night of October 8, 1871, during a party when the Great Chicago Fire breaks out. Susan Wiggs wrote a shared scene from different perspectives at the beginning of each book.

QIs there a fourth book in the Chicago Fire series?

No, there are currently only three books. However, author Susan Wiggs has mentioned that a fourth story featuring the character Phoebe Palmer is on her "back burner," though it has not yet been written.

QIs this trilogy connected to the Chicago Fire television show?

No, there is no connection. The TV show is a modern drama, while Susan Wiggs' trilogy is a historical romance series set during the historical disaster of 1871.

QWhat is the chronological order vs. the publication order?

Because the books start at the exact same party and run parallel during the disaster before diverging, the chronological order is concurrent. The recommended path is the publication order: The Hostage, The Mistress, and then The Firebrand.