Graveyard Queen Books in Order

Recommended Reading Order

For the best experience traversing the misty, ghost-ridden streets of Charleston and the dark graveyards of the American South, we highly recommend reading the Graveyard Queen series in publication order. While there is a chronological path that places the prequel novella first, starting with the first full-length novel provides the perfect introduction to Amelia Gray's rules, her unique abilities, and the central mystery of detective John Devlin.

The Publication Order (Recommended)

Following the books as they were released allows you to experience Amelia’s growth and the expanding mythology naturally, exactly as Amanda Stevens unveiled them to readers:

1. The Restorer (2011)
2. The Kingdom (2011)
3. The Prophet (2012)
4. The Abandoned (Prequel Novella, 2011)
5. The Visitor (2016)
6. The Sinner (2016)
7. The Awakening (2017)

The Chronological Order

If you prefer to read the events in the order they occur in the timeline, you can start with the prequel novella. Note that this changes the introduction to the world, as the prequel follows a different protagonist:

1. The Abandoned (Prequel Novella)
2. The Restorer
3. The Kingdom
4. The Prophet
5. The Visitor
6. The Sinner
7. The Awakening

Where Should You Start?

You should absolutely start with The Restorer. While The Abandoned is technically a prequel, it does not follow the main protagonist, Amelia Gray. Instead, it centers on Ree Hutchins, a psychology student, with Amelia appearing only in a minor, supporting capacity. Starting with The Restorer establishes the atmospheric tone, the strict rules Amelia must follow to survive among the dead, and the core romantic tension that drives the rest of the series.

Reading The Abandoned is best done after The Prophet or as a companion piece once you are already invested in the rules and lore of the Graveyard Queen universe. It acts as a wonderful world-building block, but it lacks the direct narrative drive of Amelia’s personal journey if read first.

What to Know Before You Start

Before stepping into Amanda Stevens' eerie world, there are a few key elements that define the series' unique flavor:

• Amelia Gray's Rules: Amelia has lived her life by strict rules passed down by her father to keep her safe from the spirits she can see: Never associate with ghost hunters. Never look directly at a ghost. Never speak to them. Never let them know you can see them. Watching Amelia struggle to maintain these rules as her life collides with detective John Devlin forms the primary tension of the early books.
• The Setting: The series is deeply rooted in the American South, primarily in Charleston, South Carolina. The atmospheric descriptions of dripping Spanish moss, decaying historic tombs, humid air, and ancestral secrets make the setting feel like a character in its own right.
• The Hiatus: Readers checking publication dates will notice a four-year gap between The Prophet (2012) and The Visitor (2016). Don't worry about a sudden shift in quality; the final three books wrap up Amelia's storyline beautifully, maintaining the lyrical, spooky prose that fans love.

The Graveyard Queen Books in Detail

To help you navigate the series, here is a detailed breakdown of each book, the mysteries they explore, and how they fit into Amelia's evolving journey:

1. The Restorer (2011)

Amelia Gray is a cemetery restorer who works in old, neglected graveyards, finding peace in the silent stone and history. But Amelia has a secret: she can see ghosts. To survive, she adheres to strict rules to avoid acknowledging the dead. That boundary is shattered when she is hired to restore an old Charleston cemetery and discovers a murder victim. The lead investigator, detective John Devlin, is haunted by the ghosts of his deceased wife and daughter. Despite the danger and her father's warnings, Amelia is drawn to Devlin, breaking her own rules and inviting the attention of malevolent spirits.

2. The Kingdom (2011)

Hoping to escape the rising dangers in Charleston, Amelia takes a job restoring a historic cemetery in the isolated town of Asher Falls, South Carolina. Surrounded by steep cliffs and deep waters, Asher Falls is a town frozen in time, harboring dark secrets and ancient curses. As Amelia uncovers a submerged graveyard and a hidden grave, she finds herself entangled in the town's history and targeted by a local family that seems to know more about her heritage than she does.

3. The Prophet (2012)

Amelia returns to Charleston, but the boundaries between the living and the dead continue to thin. When she is asked to help investigate a body found in an old cemetery, she discovers ties to a dark, occult circle and ancient witchcraft. As the threat of a malicious entity grows, Amelia must dive into the history of her own family and face the reality of what she truly is—a "death walker" who possesses a power far greater than simply seeing the dead.

4. The Abandoned (2011)

This prequel novella steps away from Amelia to follow Ree Hutchins, a psychology student mourning a patient. When Ree begins experiencing terrifying hauntings, she teams up with an amateur ghost hunter named Hayden Priest. While Amelia Gray only makes a brief appearance, the story provides crucial world-building about the nature of spirits and hauntings in Stevens' universe, making it a perfect atmospheric side-trip for dedicated fans.

5. The Visitor (2016)

Following a long hiatus, the series returned with Amelia trying to build a normal life. However, her abilities cannot be ignored for long. When she visits an old estate to consult on a cemetery restoration, she encounters a child ghost and a complex web of family betrayal. This installment brings back the high-stakes paranormal tension and re-engages the overarching mystery of Amelia's connection to the spirit realm and her complicated relationship with John Devlin.

6. The Sinner (2016)

As the shadows close in, Amelia is forced to confront the deepest secrets of detective John Devlin’s past. When a new threat emerges that targets the people she loves, Amelia must decide how far she is willing to go—and what rules she is willing to permanently break—to protect the living from the vengeful dead. The romantic tension and supernatural stakes reach a boiling point in this penultimate chapter.

7. The Awakening (2017)

The final novel in the main series serves as the culmination of Amelia’s journey. Returning to where it all began, Amelia must face the ultimate truth about her destiny as the Graveyard Queen. With the boundary between the physical world and the afterlife crumbling, Amelia has to make a final stand against the dark forces that have pursued her since childhood, offering a satisfying and chilling conclusion to the saga.

Similar Series to Read Next

If you've finished the Graveyard Queen series and are looking for similar gothic chills and romantic suspense, consider these recommendations:

• The Tradd Street Series by Karen White: Set in historic Charleston, this series follows Melanie Middleton, a psychic real estate agent who helps spirits move on while solving historical mysteries. It shares the atmospheric Southern Gothic setting and ghostly mysteries, though with a slightly lighter, more cozy tone.
• The Experiment in Terror Series by Karina Halle: For readers who enjoyed the dark, genuinely scary ghost-hunting elements and intense romantic tension, this series follows a duo running a web-based ghost hunting show. It is grittier and more urban-fantasy focused but captures a similar thrill.
• The Supernatural Mysteries of Simone St. James: Books like The Sun Down Motel and The Broken Girls offer excellent, stand-alone historical ghost stories with strong female leads, atmospheric tension, and haunting mysteries.