How to Read the King Series in Order
Mimi Jean Pamfiloff’s King series is an addictive blend of dark urban fantasy, ancient mythology, and intense paranormal romance. Because the series features an overarching plot, recurring characters, and evolving supernatural rules, reading these books out of order will result in major spoilers. To get the best experience, you should follow the publication order exactly as the author released them.
Here is the recommended reading path for the complete saga:
- King's (2014) – Starts the original trilogy, introducing Mia Turner and the enigmatic billionaire King.
- King for a Day (2014) – The second installment, where Mia is forced to navigate King's dangerous, non-human world.
- King of Me (2014) – The thrilling conclusion to the initial Mia and King story arc.
- Mack (2016) – A companion novel focusing on King's tortured twin brother, Mack, and psychologist Teddi Valentine.
- The Ten Club (2017) – Expands on the mysterious group King owes a blood debt to, raising the stakes for the entire cast.
- The Dead King (2021) – Launches a new character arc centering on Jeni Arnold, a Seer who uncovers a washed-up coffin.
- Lord King (2021) – Continues Jeni's struggle against the dark rival Ansin, who seeks to control her bloodline.
- Never King's (2023) – The high-stakes finale to Jeni and King's storyline.
- Draco (2024) – A standalone sequel focusing on Draco's dark destiny and his connection to the apocalypse.
Breaking Down the King Story Arcs
To help you understand how this long-running series shifts focus, we can divide the books into distinct character arcs and eras. While they all take place in the same universe and share a single timeline, the main characters and the nature of the romantic conflict change over time.
The Original Mia & King Trilogy (Books 1–3)
The series begins with King's, focusing on Mia Turner, a normal woman searching for her brother who disappeared during a Mexican archaeological dig. When the police prove useless, she makes a deal with King—a ruthless, incredibly wealthy man with gray eyes and a terrifying reputation. Mia quickly learns that King is not human and that her own lineage holds ancient, mystical significance as the Seer of Light. This initial trilogy (completed by King for a Day and King of Me) establishes the core mythology of the series, combining steamy romance, time-bending plot twists, and ancient curses.
The Expansion and Companion Stories (Books 4–5)
After wrapping up Mia and King's primary arc, Pamfiloff expanded the universe due to high reader demand. Mack focuses on King’s twin brother, who is tired of his eternal, cursed existence and recruits a human psychologist, Dr. Theodora "Teddi" Valentine, to help him find a way to end his life. Instead, they fall into an intense, forbidden romance. Following this, The Ten Club brings the focus back to the shadowy organization to which King is indebted, introducing new factions and increasing the threat to everyone Mia and King care about.
The Jeni Arnold & Ansin Arc (Books 6–8)
With The Dead King, the series enters a new phase. We meet Jeni Arnold, a construction worker and Seer who discovers a giant metal container washed ashore after a major hurricane. Inside is a seemingly lifeless man who awakens to protect her. This arc, spanning The Dead King, Lord King, and the series finale Never King's, shifts the spotlight to Jeni's fight for survival. She must deal with the powerful, ancient antagonist Ansin, who wishes to force her into a marriage to rebuild his own dark lineage, leading up to the disappearance of Jeni's son, Draco.
The Legacy Standalone (Book 9)
Published in 2024, Draco serves as a standalone dark fantasy romance set within the same universe. It follows Draco as he discovers his normal life is a complete lie and that he is destined to bring about the end of the world. While it functions as a standalone romance, reading the previous books—especially the Jeni and Ansin arc—provides crucial context for Draco’s origins and the weight of his legacy.
What to Know Before You Start
Before jumping into King's, there are a few stylistic choices and thematic elements you should prepare for:
- Morally Gray Characters: King is not a traditional sweet romance hero. He is ancient, arrogant, and possesses a dark side. The romance in the early books borders on dark paranormal romance, dealing with power imbalances and intense captive-captor dynamics.
- Mythological Influence: The series relies heavily on a unique spin on Greco-Roman mythology, combining it with archaeological mystery. Much of the action is set against vivid Mexican backdrops, reflecting the author’s own past experiences living in Mexico City.
- Unpredictable Twists: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff is famous for pulling the rug out from under her readers. Expect time travel, sudden betrayals, and massive status quo shifts at the end of almost every book.
By starting at the beginning with King's and following the order of release, you will get to see this dark, mythological world expand from a intimate, high-stakes rescue mission into a massive battle over the fate of humanity.