The Recommended Reading Order
The Lizzy & Diesel series (also known as the Wicked series) is a lighthearted urban fantasy mystery series written by Janet Evanovich, with Phoef Sutton co-authoring the final installment. The series is best read in chronological order, which matches the publication order. Because each book centers on the search for a specific stone representing one of the Seven Deadly Sins, reading them out of order will spoil the ongoing character development and the overarching plot.
Here is the recommended reading path for the main trilogy:
- Wicked Appetite (2010) – Lizzy Tucker, a Salem baker, discovers she is an 'Unmentionable' who can sense magical objects. She teams up with Diesel to find the Gluttony Stone before Diesel's evil cousin, Gerwulf Grimoire, can claim it.
- Wicked Business (2012) – Lizzy and Diesel return to track down the second stone, Luxuria (associated with Lust), leading them into Boston's dark underbelly and historical catacombs.
- Wicked Charms (2015) – Co-authored with Phoef Sutton. The duo searches for the Avarice (Greed) Stone, navigating pirate lore, mummified bootleggers, and a chaotic treasure hunt.
The Crossover Origins: Diesel in the Stephanie Plum Universe
Before Diesel got his own headlining spin-off with Lizzy Tucker, he was introduced as a mysterious, supernatural recurring character in Janet Evanovich's famous Stephanie Plum series. He specifically appears in the 'Between-the-Numbers' holiday novellas. In these novellas, he acts as a quirky, unexplainable force who helps Stephanie out of bizarre jams.
If you want to read Diesel's complete backstory and see how his character evolved before the Lizzy & Diesel series began, you can read his Stephanie Plum appearances in this order:
- Visions of Sugar Plums (Stephanie Plum Book 8.5) – Diesel's very first appearance, where he mysteriously shows up in Stephanie's apartment.
- Plum Lovin' (Stephanie Plum Book 12.5) – Diesel recruits Stephanie to help him play matchmaker for a group of lonely hearts in Trenton.
- Plum Lucky (Stephanie Plum Book 13.5) – Diesel and Stephanie head to Atlantic City to track down a bag of stolen money and a lucky charm.
- Plum Spooky (Stephanie Plum Book 14.5) – Diesel teams up with Stephanie to hunt down the villainous Wulf Grimoire in the Pine Barrens, setting up the supernatural conflict that carries over into the Lizzy & Diesel series.
Note for Readers: You do not need to read the Stephanie Plum novellas to understand Lizzy & Diesel. The series stands completely on its own, and the supernatural elements are re-explained for new readers. However, reading Plum Spooky provides excellent context for the rivalry between Diesel and Wulf.
What to Know Before You Start
Unlike Janet Evanovich's primary mystery novels, the Lizzy & Diesel series leans fully into urban fantasy and the paranormal. The setting of Salem, Massachusetts, provides a spooky, atmospheric backdrop that perfectly matches the magical stakes. Lizzy Tucker is a relatable protagonist who wants nothing more than to bake cupcakes and pay her bills, but she is constantly dragged into danger by the charming, lock-picking Diesel.
The series is known for its comedic tone, eccentric sidekicks (including Glo, Lizzy's spell-casting coworker, and Carl, a mischievous monkey), and the slow-burn romantic tension between the two leads. However, readers should be aware that the overarching story is currently incomplete. Evanovich originally planned the series to cover all seven deadly sins (and thus seven stones), but only three books have been published, leaving the series on an indefinite hiatus.