Mercy Thompson Books in Order

The Recommended Mercyverse Reading Path

While you can read the Mercy Thompson novels by themselves, the best way to experience Patricia Briggs's urban fantasy world is by combining it with its companion spin-off series, Alpha and Omega, and the short stories. This integrated route, often called the 'Mercyverse' reading order, aligns with the official timeline maintained on the author's website. Reading them together prevents minor spoilers and explains how massive political shifts in the werewolf packs affect characters across both series.

Here is the recommended chronological reading order for the main novels and key novellas:

1. Moon Called (Mercy Thompson Book 1) - The perfect introduction to Mercy, her garage, and the Tri-Cities pack.
2. Alpha and Omega (Alpha & Omega Novella) - Found in the anthology Shifting Shadows or the original On the Prowl anthology. This introduction to Charles and Anna is essential before starting their series.
3. Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson Book 2)
4. Cry Wolf (Alpha & Omega Book 1)
5. Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson Book 3)
6. Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson Book 4)
7. Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson Book 5)
8. Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega Book 2)
9. River Marked (Mercy Thompson Book 6)
10. Fair Game (Alpha & Omega Book 3)
11. Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson Book 7)
12. Night Broken (Mercy Thompson Book 8)
13. Dead Heat (Alpha & Omega Book 4)
14. Fire Touched (Mercy Thompson Book 9)
15. Silence Fallen (Mercy Thompson Book 10)
16. Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega Book 5)
17. Storm Cursed (Mercy Thompson Book 11)
18. Smoke Bitten (Mercy Thompson Book 12)
19. Wild Sign (Alpha & Omega Book 6)
20. Soul Taken (Mercy Thompson Book 13)
21. Winter Lost (Mercy Thompson Book 14)

Understanding the Series and Subseries

The universe is split into two primary story arcs that frequently touch and reference each other:

The Mercy Thompson Series

This is the flagship series centered on Mercedes 'Mercy' Thompson, a coyote shapeshifter raised by werewolves who works as a Volkswagen mechanic in the Tri-Cities of Washington. The books are written in first-person from Mercy's perspective, offering a gritty, witty, and highly personal look at local supernatural politics involving vampires, fae, and local werewolf packs.

The Alpha & Omega Series

This spin-off series centers on Charles Cornick (the son and enforcer of the Marrok, the leader of all North American werewolves) and Anna Latham, a rare Omega werewolf. Unlike the main series, these books are written in the third person and deal with broader, global werewolf politics and federal government interactions. The novella Alpha and Omega acts as a crucial prologue to this subseries.

Graphic Novels and Collections

For completionists, Briggs has expanded the lore into other mediums:

• Shifting Shadows (2014): A must-have anthology collecting multiple short stories, including the essential Alpha and Omega prequel novella, alongside tales detailing the backstories of secondary characters like Zee, Samuel, and Warren.
• Homecoming (2009): A graphic novel that serves as a prequel to Moon Called, detailing how Mercy first arrived in the Tri-Cities.
• Hopcross Jilly (2015): An original comic book storyline set between Frost Burned and Night Broken.

Publication Order of Mercedes Thompson Books

If you prefer to read the books in the exact order Patricia Briggs published them, you would follow this sequence for the main series:

• Moon Called (2006)
• Blood Bound (2007)
• Iron Kissed (2008)
• Bone Crossed (2009)
• Silver Borne (2010)
• River Marked (2011)
• Frost Burned (2013)
• Night Broken (2014)
• Fire Touched (2016)
• Silence Fallen (2017)
• Storm Cursed (2019)
• Smoke Bitten (2020)
• Soul Taken (2022)
• Winter Lost (2024)

Chronological and Order Caveats

While the publication order of the main series is straightforward, readers who skip the Alpha & Omega spin-off will experience confusion starting around Frost Burned and Fire Touched. Major political events—such as the werewolves revealing their existence to the public and the establishment of a formal werewolf coalition—happen in the spin-off books and are treated as established history in the main Mercy books. Reading the combined timeline ensures you see these world-changing developments unfold naturally.

Furthermore, the prequel novella Alpha and Omega is not optional for those reading the spin-off. Cry Wolf begins immediately after the events of the novella, and skipping it leaves readers without key context regarding Anna's rescue and her relationship with Charles.

Practical Reader Advice: Where to Start

The absolute best starting point is Moon Called. It introduces the rules of Briggs's supernatural world, establishes Mercy's character, and sets up her relationships with key figures like Adam Hauptman and the vampire Stefan. Do not try to read the series as standalone novels; the books build heavily on the consequences of previous entries, with character growth and romantic arcs progressing steadily across the entire timeline.