The Recommended Murderville Reading Order
For readers looking to dive into the dark, action-packed world of Murderville, the path is straightforward but essential to follow sequence-by-sequence. Because the trilogy follows a continuous narrative arc detailing the lives of childhood sweethearts Liberty and A’Shai, skipping ahead will leave you lost in a web of shifting alliances, tragic betrayals, and international drug cartels. The definitive, chronological order matches the publication order:
- Murderville: First of a Trilogy (2011) – Introduces Liberty and A’Shai as they flee Sierra Leone, survive human trafficking, and enter the high-stakes American drug trade.
- Murderville 2: The Epidemic (2012) – Follows Liberty as she goes on the run, aligns with a new partner named Po, and builds a drug empire spanning from California back to Sierra Leone.
- Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia (2013) – The explosive finale showing the rise of the ruthless Black Dahlia, Liberty’s quest for revenge, and the ultimate clash for control of the black market.
Why the Trilogy Must Be Read chronologically
Unlike some urban fiction series where books can be picked up as standalone stories, the Murderville series is a serialized epic. The story begins with the characters as children in war-torn Sierra Leone, tracing their forced entry into the sex trafficking industry, and follows their evolution into major players in the international drug trade. If you do not read the first book, the deep emotional bond between Liberty and A'Shai, which serves as the emotional anchor for the entire series, will lack context. The subsequent entries rely heavily on characters, grudges, and criminal networks established in the opening volume.
By the time readers reach Murderville 2: The Epidemic, the landscape has shifted. Liberty has to stand on her own feet after being targeted by ruthless adversaries. The introduction of Po and his burgeoning relationship with Liberty only makes sense if you understand the trauma and survival mechanisms Liberty developed during the first installment. Finally, Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia acts as the direct culmination of these relationships and criminal conflicts, bringing back long-lost faces and wrapping up the plot threads introduced throughout the trilogy.
Deep Dive: The Murderville Books
Murderville: First of a Trilogy (2011)
The trilogy kicks off by establishing a jarring contrast between global tragedy and American street life. Liberty and A’Shai are introduced as childhood friends who suffer the horrific violence of Sierra Leone's civil war. Exploited and sold into human trafficking, they are brought to the Western world. As Liberty struggles with a life-threatening heart condition, A’Shai does everything in his power to keep her alive and safe, which ultimately leads him deep into the drug empire. The book sets a fast, uncompromising pace, transitioning from Sierra Leone to Mexico, Detroit, and Los Angeles as the duo tries to carve out a life of their own while fleeing their traumatic pasts.
Murderville 2: The Epidemic (2012)
The second book shifts focus toward Liberty’s independent survival. Under threat from a drug lord named Samad, Liberty is forced to navigate the criminal underworld on her own. A chance meeting with a street hustler named Po alters her trajectory. Together, they expand their operations, taking on a powerful California kingpin and eventually extending their drug empire back to where it all began: Sierra Leone. However, the conflict between Po's ambition and Liberty's unresolved past threatens to tear their empire—and their lives—apart from the inside out.
Murderville 3: The Black Dahlia (2013)
In the final chapter, the focus turns to the rise of the title character, the Black Dahlia. Having secured a deal with the powerful Five Families, the Black Dahlia establishes an iron grip over the black market. Her rise is challenged by male competitors who underestimate her, leading to a violent campaign to secure her crown. Meanwhile, Liberty returns to her roots, aligning with influential crime bosses to set up a final, inevitable confrontation with the Black Dahlia. It is a story of revenge, survival, and the high cost of street power, offering a shocking conclusion to the trilogy.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you pick up the first book, here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of your reading experience:
- Gritty and Intense Themes: The authors do not hold back when portraying the horrors of human trafficking, cartel violence, and street life. Reader discretion is advised as the series contains heavy, emotional themes alongside its high-stakes action.
- Audiobook Availability: Many fans highly recommend listening to the audiobook versions of the trilogy. The intense pacing and emotional dialogue lend themselves well to voice narration, helping to smooth over occasional instances of clunky prose.
- An Independent Universe: While Ashley & JaQuavis are famous for other major street literature series like The Cartel, Murderville is a completely separate universe. There are no official plot crossovers or shared character continuities with their other works, making it an excellent, self-contained project for new readers to tackle.