Sharon McCone Books in Order

Where to Start Reading the Sharon McCone Series

For the best experience, the definitive starting point is Edwin of the Iron Shoes (1977), the novel that launched the series. While each book features a self-contained mystery or investigation, Sharon McCone’s personal life, professional career, and relationships undergo massive transformations over the course of the series. Reading the books in order is highly recommended so you can watch her grow from a staff investigator at a struggling legal cooperative into the head of her own prestigious private investigation firm, all while navigating the changing societal and physical landscape of San Francisco.

Chronological vs. Publication Order: Aging in Real-Time

Unlike many detective series where characters remain frozen in time, Sharon McCone ages in near real-time. She begins her journey in her late twenties, having arrived in Berkeley at the end of the 1960s, and matures into her seventies by the time the series concludes with Circle in the Water (2024). Because Marcia Muller maintains a strict, linear progression of time, the chronological order matches the publication order exactly. Reading out of sequence means you will encounter major spoilers regarding Sharon's marriage to Hy Ripinsky, her family history, and the evolution of her agency staff.

The Bill Pronzini Crossover and Key Crossovers

One of the most notable entries in the reading order is the 1984 novel Double, which Marcia Muller co-authored with her husband, renowned mystery writer Bill Pronzini. This book is a true crossover event, bringing Sharon McCone together with Pronzini’s signature character, the Nameless Detective. It serves as both a key entry in the McCone sequence (typically read as Book 6) and an important piece of the Nameless Detective series. Additionally, Muller’s husband co-wrote the historical mystery Beyond the Grave (1986), which links their shared interest in San Francisco mystery lore, though it is not a direct Sharon McCone novel.

The Complete Sharon McCone Reading Order

Follow the series step-by-step as it was published, tracking Sharon's investigations across San Francisco and Northern California:

1. Edwin of the Iron Shoes (1977) – Sharon investigates the murder of an antique dealer, introducing her role at the All Souls Legal Cooperative.
2. Ask the Cards a Question (1982) – A murder in a San Francisco apartment building leads Sharon into the world of tarot card readers.
3. The Cheshire Cat's Eye (1983) – Sharon looks into the death of a friend involved in historical preservation efforts.
4. Games to Keep the Dark Away (1984) – A disappearance leads Sharon to investigate a remote photographic workshop.
5. Leave a Message for Willie (1984) – Sharon tracks down a flea market vendor who is being targeted by unknown assailants.
6. Double (1984) – Co-authored with Bill Pronzini, bringing together Sharon McCone and the Nameless Detective at a PI convention.
7. There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of (1985) – Sharon investigates weird occurrences in a hotel serving refugees.
8. Eye of the Storm (1988) – A case set during a massive storm on a delta island off San Francisco.
9. The Shape of Dread (1989) – Sharon attempts to solve the cold case of a missing young parking valet.
10. There's Something in a Sunday (1990) – An investigation into a man who spends his Sundays tracking down a mysterious woman.
11. Trophies and Dead Things (1990) – Sharon deals with the complex estate of a murdered radical from the 1960s.
12. Where Echoes Live (1991) – A case involving environmental advocacy and mining rights in the California desert.
13. Pennies On a Dead Woman's Eyes (1992) – Sharon works to clear the name of a woman convicted of a historic murder.
14. Wolf in the Shadows (1993) – A major turning point where Sharon goes rogue to find her missing boyfriend, Hy Ripinsky.
15. Till the Butchers Cut Him Down (1994) – Sharon goes independent, taking on a case for an old college acquaintance.
16. A Wild and Lonely Place (1995) – Sharon is hired to find a rogue bomber and protect a consul's family.
17. The Broken Promise Land (1996) – Sharon takes a case involving a country music star facing threats.
18. Both Ends of the Night (1997) – Sharon uses her newly acquired piloting skills to search for a missing flight instructor.
19. While Other People Sleep (1998) – Sharon investigates a copycat who is impersonating her and stealing her cases.
20. A Walk Through the Fire (1999) – Set in Hawaii, Sharon investigates a series of suspicious accidents on a movie set.
21. Listen to the Silence (2000) – A deeply personal case following the death of Sharon's adoptive father.
22. Dead Midnight (2002) – Sharon investigates the suicide of a wealthy family's daughter.
23. The Dangerous Hour (2004) – A case that puts Sharon's own agency, McCone Investigations, in legal jeopardy.
24. Vanishing Point (2006) – The Shamus Award-winning novel dealing with the cold case of a missing mother.
25. The Ever-Running Man (2007) – Sharon is hired to stop a mysterious shadow figure who is bombing her husband's security firm offices.
26. Burn Out (2008) – Exhausted from recent events, Sharon retreats to her ranch only to find a local conflict brewing.
27. Locked In (2009) – A high-stakes novel where Sharon, shot and suffering from locked-in syndrome, must solve her own attempted murder from within her mind.
28. Coming Back (2010) – Sharon recovers from her injuries while trying to locate a missing coworker.
29. City of Whispers (2011) – Sharon travels to San Francisco's dark corners and online spaces to find a runaway relative.
30. Looking for Yesterday (2012) – Sharon takes on a cold case to prove the innocence of a young woman.
31. Skeleton in the Closet (2012) – A mystery involving Sharon's family history and old secrets.
32. The Night Searchers (2014) – Sharon investigates a group of urban explorers who stumble onto something deadly.
33. Merrill-Go-Round (2014) – Sharon looks into the disappearance of a young woman with a complex inheritance.
34. Tell Me Who I Am (2016) – Sharon is hired by a woman who cannot remember who she is after a traumatic event.
35. Someone Always Knows (2016) – Sharon deals with real estate conflicts and historical secrets in a changing San Francisco.
36. The Color of Fear (2017) – Sharon searches for the truth behind a brutal assault on her father.
37. The Breakers (2018) – An investigation into a double murder at a luxury resort.
38. Ice and Stone (2021) – A timely mystery focusing on the plight of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
39. Circle in the Water (2024) – The final novel in the series, tying up Sharon's long career and reflecting on San Francisco's history.

Sharon McCone Short Story Collections

In addition to the novels, Marcia Muller wrote several short stories that expand Sharon's world and fill in gaps in her timeline. These are collected in two primary volumes:

• The McCone Files (1995) – Features short stories spanning Sharon's early days at the All Souls Legal Cooperative. It is best read between A Wild and Lonely Place and The Broken Promise Land.
• McCone and Friends (1999) – A collection that highlights the supporting cast of the series, showing them solving cases alongside or independent of Sharon. It is best read after A Walk Through the Fire.

What to Know Before You Start

Marcia Muller is widely credited as the "founding mother" of the modern female private investigator novel, alongside Sue Grafton (creator of Kinsey Millhone) and Sara Paretsky (creator of V.I. Warshawski). Sharon McCone's character is notable for her Shoshone heritage, which becomes a key element of her personal search for identity in later novels. The city of San Francisco itself is a major character, shifting from the gritty, post-counterculture era of the late 1970s through the tech booms and real estate bubbles of the 21st century. The series is celebrated for combining social justice issues, including environmentalism, indigenous rights, and the struggles of marginalized communities, with classic detective plotting.