A.J. Rivers Books in Order

How to Read A.J. Rivers’ Shared Universe

If you love small-town secrets, relentless FBI agents, and puzzle-box conspiracies, A.J. Rivers is an author you need on your radar. Since debuting in 2019, Rivers has built an incredibly popular, fast-paced thriller universe. While her books are divided into distinct series, many of her characters cross paths, solve related mysteries, and share a continuity that rewards readers who tackle the books in a specific order.

For the best experience, we recommend starting with the flagship series and branch out as characters are introduced. Below is the ultimate roadmap to reading A.J. Rivers' books.

The Recommended Starting Point

The undisputed gateway into this universe is the Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries. You should start with the very first book, The Girl in Cabin 13. This novel establishes Emma's background, her troubled past, and the long-term mystery of her family's disappearance, which serves as the overarching plotline for the entire universe. Reading this series first provides the essential context needed to appreciate the spin-offs.

How the Spin-Offs Interconnect

As you progress through Emma's investigations, you will encounter other key figures who eventually spin off into their own series:

• Ava James: Ava is introduced in the Emma Griffin series during the Windsor Island case as a young agent who shadows Emma. Her spin-off series, the Ava James FBI Mysteries, focuses on her own cases but carries over the training and influence of her mentor. We recommend beginning her series after you have established a solid foundation with Emma Griffin.
• Dean Steele: Dean is a private investigator who crosses directly into Emma's storyline, assisting her in uncovering the dark secrets surrounding her missing family members. His standalone books can be read in tandem with the Emma Griffin series or as a separate block after you understand the main plot.
• Bella Walker: The Bella Walker FBI Mystery series is another branch of the universe, offering high-stakes tropical investigations starting with The Girl in Paradise.

Emma Griffin FBI Mysteries: Publication Order

This is the core series that started it all. Following Emma Griffin in publication order ensures you watch her grow from a haunted agent undercover in Feathered Nest to a seasoned investigator tackling complex conspiracies.

1. The Girl in Cabin 13 (2019)
2. The Girl That Vanished (2020)
3. The Girl in the Manor (2020)
4. The Girl Next Door (2020)
5. The Girl and the Deadly Express (2020)
6. The Girl and the Hunt (2020)
7. The Girl and the Deadly End (2020)
8. Dangerous Waters (2020)
9. The Girl and the Secret Society (2020)
10. The Girl and the Field of Bones (2020)
11. The Girl and the Black Christmas (2020)
12. The Girl and the Cursed Lake (2021)
13. The Girl and the Unlucky 13 (2021)
14. The Girl and the Dragon's Island (2021)
15. The Girl in the Woods (2021)
16. The Girl and the Midnight Murder (2021)
17. The Girl and the Silent Night (2021)
18. The Girl and the Last Sleepover (2022)
19. The Girl and the 7 Deadly Sins (2022)
20. The Girl in Apartment 9 (2022)
21. The Girl and the Twisted End (2022)
22. The Girl and the Deadly Secrets (2023)
23. The Girl on the Road (2023)
24. The Girl and the Unexpected Gifts (2023)
25. The Girl and the Secret Passage (2023)
26. The Girl and the Bride (2024)
27. The Girl in Her Cabin (2024)
28. The Girl Who Remembers (2024)
29. The Girl in the Dark (2024)
30. The Girl and the Lies (2024)
31. The Girl and the Inmate (2025)
32. The Girl and the Garden of Bones (2025)

Emma Griffin Retro - Limited Series

The Emma Griffin Retro series features shorter, highly atmospheric, and seasonal stories. They function as companion reads rather than main plot drivers. The safest approach is to read these as a detour after you have read through the first 20 books of the main series, allowing you to fully appreciate the setting of Sherwood, Virginia.

1. The Girl in the Mist (2022)
2. The Girl on Hallow's Eve (2022)
3. The Girl and the Christmas Past (2022)
4. The Girl and the Winter Bones (2023)
5. The Girl on the Retreat (2023)

Ava James FBI Mysteries: Publication Order

Ava James's series spins off directly from her time working with Emma. It is best read after you are well into the Emma Griffin series.

1. Ava James and the Ivy Grove / The Woman at the Masked Gala (2021)
2. Ava James and the Forgotten Bones (2022)
3. The Couple Next Door (2022)
4. The Cabin on Willow Lake (2022)
5. The Lake House (2022)
6. The Ghost of Christmas (2022)
7. The Rescue (2023)
8. Murder in the Moonlight (2023)
9. Behind the Mask (2023)
10. The Invitation (2024)
11. The Girl in Hawaii (2024)
12. The Woman in the Window (2024)
13. The Good Doctor (2024)
14. The Housewife Killer (2024)
15. The Librarian (2024)
16. The Art of Murder (2025)

Dean Steele Series: Publication Order

Dean Steele's investigations overlap with Emma's personal quest to find her family. You can read his books alongside the main series or back-to-back as a separate block.

1. The Woman in the Woods (2022)
2. The Last Survivors (2023)
3. No Escape (2023)
4. The Garden of Secrets (2023)
5. The Killer Among Us (2023)
6. The Convict (2024)
7. The Last Promise (2024)
8. Death by Midnight (2024)
9. The Woman in the Attic (2024)
10. Playing with Fire (2024)
11. Murder in Twilight Cove (2025)

Bella Walker FBI Mysteries: Publication Order

This shorter spin-off series delivers tropical suspense and is a quick, thrilling read for fans who want to explore more of Rivers' FBI universe.

1. The Girl in Paradise (2023)
2. Murder on the Sea (2023)
3. The Last Aloha (2023)

Standalone Novels

For readers looking for a self-contained story that doesn't require any knowledge of Emma Griffin or the FBI universe, Rivers has written a standalone psychological thriller.

• Gone Woman (2020)

What to Know Before You Start

While the individual cases in each book are typically resolved by the final page, the character dynamics, romantic subplots, and Emma's overarching family mystery span across the entire series. Because of this, reading the books out of order can result in major spoilers regarding who survives, who Emma trusts, and what happened to her missing family. If you want a seamless experience, stick to the publication order of the main Emma Griffin series before diving into the spin-offs.