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author Reading Order

Alex Sigmore Books in Order

21 Books
3 Series & collections
2022 – 2024 Published
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Reading order

Where to Start Reading Alex Sigmore

If you are new to Alex Sigmore’s fast-paced, twist-filled thrillers, the best place to start is with the Emily Slate FBI Mystery Series. Emily Slate is Sigmore’s flagship character, and her series offers the perfect introduction to his signature style: strong, complex female leads, psychological tension, and intricate investigations that keep you guessing until the final page.

For the absolute best experience, start with His Perfect Crime, the first full-length novel in the series. While there is a prequel novella titled Her Last Shot, starting with the first novel allows you to experience Emily's introduction as most readers originally did, though reading the prequel first is also a perfectly valid chronological route.

Emily Slate FBI Mystery Series

The Emily Slate series follows Special Agent Emily Slate as she investigates gruesome murders, arsons, and complex conspiracies while dealing with her own past trauma. The series is best read in publication order because Emily's personal life and career trajectory progress significantly across the books. However, if you want a strictly chronological read, place the prequel Her Last Shot first, and the holiday novella Oh What Fun between books 8 and 9.

Emily Slate Books in Recommended Order

  • Her Last Shot (2022) — Prequel novella. Available as a free download by signing up for the author's mailing list.
  • His Perfect Crime (2022)
  • The Collection Girls (2022)
  • Smoke and Ashes (2022)
  • Her Final Words (2022)
  • Can't Miss Her (2022)
  • The Lost Daughter (2022)
  • The Secret Seven (2023)
  • A Liar's Grave (2023)
  • Oh What Fun (2023) — Holiday Novella. Best read after A Liar's Grave.
  • The Girl in the Wall (2023)
  • His Final Act (2023)
  • The Vanishing Eyes (2023)
  • Edge of the Woods (2023)
  • Ties That Bind (2024)
  • The Missing Bones (2024)
  • Blood in the Sand (2024)
  • The Passage (2025)
  • Fire in the Sky (2025)
  • The Killing Jar (2026)
  • A Deadly Promise (2026)

Ivy Bishop Mystery Thriller Series

After finding success with Emily Slate, Sigmore introduced a new heroine: Detective Ivy Bishop. Ivy (originally Ivy Stanford) is a detective with the Oakhurst Police Department. Similar to the Emily Slate series, this series features a prequel novella detailing Ivy's days as a patrol officer before she became a detective. The main novels trace her investigations into dark secrets and buried memories.

Ivy Bishop Books in Recommended Order

  • Bishop's Edge (2024) — Prequel novella. Usually available as a newsletter sign-up bonus.
  • Her Dark Secret (2024)
  • The Girl Without a Clue (2024)
  • The Buried Faces (2024)
  • Her Hidden Lies (2025)
  • One Dark Night (2025)

Oak Creek Thriller Series

For readers looking for mysteries set in a tight-knit but secret-filled community, the Oak Creek Thriller series offers a slightly different flavor of suspense while retaining Sigmore's classic narrative drive.

Oak Creek Books in Recommended Order

  1. The Darkest Game (2025)
  2. Never Strike Twice (2026)

Hale Hastings Mystery Series (Co-Authored)

Alex Sigmore teamed up with fellow mystery author Ash Mercer to launch the Hale Hastings series. It centers on a fugitive FBI trainee framed for the murder of her mentor, who hides in Bend, Oregon, and partners with a local private investigator to solve cold cases.

Hale Hastings Books in Recommended Order

  • In Her Bones (2026) — Co-authored with Ash Mercer.

Alex Sigmore's Standalone Novels

If you prefer a self-contained story without committing to a multi-book character arc, Sigmore has written standalones that deliver the same level of psychological suspense.

  • Forgotten (2023)
  • The Forgotten Wife (2025)

What to Know Before You Start

Alex Sigmore is a highly prolific writer, often releasing multiple books a year. Because of this, his series move fast, and the individual mystery plots are resolved within each book. This means you won't be left on massive cliffhangers regarding the cases themselves. However, the emotional developments, relationships, and secondary character storylines definitely carry over. For the richest reading experience, stick to the publication order, grab the prequel novellas from his newsletter to get extra character depth, and enjoy the ride!

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading Alex Sigmore's books?

You should start with His Perfect Crime, the first novel in the Emily Slate FBI Mystery series. If you want to read chronologically, you can start with the prequel novella Her Last Shot.

QHow do the prequel novellas fit into the reading order?

Her Last Shot serves as the prequel to the Emily Slate series, and Bishop's Edge is the prequel to the Ivy Bishop series. Both can be read first to understand the protagonists' backgrounds, or read later as companion stories.

QCan the Emily Slate books be read as standalones?

Yes. Each book features a self-contained case that is fully resolved by the end. However, the overarching character growth and relationships build from book to book, so reading them in order is highly recommended.

QWhere can I find the prequel novellas like Her Last Shot?

These prequels are typically offered for free to readers who subscribe to Alex Sigmore's official newsletter on his website.

QWho is Ivy Bishop?

Ivy Bishop (originally Ivy Stanford) is the protagonist of her own mystery thriller series, serving as a detective who solves dark, small-town secrets starting with the novel Her Dark Secret.

QWhat is the Hale Hastings series?

It is a series co-authored by Alex Sigmore and Ash Mercer, starting with In Her Bones, which follows a fugitive FBI trainee hiding in Oregon who teams up with a PI to solve cold cases.