Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start?
Alexi Venice has crafted several distinct series that blend intense legal and medical mysteries with rich, character-driven LGBTQ+ romance. Deciding where to start depends on your favorite style of thriller:
- For Legal Thrills & Courtroom Drama: Start with the Monica Spade Series. Beginning with Conscious Bias, this trilogy features a rookie lawyer handling high-profile, dangerous cases and slow-burn sapphic romance.
- For Crime & Police Investigations: Start with the San Francisco Mystery Series. Beginning with Bourbon Chase, this multi-book series weaves together the perspectives of a district attorney, a detective, and a doctor tackling mobsters and municipal corruption.
- For Counterterrorism & Conspiracy: Start with the Pepper McCallan Series. Beginning with Ebola Vaccine Wars, this series follows a corporate pharmaceutical lawyer who is pulled into the world of international counterterrorism.
The San Francisco Mystery Series in Order
This gritty crime and legal thriller series centers on the lives and high-stakes careers of District Attorney Amanda Hawthorne, Dr. Jen Dawson, and Detective Tommy Vietti. Because the characters' personal relationships and romantic arcs evolve significantly over time, it is highly recommended to read these books in their exact order of publication:
- Bourbon Chase (2017)
- Amanda's Dragonfly (2017)
- Stabscotch (2018)
- Tinted Chapstick (2018)
- Sativa Strain (2018)
- #SandyBottom (2019)
- Lady Hawthorne (2022)
- Wedding Balloon (2024)
The Monica Spade Series in Order
Focusing on courtroom suspense and medical-legal puzzles, this trilogy follows Monica Spade as she finds her footing in a high-stakes legal career. The second installment, Standby Counsel, won the 2020 LesFic Bard Award for Mystery and was named the Best Legal Thriller of 2021 by BestThrillers.com.
- Conscious Bias (2019)
- Standby Counsel (2020)
- Graffiti Red Murder (2021)
The Pepper McCallan Series in Order
This series introduces readers to Pepper McCallan, a corporate attorney who transitions into a daring consultant for the U.S. Counterterrorism Agency. It features global settings, medical conspiracies, and fast-paced action.
- Ebola Vaccine Wars (2015)
- Svea's Sins (2015)
- Victus (2015)
- Margaret River Winery (2016)
Alexi Venice Standalone Novels
For a break from her main series, Venice has also published a standalone story set in Western Australia that blends family secrets and mystical elements:
- Australia's Starr (2016)
What to Know Before You Start
Alexi Venice brings a unique level of authenticity to her fiction, drawing directly from her 34-year career as a legal counsel for an international healthcare system. Her real-world experience preparing medical professionals for courtroom testimonies translates into highly detailed legal procedures and complex medical cases. While her books can technically be read out of sequence because each mystery wraps up by the final page, skipping around is not recommended if you want to fully enjoy the long-term romantic and character development.