The Recommended Reading Order
If you want to experience the full journey of Giulia Falcone-Driscoll, the best way to read Alice Loweecey's cozy mysteries is in chronological order. While the series is technically split into two parts due to a publisher change, they form a single continuous narrative that follows Giulia's personal and professional life.
We highly recommend starting with the Falcone & Driscoll Investigation series first, followed by the short story Changing Habits, and then moving into the Giulia Driscoll Mysteries. This progression allows you to see Giulia's evolution from a fresh-faced ex-nun to a seasoned private investigator, while also tracking her unfolding romance with Frank Driscoll.
Part 1: The Falcone & Driscoll Investigations
This is where Giulia's journey begins after she leaves her convent (an act she jokingly refers to as 'jumping the wall'). She partners up with private investigator Frank Driscoll in Western New York to solve crimes while figuring out who she is outside of a habit.
- Force of Habit (2011): Giulia's first case. She must adapt to the secular world while investigating a murder, all while dealing with her growing attraction to her new partner, Frank.
- Back in the Habit (2012): Giulia goes undercover at a local convent to find out who is threatening the Mother Superior, forcing her to confront the life she left behind.
- Veiled Threat (2013): Giulia and Frank take on a complex case involving black mail, family secrets, and a threat that hits dangerously close to home.
Part 2: The Giulia Driscoll Mysteries
Following a publisher transition, the series continued under the Giulia Driscoll banner. By this point, Giulia is married to Frank and continues her work as a private investigator, now carrying his last name.
- Changing Habits (2014): A prequel short story (often numbered as Book 0.5 in this second phase). It takes place just before Giulia and Frank's wedding, where Giulia gets wrapped up in investigating the theft of church vessels.
- Nun Too Soon (2014): Giulia investigates the 'Silk Tie Killer' in a case that tests her faith and her deductive skills.
- Second to Nun (2015): Set in a haunted Bed & Breakfast, Giulia deals with ghosts, séances, and a creepy mystery.
- Nun But the Brave (2016): Giulia goes undercover inside a local Doomsday Prepper community to track down a missing person.
- The Clock Strikes Nun (2017): A high-stakes race against time as Giulia attempts to solve a mystery with a ticking clock.
- Nun After the Other (2018): A series of consecutive, fast-paced puzzles that keep Giulia and her quirky associates on their toes.
- Better Than Nun (2019): The latest entry in the mystery series, bringing more humor, faith, and crime-solving action.
What to Know Before You Start
Before you dive in, it helps to understand a few details about Alice Loweecey's writing style and other projects:
- An Authentic Voice: Alice Loweecey is herself a former nun who spent a decade in a convent before choosing a new path. Her personal experience shines through in Giulia's spiritual reflections, quirky convent terminology, and the authentic, respectful humor she brings to the books.
- Alternative Pen Names: Under the name Kate Morgan, Loweecey writes standalone horror novels (such as Staking Cinderella and The Redeemers). Under the name A.M. Loweecey, she writes urban fantasy, beginning with her 2025 release Demons & Ramen (the Renegade Exorcist series). If you enjoy her witty style but want something supernatural or darker, check out these side projects!
- Anthologies: Loweecey has also contributed to several anthologies, including Writes of Passage (2014) and Bake, Love, Write (2014), which offer excellent glimpses into her creative writing advice and recipes.