Alice Winters Books in Order

Where to Begin Your Alice Winters Journey

If you are looking for laugh-out-loud humor, chaotic characters, and deeply emotional M/M (gay) romance, Alice Winters is an absolute must-read author. Winters excels at blending high-stakes action or paranormal mysteries with quirky, fast-talking protagonists who will steal your heart. Because she has written over 50 books across more than 20 series, finding the right starting point can feel a bit daunting. Fortunately, her books are highly organized by series, and reading them in publication order is almost always the best path forward.

For the ultimate introduction to her writing style, we highly recommend starting with one of these two signature entry points:

• The Hitman's Guide Series: If you love romantic comedies featuring grumpy/sunshine dynamics, dangerous occupations, and relentless banter, start with The Hitman's Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love. It introduces Leland, a chaotic and hilarious assassin, and Jackson, the straight-laced detective he becomes obsessed with.
• VRC: Vampire Related Crimes Series: If you prefer paranormal romance mixed with police procedurals and supernatural politics, start with How to Vex a Vampire. This series follows the slow-burn romance between a human detective and a sassy vampire.

The Hitman's Guide & Companion Universe

Winters' most famous series follows the hilarious adventures of Leland and Jackson. The character development and relationship progression build directly from one book to the next, so reading them in order is essential. However, the universe also expands into spin-off series focusing on side characters who cross paths with our favorite hitman. For the complete experience, you should integrate these companion books into your reading path.

Recommended Hitman's Guide Reading Order:

1. The Hitman's Guide to Making Friends and Finding Love (2019)
2. The Hitman's Guide to Staying Alive Despite Past Mistakes (2019)
3. The Hitman's Guide to Tying the Knot Without Getting Shot (2020)
4. The Former Assassin's Guide to Snagging a Reluctant Boyfriend (2021) — This is a spin-off centering on Cyrus and Cass. While it works as a standalone, reading it here provides the best emotional payoff as these characters are introduced in the main series.
5. The Hitman's Guide to Righting Wrongs While Causing Mayhem (2022)
6. The Hitman's Guide to Codenames and Ill-Gotten Gains (2023)
7. The Mercenary's Guide to Mishaps and Romance (2024) — Another spin-off companion following the mercenary Marcus and his romance.
8. The Hitman's Guide to Stately Fences and Killer Defenses (2026)

VRC: Vampire Related Crimes Series

This series blends urban fantasy, mystery, and romance in a world where vampires and humans live side-by-side but under strict, often tense laws. The VRC unit is tasked with solving crimes involving the supernatural. Each book focuses on a primary couple, but the overarching plot and secondary characters carry over, making it highly recommended to read them in order. The first four books focus on Alex and Marcus, while the subsequent books branch out to other couples within the same unit.

VRC Reading Order:

1. How to Vex a Vampire (2020)
2. How to Elude a Vampire (2020)
3. How to Lure a Hunter (2020)
4. How to Save a Human (2020)
5. How to Defy a Vampire (2023)
6. How to Entice a Fiend (2025)

Medium Trouble Series

For readers who enjoy a touch of the paranormal mixed with cozy mysteries and ghost-hunting, the Medium Trouble series is the perfect choice. The books follow a ghost-whispering protagonist who keeps getting dragged into solving crimes because the spirits of the deceased won't leave him alone. This series features a continuous narrative arc for the main couple and must be read in order.

Medium Trouble Reading Order:

1. Ghost of Lies (2021)
2. Ghost of Truth (2022)
3. Ghost of Deceit (2022)
4. Ghost of Retribution (2024)

Other Key Alice Winters Series

If you have devoured her main series and want to dive deeper into her backlist, Winters has written several shorter paranormal and contemporary series that highlight her versatility. Here is how to read them:

Demon Magic Books

Her debut series kicks off with demon-summoning shenanigans, magical contracts, and plenty of snarky familiars.

1. Happy Endings (2017)
2. Familiar Beginnings (2020)
3. Malicious Midpoint (2022)
4. Shadow's Origin (2024)
5. Enchanting Exposition (2024)

Fanged Mistakes Books

A fun, lighthearted vampire series that features the beloved fake-dating trope.

1. Fake Dates and Fanged Mistakes (2024)
2. Dire Straits and Entwined Fates (2024)

Winsford Shifters Books

For fans of shifter romance, this trilogy delivers deep emotional bonds, small-town secrets, and wolf-shifter politics.

1. Of Secrets and Wolves (2021)
2. Of Betrayal and Monsters (2021)
3. Of Redemption and Vengeance (2021)

In Darkness Series

An emotional and suspenseful contemporary series focusing on characters overcoming past traumas while finding love and safety.

1. Hidden in Darkness (2018)
2. A Light in the Darkness (2018)
3. Deception in Darkness (2019)
4. Dancing in Darkness (2019)

In the Mind Series

A psychological romantic suspense duology following a psychic investigator.

1. Within the Mind (2019)
2. Lost in the Mind (2019)

Seeking Asylum Duology

A darker romantic suspense series set against a gritty backdrop of criminals and survivors.

1. The Sinner and the Liar (2019)
2. The Traitor and the Fighter (2020)

Multi-Author Shared Worlds

Alice Winters has contributed standalones to several popular multi-author shared universes. While the lists below contain the full series order, you only need to read Alice's specific contributions to enjoy her stories, as each book in these universes features a completely different couple and can be read out of order.

Ace's Wild Series

In this shared world, each book is a standalone story linked by the characters visiting a specialty adult store called "Ace's Wild." Alice Winters contributed the third book, Rushing In (2019).

The Elite Series

Set in a gritty underworld centered around a secret underground club for assassins, cleaners, and elite criminals. Alice Winters kicked off this series by writing the first book, Reckless Roulette (2023).

A Snow Globe Christmas Series

A festive, lighthearted holiday romance series where a magical snow globe brings couples together. Alice Winters wrote A Villain for Christmas (2019), which stands out as a humorous superhero/supervillain romance.

Fortune Favors the Fae Series

A fantasy romance series set in a world of magic and Fae intrigue. Alice Winters contributed the seventh book, Prince of Poison (2024).

What to Know Before You Start

Alice Winters' books are heavily character-driven. While the mysteries and action plots are entertaining, the primary draw is the banter and the emotional connection between the leads. Many of her books feature highly eccentric, chaotic protagonists paired with more grounded, protective love interests. The humor is often fast-paced and campy, so suspend your disbelief and prepare for some delightfully ridiculous scenarios. If you sign up for her author newsletter, she frequently releases free bonus short stories and epilogues that tie up loose ends for her popular series, such as the Hitman's Guide and Medium Trouble epilogues.