Ally Carter Books in Order

Where to Start with Ally Carter’s Books

If you're new to Ally Carter’s fast-paced, high-stakes worlds, deciding where to start depends on your favorite genre. For the quintessential spy academy experience filled with friendship, codes, and teen romance, begin with the Gallagher Girls series. If you prefer glamorous art heists, clever cons, and a family of thieves, start with Heist Society. For older readers looking for a mix of romance, amnesia, and action-comedy, her adult debut The Blonde Identity is the perfect gateway. For younger readers, the middle-grade mysteries of the Winterborne Home duology offer a delightful blend of secret passages and found-family teamwork.

What to Know Before You Start

Ally Carter is celebrated for her smart, capable heroines who rely on their brains, resourcefulness, and loyal friendships to solve puzzles and escape danger. While her books feature light romantic subplots, the central focus remains on teamwork, loyalty, and clever plotting. Most of her books are realistic young adult fiction, but they span different age groups and tones—from the lighthearted espionage of Gallagher Girls to the darker, psychological tension of Embassy Row, and finally to her recent adult romantic suspense novels.

Gallagher Girls Series: Publication vs. Chronological Order

The Gallagher Girls series follows Cameron "Cammie" Morgan, a legacy student at the Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women—which is secretly a premier training ground for teenage spies. The series is best read in publication order, as the emotional character arcs, secondary relationships, and overarching global conspiracies build directly from book to book.

Publication Order

• I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (2006) – Cammie falls for a normal local boy and must hide her spy identity.
• Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (2007) – Boys from a rival British spy school arrive at the academy, raising the stakes and tensions.
• Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (2009) – A political campaign and a sudden kidnapping attempt put the girls in direct danger.
• Only the Good Spy Young (2010) – Cammie becomes the target of a rogue ancient organization, forcing her to run.
• Out of Sight, Out of Time (2012) – Cammie wakes up in the Alps with no memory of her summer, starting a desperate search for answers.
• United We Spy (2013) – The final showdown where the Gallagher Girls must save the world and themselves.

In 2018, Carter released The Spies That Bind, a prequel novella that follows Cammie's very first days at the Academy. While chronologically first, reading this prequel after the main series offers a nostalgic return to the characters and is highly recommended for fans who already love Cammie's circle.

Chronological Order

1. The Spies That Bind (2018) (Prequel Novella)
2. I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You (2006)
3. Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy (2007)
4. Don't Judge a Girl by Her Cover (2009)
5. Only the Good Spy Young (2010)
6. Out of Sight, Out of Time (2012)
7. United We Spy (2013)

Heist Society Series & The Spies and Thieves Crossover

The Heist Society series focuses on Katarina "Kat" Bishop, a teenager born into a legendary family of art thieves who tries to go straight, only to be dragged back in for increasingly daring cons. The core trilogy consists of three novels, but it also features a crucial holiday novella and a crossover with the Gallagher Girls.

Recommended Heist Society Reading Order

1. Heist Society (2010) – Kat must pull off an impossible heist to save her father from an angry mob boss.
2. Uncommon Criminals (2011) – Kat attempts to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald to return it to its rightful owner.
3. Double Crossed: A Spies and Thieves Story (2013) (Crossover Novella)
4. Perfect Scoundrels (2013) – Kat and her crew must investigate a suspicious will left to her wealthy friend Hale.
5. The Grift of the Magi (2016) (Holiday Novella) – A cozy Christmas-themed heist where Kat's crew helps a family in need.

The Crossover Connection: Double Crossed

The digital-only novella Double Crossed acts as a direct bridge between the Gallagher Girls and Heist Society universes. It features Macey McHenry (from Gallagher Girls) and W.W. Hale V (from Heist Society) working together at a high-society gala. For the absolute best reading experience, read it after book five of the Gallagher Girls (Out of Sight, Out of Time) and book two of Heist Society (Uncommon Criminals) before moving on to Perfect Scoundrels.

Embassy Row Series

Set in the fictional Mediterranean country of Adria, the Embassy Row series is a darker, more political young adult thriller that follows Grace Blakely as she tries to uncover the truth behind her mother's death. Unlike her other series, this one has a more mystery-focused, psychological tone and deals heavily with trauma and grief.

Recommended Reading Order

1. Before the Fall: Arrival (2015) (Prequel Novella) – A brief look at Grace's arrival at the diplomatic enclave.
2. All Fall Down (2015) – Grace becomes convinced that a mysterious man killed her mother, but no one believes her.
3. See How They Run (2015) – Secrets of Embassy Row begin to unravel as Grace digs deeper into the political landscape.
4. Take the Key and Lock Her Up (2016) – The dramatic conclusion where Grace must face the ultimate truth of her family's past.

The prequel Before the Fall: Arrival sets up Grace's move to the diplomatic enclave of Embassy Row. It can be read first or as a companion after you finish the trilogy.

Winterborne Home Series

For younger readers, Carter penned the Winterborne Home series, a middle-grade mystery duology about a group of orphan kids who live in a mansion and uncover secrets about its wealthy owner. This series is lighter than her YA works but retains her trademark puzzles and found-family dynamics.

1. Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor (2020)
2. Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery (2021)

These two books tell a complete story, though the ending of the second book leaves some minor unresolved threads. They are best read in order.

Adult Novels, Standalones & Non-Fiction

For readers looking for stories that do not require committing to a long series, Ally Carter has written several excellent standalones and adult romances.

The Solitaire Duology

Carter's first published books were adult chick-lit novels focusing on Julia James, a relationship expert who struggles with her own love life.

1. Cheating at Solitaire (2005)
2. Learning to Play Gin (2006)

Standalone YA & Adult Novels

• Not If I Save You First (2018) – A thrilling Young Adult survival romance set in the snowy wilderness of Alaska, following the daughter of a Secret Service agent and the president's son as they run from assassins.
• The Blonde Identity (2023) – A fast-paced adult spy rom-com about a woman with amnesia who wakes up in Paris next to a rugged secret agent, mistakenly identified as her twin sister.
• The Most Wonderful Crime of the Year (2024) – A cozy holiday mystery-romance featuring two rival authors stuck at a snowy estate when a murder occurs.

Non-Fiction & Short Stories

• My True Love Gave to Me: Twelve Holiday Stories (2014) – Features Carter's short story "Star of Bethlehem," a sweet, realistic YA story set in Oklahoma during Christmas.
• Dear Ally, How Do You Write a Book? (2019) – A practical, humorous guide for young and aspiring authors filled with advice on plotting, character development, and publishing.