Alyson Richman Books in Order

How to Read Alyson Richman's Novels

Alyson Richman is celebrated for her lush, emotionally resonant historical fiction that frequently explores the intersection of art, history, and human resilience. Because her novels are standalone works, there is no strict chronological continuation or cliffhanger narrative connecting them. Readers have complete freedom to choose their path.

However, navigating her bibliography by publication order or starting with her most acclaimed works offers the best reading experience. Below is the guide to finding your starting point and exploring her rich catalog of novels, collaborations, and shorter works.

Where to Start: The Best Entry Points

If you are new to Alyson Richman, we recommend beginning with one of these three standout novels:

• The Lost Wife (2011): This is Richman's breakout masterpiece and most famous work. Set against the backdrop of pre-war Prague and the Terezin ghetto during World War II, it follows Josef and Lenka, two young lovers torn apart by the Holocaust who miraculously reunite decades later in New York. It is the perfect introduction to her signature blend of meticulous historical research and deep emotional stakes.
• The Velvet Hours (2016): Inspired by the famous real-life Parisian apartment of Marthe de Florian that was locked and left untouched for seventy years, this novel weaves the story of Marthe and her granddaughter Solange as World War II begins to loom over France. It is an excellent choice for readers who love art history, Parisian atmosphere, and family secrets.
• The Thread Collectors (2022): Co-authored with Shaunna J. Edwards, this Civil War-era novel is a perfect starting point if you enjoy stories about unlikely friendships, survival, and the hidden roles women played in historical struggles.

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

For readers who want to trace Richman's development as a writer, reading in publication order is a rewarding approach. This list captures all her full-length solo novels as well as her recent collaborative works:

1. The Mask Carver's Son (2000) – Richman's debut novel. Set in Meiji-era Japan and late 19th-century Paris, it details the journey of Kiyoki, the son of a traditional Noh mask carver, who breaks away from his father's expectations to study Western oil painting.
2. Swedish Tango / The Rhythm of Memory (2004) – A moving story that follows a family fleeing the Pinochet regime in Chile and resettling in Sweden, navigating memory, exile, and healing.
3. The Last Van Gogh (2006) – Focused on the final months of Vincent van Gogh in Auvers-sur-Oise, told from the perspective of Marguerite Gachet, the daughter of the doctor who treated him.
4. The Lost Wife (2011) – A powerful Holocaust love story and international bestseller.
5. The Garden of Letters (2014) – Set in wartime Italy, following a talented young cellist named Elodie who becomes a courier for the Italian Resistance and finds refuge in a coastal harbor.
6. The Velvet Hours (2016) – A dual-perspective novel exploring the luxury of Belle Époque Paris and the dark days of the German occupation.
7. The Secret of Clouds (2019) – A contemporary and historical hybrid set in Long Island, detailing a compassionate teacher, Maggie, who tutors a young boy with a severe heart condition, linking their lives through the power of memory and letters.
8. The Thread Collectors (2022) – Co-authored with Shaunna J. Edwards. It follows Stella, an enslaved Black woman in New Orleans who embroiders maps to help Union soldiers escape, and Lily, a Jewish woman in New York supporting her husband at the battlefront.
9. The Friday Night Club (2023) – Co-authored with Sofia Lundberg and M.J. Rose. This collaborative novel focuses on Hilma af Klint, the Swedish artist who pioneered abstract painting, and the group of female artists known as "The Five" (De Fem).
10. The Time Keepers (2024) – A story set in 1979 Long Island that interweaves the lives of a wounded Vietnam veteran, a young Vietnamese refugee building a new life, and an immigrant civilian working at a watch repair shop.
11. The Missing Pages (2025) – A dual-timeline novel focusing on Harry Widener, the young book collector who perished on the Titanic, and Violet Hutchins, a 1990s Harvard student researching his lost literary treasures in the library built in his honor.

Short Stories, Novellas, and Anthologies

In addition to her full-length novels, Alyson Richman has written shorter fiction and contributed to collaborative anthologies. These can be read at any point in your journey:

• Grand Central: Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion (2014): Richman contributed to this collaborative anthology alongside authors like Kristin Hannah and Jenna Blum. The collection features interconnected stories taking place at New York's Grand Central Terminal on a single day in 1945.
• A Splendid Gift (2015): Also published under the title Saint-Exupéry, this digital-first novella explores the life and final years of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, the French aviator and author of The Little Prince, and his relationship with his muse.
• Stories from Suffragette City (2020): An anthology of short stories set on October 23, 1915, the day of the historic suffrage march in New York City. Richman's story is woven alongside other leading historical fiction authors to paint a portrait of the women's suffrage movement.

Co-Authored and Collaborative Novels

Richman has increasingly engaged in collaborative writing projects in recent years, partnering with other historical fiction writers to tell multi-perspective stories:

• The Thread Collectors (with Shaunna J. Edwards): This collaboration was born out of the authors' real-life friendship and desire to explore the diverse experiences of Black and Jewish families during the American Civil War. The dual perspectives offer a unique look at historical alliances and shared humanity.
• The Friday Night Club (with Sofia Lundberg and M.J. Rose): Spanning across different art hubs, this novel was written collectively to highlight the erasure of Hilma af Klint and other early female abstract artists from mainstream art history books.

What to Know Before You Start

Alyson Richman's novels are heavily grounded in art history, music, and craftsmanship. She often uses a specific creative medium—such as Noh mask carving, painting, cello playing, quilting, watchmaking, or book collecting—as a metaphor for memory, healing, and survival. Because she travels extensively and carries out meticulous research (including interviewing Holocaust survivors and researching historical archives), her settings feel incredibly authentic and transportive. Expect emotional, tear-jerking resolutions, and stories that celebrate the triumph of the human spirit over tragedy.