Where to Start Reading Anna Willett
Anna Willett's thrillers are characterized by their strong female protagonists, dark explorations of human nature, and the atmospheric, isolated backdrops of Western Australia. Because her work is split between two distinct series and a large collection of standalone suspense novels, readers have a few excellent options for where to dive in:
- For Police Procedurals: Start with The Woman Behind Her (2019), the first case featuring Detective Inspector Veronika Pope. It is perfect for fans of cold case investigations and procedural grit.
- For Journalist-led Suspense: Start with Small Town Nightmare (2018), which introduces investigative reporter Lucy Hush. This series is fast-paced, featuring intense conspiracies in rural communities.
- For Raw Outback Survival: Start with her debut standalone novel, Backwoods Ripper (2016/2017), along with its quick prequel story, Backwoods Medicine. It delivers pure survival horror and psychological dread.
Detective Veronika Pope: The Cold Case Mysteries
This series follows Detective Inspector Veronika Pope as she investigates complex cold cases and modern crimes. While each book presents a self-contained mystery, the personal lives and career arcs of Veronika and her partner, Detective Inspector Allen, develop across the books. For the best experience, read them in order of publication:
- The Woman Behind Her (2019) – Veronika investigates a cold case involving a woman who vanished years prior, only to find the secrets hit close to home.
- The Family Man (2021) – A gripping case centering on family dynamics, dark secrets, and a long-hidden crime.
- The Newlywed (2023) – Veronika is pulled into a web of deceit surrounding a missing bride and a husband with plenty to hide.
- The Ideal Couple (2023) – A story of double lives and dark secrets that threatens to unravel when a couple is targeted.
- Needles and Pins (2024) – A novella where Veronika's holiday is interrupted by a body found in the rainforest, linked to a yacht named Needles and Pins that disappeared ten years earlier.
The Lucy Hush Nightmare Series
Investigative journalist Lucy Hush is the relentless protagonist of this trilogy. Driven by her own personal drive for truth, Lucy repeatedly finds herself trapped in dangerous, rural Australian towns where outsiders are met with hostility. These books are tightly connected and should be read in chronological order:
- Small Town Nightmare (2018) – Lucy travels to a small town to find her missing brother, only to discover a community harboring deadly secrets.
- Cold Valley Nightmare (2019) – Lucy's search for answers leads her to an isolated valley where a dark history repeats itself.
- Savage Bay Nightmare (2020) – The final piece of the trilogy wraps up Lucy's harrowing journey in a coastal town defined by danger.
Note: This trilogy is also sold together as a single digital box set titled Nightmare Country.
Important Reading Warning: Alternate Book Titles
If you are buying Anna Willett's standalone books, be extremely careful. Several of her psychological thrillers have been reissued by her publisher, The Book Folks, under new names. Make sure you don't buy the same story twice under these alternate titles:
- Dear Neighbour (2020) was re-released under the title No. 5 Cobblestone Lane.
- Unwelcome Guests (2018) was re-released under the title There's Someone in Our Cellar.
Standalone Novels and Short Stories
Willett has written several standalone psychological thrillers that require no prior reading. They can be picked up in any order, though reading them in publication order shows her progression as a writer. Additionally, her debut novel has a prequel story that readers should check out first:
- Backwoods Medicine (2017) – A prequel novella to her debut. It sets the stage for the events of Backwoods Ripper.
- Backwoods Ripper (2017) – Her debut novel, featuring a pregnant couple stranded in the desolate Australian outback who cross paths with a dangerous stranger.
- Retribution Ridge (2017) – A high-tension story of survival and vengeance set in the rugged Australian wilderness.
- Forgotten Crimes (2018) – A dark tale focusing on family secrets, guilt, and long-buried crimes.
- Cruelty's Daughter (2018) – A psychological thriller following a woman who must confront a killer to save a young girl.
- Vengeance Blind (2018) – A story focusing on the destructive nature of revenge.
- Pest (2020) – A tense psychological suspense novel detailing a confrontation with a sinister intruder.
- Beast (2020) – A horror collection containing two novellas: Last Call and The Widow.
- Lost to the Lake (2022) – A standalone mystery surrounding a cold case and secrets buried beneath the surface of a local lake.