Beatriz Williams Books in Order

Where to Start Your Beatriz Williams Journey

Beatriz Williams has mastered the art of historical fiction by weaving lush, multi-generational dramas full of romance, scandal, and mystery. While she designs her novels so that they can be read as standalones, they are actually part of a massive, subtle shared universe. If you want the absolute best starting point, we recommend beginning with her breakout hit, A Hundred Summers (2013). Set on the exclusive shores of Rhode Island on the eve of the 1938 New England hurricane, it introduces key characters and families that reappear throughout her later works.

Alternatively, if you prefer to start with a formal series rather than a standalone, start with The Secret Life of Violet Grant (2014), which kicks off the beloved Schuyler Sisters trilogy. If you want to experience the complete evolution of her shared universe and catch every hidden connection, reading her main historical fiction novels in order of publication is the ideal approach.

The Shared Universe: How the Books Connect

One of the greatest joys of reading Beatriz Williams is discovering how her characters cross paths across different books. While you do not need to read her entire catalog to enjoy a single story, keeping these recurring elements in mind will enhance your reading experience:

• The Schuyler Family Tree: Characters like Lily Dane (from A Hundred Summers), her best friend Julie Schuyler, and Julie's nieces Vivian, Tiny, and Pepper Schuyler form the core emotional web of the universe. Julie Schuyler, in particular, acts as a primary bridge, appearing as a young woman in A Hundred Summers, an older relative in the Schuyler Sisters trilogy, and a crucial figure in the Wicked City series.
• Winthrop Island: Loosely based on the real-life Fishers Island, this fictional summer enclave hosts the class struggles and secrets of The Summer Wives, the Cold War espionage of The Beach at Summerly, and the multi-generational family ties of Husbands & Lovers.
• "Team W" Collaborative Novels: Williams regularly teams up with best-selling authors Karen White and Lauren Willig to write collaborative historical mysteries. These books, such as The Forgotten Room and The Author's Guide to Murder, feature similar dual-timeline structures and occasionally share thematic or character ties.

Publication Order of the Schuyler Sisters Series

This trilogy follows three bold, independent sisters navigating the societal constraints and scandals of the mid-20th century. The author strongly recommends reading these in publication order because events in the later books spoil major plot developments from the earlier volumes.

1. The Secret Life of Violet Grant (2014) – Follows Vivian Schuyler in 1964 Manhattan as she investigates her long-lost great-aunt Violet, a scientist who fled to Europe in 1914.
2. Tiny Little Thing (2015) – Focuses on Christina "Tiny" Schuyler in 1966 Cape Cod, dealing with the dark side of political ambition and marital expectations.
3. Along the Infinite Sea (2015) – Centers on Pepper Schuyler in 1966 as she acquires a rare Mercedes and uncovers the story of a brave woman who fled Nazi Germany.

Publication Order of The Wicked City Series

Mixing Jazz Age speakeasies with a late-1990s mystery, this series follows the daring flapper Geneva "Gin" Kelly and a modern woman who moves into Gin's old apartment building.

1. Wicked City (2017)
2. The Wicked Redhead (2019)
3. The Wicked Widow (2021)

Beatriz Williams Standalone Novels (Chronological Publication)

Each of these novels is a self-contained story, though many feature cameos or references to characters in the wider Schuyler and Winthrop Island universe.

• Overseas (2012) – Her debut novel, a romantic, time-bending tale connecting World War I and modern New York.
• A Hundred Summers (2013) – The perfect starting point for the shared universe, set in 1938 Rhode Island.
• The Forgotten Room (2016) – A multi-generational mystery co-authored with Karen White and Lauren Willig.
• A Certain Age (2016) – A sparkling Jazz Age scandal set in 1920s New York.
• Cocoa Beach (also published as The House on Cocoa Beach) (2017) – A suspenseful tale set in 1920s Florida during the Prohibition boom.
• The Summer Wives (2018) – The first novel to take readers to the fictional Winthrop Island.
• The Glass Ocean (2018) – A Lusitania-centered mystery co-authored with Karen White and Lauren Willig.
• The Golden Hour (2019) – A story of espionage and romance set in Nassau during World War II.
• All the Ways We Said Goodbye (2020) – A collaborative novel set in Paris's Ritz Hotel across three different wars.
• Her Last Flight (also published as The Aviatrix) (2020) – A tribute to early aviation, loosely inspired by Amelia Earhart.
• Our Woman in Moscow (2021) – A gripping Cold War spy thriller about two sisters separated by the Iron Curtain.
• The Lost Summers of Newport (2022) – A collaborative mystery centering on a historic Newport mansion.
• The Beach at Summerly (2023) – A return to Winthrop Island during the early years of the Cold War.
• Husbands & Lovers (2024) – A sweeping story spanning 1950s Cairo and modern-day New England.
• The Author's Guide to Murder (2024) – A collaborative locked-room mystery set in a historic castle on the Scottish coast.

Short Stories and Novellas

• An American Airman in Paris (2016) – A digital short story set during the Great War.
• Fall of Poppies (2016) – An anthology of World War I stories featuring a contribution from Williams.
• The Library Passage (2020) – A short story serialized directly on the author's blog.

Writing as Juliana Gray: Historical Romance Series

Before and during her success as Beatriz Williams, the author published delightful, witty Regency and Victorian romance novels under the pen name Juliana Gray. These series should be read in their individual publication orders.

Affairs by Moonlight Books

• A Lady Never Lies (2012)
• A Gentleman Never Tells (2012)
• A Duke Never Yields (2013)

A Princess In Hiding Books

• How to Tame Your Duke (2013)
• How to Master Your Marquis (2014)
• How to School Your Scoundrel (2014)

Emmeline Truelove Books

This historical mystery-adventure series includes a prequel novella that readers are highly encouraged to read first.

1. The Duke of Olympia Meets His Match (2016) – Prequel Novella
2. A Most Extraordinary Pursuit (2016)
3. A Strange Scottish Shore (2017)