Bradford Morrow Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Bradford Morrow

For readers new to Bradford Morrow’s rich, lyrical prose and intellectual puzzles, there are two ideal entry points depending on your preferred genre:

• For thriller and mystery fans: Start with The Forgers (2014). This gripping mystery dives deep into the dark, obsessive world of rare book forgery and kicks off his celebrated trilogy.
• For lovers of historical fiction and music: Start with The Prague Sonata (2017). This standalone masterpiece follows a musicologist’s quest to find a lost 18th-century sonata manuscript across war-torn Europe and modern-day New York.

The Forgers Trilogy

Originally sparked by a request to write a short piece for the multi-author Bibliomysteries series, Morrow’s fascination with the rare book trade evolved into a full-length psychological thriller trilogy. The books follow the talented, morally ambiguous forger Willi, his partner Meghan, their daughter Nicole, and the threats that arise from their secretive trade. They should be read in publication order to follow the character arcs and overarching mystery:

1. The Forgers (2014) – Introduces Will and Meghan, following the suspicious murder of a legendary rare book dealer and the forgery conspiracy that follows.
2. The Forger's Daughter (2020) – Set years later, focusing on Will's daughter Nicole, who is blackmailed into forging a rare copy of Edgar Allan Poe's first book, Tamerlane.
3. The Forger's Requiem (2025) – The final installment, where old rivalries resurface as high-end forger Henry Slader seeks revenge, leading to a high-stakes forgery of Mary Shelley letters.

The New Mexico Series

Morrow planned a trilogy set against the backdrop of the American Southwest, tracking family legacies and the historical weight of the nuclear age and the Vietnam War. While a third book has not been released, these two novels form a deeply connected generational duology:

1. Trinity Fields (1995) – Explores the friendship of two boys growing up in Los Alamos, the sons of Manhattan Project scientists, whose lives diverge during the Vietnam War.
2. Ariel's Crossing (2002) – Follows Ariel Rankin as she travels to New Mexico to uncover the secrets of her biological father, Kip Calder, a central character from the first novel.

Standalone Novels

Morrow has written several acclaimed standalone novels that explore diverse settings and themes. These can be read in any order:

• Come Sunday (1988) – Morrow's debut novel, tracing a frantic search in Nicaragua.
• The Almanac Branch (1991) – A complex novel about a young woman dealing with debilitating migraines and family secrets.
• Giovanni's Gift (1997) – A literary mystery set in the ash-laden hills of California.
• The Diviner's Tale (2010) – A haunting story centering on a water dowser who discovers a dark mystery in upstate New York.
• The Prague Sonata (2017) – A sweeping, music-centric mystery spanning decades of European history.

The Bibliomysteries Connection

While the database lists a vast array of books under the Bibliomysteries banner, readers should note that this is a multi-author collection edited by Otto Penzler. Bradford Morrow's sole contribution to this project is the novella The Nature of My Inheritance (2014). It is a standalone story and can be enjoyed independently of his other novels, though it shares his trademark fascination with rare books and dark secrets.