C. Hope Clark Books in Order

Where to Start with C. Hope Clark

C. Hope Clark is widely celebrated for her immersive, character-driven mystery novels set against the rich, atmospheric backdrop of South Carolina. Because her series focus on different protagonists and environments, you have two primary entry points depending on your preference in mystery styles:

• For Work-Related Suspense & Federal Investigations: Start with Lowcountry Bribe, the first book in the Carolina Slade Mysteries. This series is heavily inspired by Clark's own 25-year career with the USDA and features a strong, witty federal investigator tackling rural crime and bribery.
• For Coastal Small-Town Mystery & Police Procedurals: Start with Murder on Edisto, the opening novel of the Edisto Island Mysteries. This series follows Callie Jean Morgan, a former Boston detective who relocates to a serene South Carolina beach town, only to find herself serving as the local police chief and solving local crimes.
• For Private Investigator Cold Cases: Start with Murdered in Craven, the debut of the Craven County Mysteries, which follows former FBI agent Quinn Sterling as she returns to her roots to solve her father's cold-case murder.

The Carolina Slade Mysteries

This series introduces Carolina Slade, an administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture who repeatedly finds herself entangled in federal crimes, corruption, and financial conspiracies in rural South Carolina. It is best to read these in publication order to follow Slade's evolving relationship with federal agent Wayne Largo:

1. Lowcountry Bribe (2012)
2. Tidewater Murder (2013)
3. Palmetto Poison (2014)
4. Newberry Sin (2018)
5. Salkehatchie Secret (2020)
6. Lake Murray Money (2024)

The Edisto Island Mysteries

Set on the picturesque but secret-filled shores of Edisto Beach, this series features Callie Jean Morgan. The books should be read in chronological order to follow Callie's personal journey, recovery from grief, and career progression as the island's police chief:

1. Murder on Edisto (2014)
2. Edisto Jinx (2015)
3. Echoes of Edisto (2016)
4. Edisto Stranger (2017)
5. Dying on Edisto (2019)
6. Edisto Tidings (2019)
7. Reunion on Edisto (2021)
8. Edisto Heat (2022)
9. Badge of Edisto (2022)
10. Edisto Bullet (2023)
11. Edge of Edisto (2024)
12. Edisto Storm (2025)
13. Hidden on Edisto (2025)
14. Edisto Lethal (2026)

The Craven County Mysteries

This series stars Quinn Sterling, a former FBI agent who returns to South Carolina to manage her family's pecan farm and run a private investigation agency, determined to solve the mystery of her father's murder:

1. Murdered in Craven (2021)
2. Burned in Craven (2021)
3. Craven County Line (2023)

The Lowcountry Crossovers: How the Series Connect

While the Carolina Slade and Edisto Island series stand perfectly fine on their own, C. Hope Clark has written two major crossover novels that bring the two protagonists together. If you want to experience the complete chronological narrative without spoilers, pay close attention to these titles:

• Dying on Edisto (Edisto Island Book 5): Carolina Slade and Wayne Largo travel to Edisto Beach on USDA business and collaborate with Chief Callie Morgan to solve the murder of a travel blogger.
• Salkehatchie Secret (Carolina Slade Book 5): When a member of Wayne Largo's team is found dead near Callie Morgan's jurisdiction, Slade enlists Callie's help to navigate local politics and track down the killer.

C. Hope Clark's Non-Fiction & Anthologies

In addition to her suspense novels, Clark is highly active in the writing community. She founded the popular platform FundsforWriters and has published several instructional guides for aspiring and professional writers alike:

• Funds for Writers (2000)
• The Shy Writer (2004)
• The Shy Writer Reborn (2013)
• Build a Writing Team (2014)
• Romance and Mystery Authors on Writing (2015)
• The Best of FundsforWriters, Vol. 1 (2017)
• Writing Contests with Hope (2019)