Carey Baldwin Books in Order

Recommended Reading Path: Where to Start?

For readers diving into Carey Baldwin's suspenseful world, the best place to start depends on your preferred style of thriller. If you want a long-running, character-driven series with a mix of romantic tension and FBI investigative procedural, start with the Cassidy & Spenser series. While you can begin directly with the first official volume, Judgment (2014), the absolute best starting point is actually Confession (2014), which acts as a direct prequel and establishes the psychological groundwork for the series.

If you prefer fast-paced, self-contained stories with domestic suspense and shocking twists, you should start with one of Baldwin's standalone novels. The highly popular The Marriage Secret (2022) or the gripping mystery I Know What You Did (2021) are perfect entry points that require no prior series knowledge.

Cassidy & Spenser Series in Order

This series centers on forensic psychiatrist Dr. Caitlin "Caity" Cassidy and FBI profiler Special Agent Atticus Spenser. As they track down sadistic serial killers, they must also navigate their own complex and competitive relationship. While they can be read as individual mysteries, reading them in order highlights the character development and overarching romantic subplots.

1. Confession (2014) – Though published under the Blood Secrets banner, this novel serves as the direct prequel to Cassidy & Spenser and introduces key series dynamics.
2. Judgment (2014) – The official first novel of the series, following the hunt for the "Man in the Maze" killer.
3. Fallen (2015) – The duo goes up against the "Fallen Angel Killer" in a fast-paced investigation.
4. Notorious (2015/2016) – Cassidy and Spenser are forced to work together again when a high-profile case turns personal. Note: While some publisher databases record a late 2015 production timeline, the official retail release occurred in early 2016.
5. Stolen (2017) – Caitlin and Atticus must solve the abduction of a prominent victim before time runs out.
6. Countdown (2017) – A high-stakes race against the clock that tests the limits of their professional partnership.

Blood Secrets Series in Order

Baldwin's debut series leans heavily into medical romantic suspense, combining complex pathological mysteries with intense romantic storylines.

• First Do No Evil (2012) – Baldwin's debut novel. It features Dr. Skylar Novak, a medical researcher targeted over a breakthrough drug, and Danny Benson, the detective sworn to protect her.
• Confession (2014) – Focuses on Faith Clancy, a psychiatrist who finds herself in danger after a patient confesses to a series of murders. As noted above, this book crosses over to set up the Cassidy & Spenser universe.

Tangleheart Series

This smaller series consists of romantic suspense set in a small Texas town. Currently, it features one key entry:

• Hush (2013) – A romantic suspense novella that introduces readers to the secrets of Tangleheart, Texas.

Standalone Psychological Thrillers

In her later career, Baldwin shifted focus toward standalone domestic suspense and psychological thrillers, delivering twisted plots and unreliable narrators.

• I Know What You Did (2021) – A tense thriller centered on dark secrets, blackmail, and past sins catching up to the characters.
• The Marriage Secret (2022) – A domestic thriller about a couple whose seemingly perfect marriage hides a web of lies and danger.
• Second Wives (2023) – A suspense novel detailing the secrets, betrayals, and overlapping lives within a group of friends known as "The Supper Club."
• The Widow Bride (2024) – A dark tale about a woman coping with grief who enters a secretive marriage, only to find herself surrounded by deception.

Anthologies and Collaborations

• Murder, Secrets, Kisses, and Lies (2014) – A collaborative romantic suspense anthology featuring a story by Carey Baldwin alongside authors like Rachel Grant and Manda Collins.

What to Know Before You Start

Carey Baldwin is a retired physician who holds doctorates in both medicine and psychology. Because of this background, her books are known for realistic clinical environments, authentic forensic details, and accurate portrayals of criminal psychology. Readers who enjoy Tess Gerritsen's medical details or Lisa Gardner's psychological profiling will find a similar style here.

While her early books (such as First Do No Evil) feature strong romantic plots alongside the suspense, her standalone novels focus almost entirely on psychological and domestic mystery. The Cassidy & Spenser series successfully bridges these two styles, offering a satisfying crime procedural with an ongoing slow-burn romance.