Carol Goodman Books in Order

Where to Start with Carol Goodman

For readers new to Carol Goodman’s atmospheric, mystery-laden worlds, the absolute best place to start is her spectacular 2002 debut, The Lake of Dead Languages. This novel established her signature style: an academic setting (a girls' boarding school in the Adirondacks), deep-seated secrets from the past, classical mythology motifs, and lyrical, gothic prose. If you want to sample her award-winning works next, pick up The Seduction of Water (winner of the 2003 Hammett Prize) or her eerie estate-centered thriller The Widow's House (winner of the 2018 Mary Higgins Clark Award).

Carol Goodman Standalone Novels in Publication Order

Aside from her specific trilogies, the vast majority of Carol Goodman's novels are completely standalone psychological suspense stories. While they do not share characters or plot lines, reading them in publication order allows you to experience her evolution as a master of modern gothic suspense. Here is the chronological list of her standalones, including her latest releases:

• The Lake of Dead Languages (2002)
• The Seduction of Water (2003)
• The Drowning Tree (2004)
• The Ghost Orchid (2006)
• The Sonnet Lover (2007)
• The Night Villa (2008)
• Arcadia Falls (2010)
• River Road (2016)
• The Widow's House (2017)
• The Metropolitans (2017)
• The Other Mother (2018)
• The Night Visitors (2019) – Also published in some regions as 'The Night Visitor'
• The Sea of Lost Girls (2020)
• The Stranger Behind You (2021)
• The Disinvited Guest (2022)
• The Bones of the Story (2023)
• Return to Wyldcliffe Heights (2024)
• Writers and Liars (2025)
• Our Marriage Is Murder (2026)

The Series and Collaborative Trilogies

Carol Goodman has also ventured into fantasy and young adult fiction, writing both under her own name and under pseudonyms. If you are diving into these series, it is critical to read them in strict order.

The Fairwick Chronicles (Writing as Juliet Dark)

Goodman adopted the pen name Juliet Dark to write this adult paranormal gothic fantasy trilogy. Set in a creepy college town, it features a literature professor who discovers that her new home is haunted and that she is drawn to an incubus. Note: Some books were released under different titles depending on the country.

1. The Demon Lover (2011) – Also published as 'Incubus'
2. The Water Witch (2012)
3. The Angel Stone (2013) – Also published under her real name as 'Dark Possession'

The Blythewood Trilogy

Written under her real name, this young adult historical fantasy series blends gothic atmosphere with magic, focusing on a young woman who attends a mysterious boarding school near the Hudson River and discovers her own supernatural lineage.

1. Blythewood (2013)
2. Ravencliffe (2014)
3. Hawthorn (2015)

Black Swan Rising (Writing as Lee Carroll)

This dark urban fantasy series was co-authored with her husband, the poet Lee Slonimsky, under the joint pseudonym Lee Carroll. It combines jewelry making, Manhattan art galleries, alchemy, and ancient mythical creatures.

1. Black Swan Rising (2010)
2. The Watchtower (2011)
3. The Shape Stealer (2013)

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Carol Goodman's catalog, keep these tips in mind. First, pay close attention to book titles and pseudonyms: because she has written under three distinct names (Carol Goodman, Juliet Dark, and Lee Carroll) and had books retitled for UK or international releases (e.g., The Demon Lover vs. Incubus), it is easy to accidentally purchase the same novel twice. Second, her genres vary widely by pen name: if you prefer literary gothic realism, stick to her Carol Goodman standalones; if you want supernatural romance and magic, explore her Fairwick and Black Swan books.