Carrie Jones Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Carrie Jones?

Carrie Jones is famous for her ability to weave small-town New England charm with suspense, romance, and supernatural lore. Because she writes across several distinct genres, the best starting point depends on your personal reading preferences:

• For Paranormal YA Lovers: Start with Need (2008). This is her signature New York Times bestselling series about human-sized, malicious pixies, Norse mythology, and high-stakes survival in a freezing Maine town.
• For Cozy Mystery & Crime Fans: Start with The Places We Hide (2020), the first entry in the Bar Harbor Rose Mysteries. It is a suspenseful contemporary mystery series focused on a small-town reporter hiding from her past.
• For Contemporary YA Readers: Start with her award-winning debut, Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend (2007), which follows a high school senior navigating self-discovery after her boyfriend comes out.
• For Middle-Grade Fantasy Enthusiasts: Start with Time Stoppers (2016), a magical adventure set in a hidden town in Maine where magical beings are safe from the outside world.

The Need Series Reading Order

This is Carrie Jones's breakout urban fantasy series. It follows Zara White, a teenager who moves to Maine only to discover that the town is infested with terrifying, human-sized pixies that feed on human needs. To get the full story of Zara, her allies, and the Norse-inspired mythology that shapes their fight, you must read this series in strict publication order:

1. Need (2008)
2. Captivate (2010)
3. Entice (2010)
4. Endure (2012)

The series is a continuous story, meaning the books cannot be read as standalones. The stakes escalate from local folklore to apocalyptic threats, making it essential to follow Zara's journey from the beginning.

Bar Harbor Rose Mysteries Reading Order

Transitioning into adult mystery and suspense, Jones launched the Bar Harbor Rose Mysteries. The books follow Rosie Jones, a single mother and local reporter in Bar Harbor, Maine, who is trying to remain anonymous to protect her daughter from a dangerous past. The series is best read in publication order to track the overarching mystery of Rosie's past and her developing relationships:

1. The Places We Hide (2020)
2. The People Who Kill (2021)
3. The Things We Seek (2021)
4. The Greed That Kills (2022)
5. The Fear That Returns (2022)

The Dude Goodfeather Series Reading Order

This young adult mystery series introduces Jessica "Dude" Goodfeather, a psychology-obsessed teenager living in Maine. Unlike the paranormal elements of Need, this series is a contemporary thriller focusing on murder mysteries and personal history. Read them in order:

1. Those Who Survived (2021)
2. Inch Worms (2021)
3. The People Who Leave (2022)

The Belle Series Reading Order

Jones's debut contemporary YA series deals with realistic issues, first love, and identity. It is centered around Belle Philbrick and is composed of two novels. Note that the second book, originally titled Love (and Other Uses for Duct Tape), is sometimes cataloged simply as Love in databases:

1. Tips on Having a Gay (Ex) Boyfriend (2007)
2. Love (and Other Uses for Duct Tape) (2008)

Middle-Grade Fantasy: Time Stoppers

For younger readers (or fans of whimsical town-based magic), the Time Stoppers series takes place in Aurora, Maine, a magical sanctuary hidden from the rest of the world. Follow the main trio as they defend their home:

1. Time Stoppers (2016)
2. Quest for the Golden Arrow (2017)
3. Escape from the Badlands (2018)

Sci-Fi and Paranormal Collaborations with Steven E. Wedel

Carrie Jones has frequently collaborated with author Steven E. Wedel on sci-fi and paranormal thrillers. If you enjoy alien invasions or eerie forest mysteries, check out these collaborative projects:

The Flying Series (Alien Hunter)

A fast-paced young adult sci-fi duology about a girl tracking down her abducted mother while dealing with alien conspiracies:

1. Flying (2016)
2. Enhanced (2017)

Co-Authored Standalones

• After Obsession (2011) — A dark, dual-POV paranormal thriller about demonic possession and family curses.
• In the Woods (2019) — A chilling mystery involving local legends, mysterious disappearances, and eerie secrets hidden deep in the Maine wilderness.

Other Standalones, Short Stories, and Anthologies

Beyond her main series, Jones has written several standalone novels, biographies, and contributions to anthologies that showcase her range:

• Girl, Hero (2008) — A contemporary YA novel about a girl trying to survive high school while writing letters to her hero, actor Audrey Hepburn.
• The Spy Who Played Baseball (2012) — A children's picture book biography detailing the true story of Moe Berg, a Major League Baseball player who served as a U.S. spy during World War II.
• Faith (2020) — A standalone short story/novella.
• Saint (2021) — A contemporary standalone novel.
• When You Bring Them Back (2021) — A contemporary standalone novel.
• Almost Dead (2021) — The debut book in the Alisa Thea series, which blends paranormal mystery with a unique premise: a landscaper who sees people's deaths through bare skin contact.
• Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (2011) — An anthology co-edited by Carrie Jones and Megan Kelley Hall, gathering personal experiences of bullying from top YA authors.
• Dear Teen Me (2012) — An anthology containing letters that authors wrote to their teenage selves.

What to Know Before You Start

Many of Carrie Jones's books are set in Maine, inspired by her own residency in Ellsworth and Bar Harbor. The atmospheric New England settings serve as their own characters, providing misty, isolated backdrops perfect for both paranormal threats and cozy secrets. Her heroines are characterized by their strong sense of identity, quirky personalities, and concern for real-world issues like human rights and bullying, reflecting Jones's own background as an award-winning journalist and human rights advocate.