The Recommended Reading Order
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read Carrie Smith's mystery novels in their publication order. The overarching narrative relies heavily on character development, particularly regarding Detective Claire Codella's personal recovery, professional relationships, and the shifting dynamics within the NYPD.
- Silent City (2015)
- Forgotten City (2016)
- Unholy City (2017)
Claire Codella Mystery Books in Detail
1. Silent City (2015)
The series debut introduces NYPD Detective Claire Codella, a sharp investigator returning to duty after a grueling battle with cancer. Immediately thrown into a high-profile case, she must investigate the brutal murder of Hector Sanchez, a popular public school principal found dead in his own school. As Codella navigates a school system fraught with politics, union tensions, and personal vendettas, she must also fight to reclaim her standing among colleagues who doubt her readiness to return. Silent City establishes the series' signature style: gritty procedural realism balanced with deep emotional resonance.
2. Forgotten City (2016)
The second book in the series centers on the suspicious death of Broadway legend Lucy Merchant at an exclusive, high-end Alzheimer's care facility in Manhattan. What initially looks like a tragic but natural end soon turns into a murder investigation as Detective Codella digs into the family secrets, corporate greed, and long-held rivalries surrounding the star's estate. This entry was widely praised for its sensitive and realistic portrayal of characters with cognitive decline and diverse caregivers, earning the 2017 Killer Nashville Readers' Choice Award.
3. Unholy City (2017)
The third installment brings Detective Codella to St. Paul's Episcopal Church on Manhattan's Upper West Side, where a senior churchwarden is found murdered in the churchyard. The victim is a wealthy and influential man, and the investigation soon exposes fissures within the congregation, involving everything from financial misconduct to hidden personal relationships. Codella must peel back the layers of sanctimony and status to uncover a killer, all while dealing with her own evolving personal life.
Carrie Smith's Standalone Literary Fiction
Forget Harry (1981)
Decades before creating Detective Claire Codella, Carrie Smith published her debut novel, Forget Harry. Written during her senior year at the University of Michigan and published by Simon & Schuster, this literary novel is an introspective character study quite distinct in tone and genre from her later crime procedurals. The book is currently out of print but remains a key piece of her early literary development, which earned her three Hopwood Awards and a Fine Arts Work Center fellowship.
What to Know Before You Start
Readers stepping into Carrie Smith's New York will find a series that honors classic police procedural traditions while prioritizing modern social realism. Below are a few key elements to keep in mind:
- Character Over Case: While the mystery plotting is tight, the real heart of the series is Claire Codella's resilience. Her journey as a cancer survivor returning to a stressful workspace is depicted with intense vulnerability.
- A Realistic NYC: Smith drafts her books on her iPhone's Notes app while walking the streets of Manhattan. This process infuses the settings with genuine sensory details, showing New York's true neighborhood-by-neighborhood rhythm.
- Diverse Casts: Smith's books are noted for their realistic representation of New York's cultural melting pot, featuring LGBTQ+ characters, diverse educators, caregivers, and complex socioeconomic dynamics without relying on typical crime fiction tropes.