Casi McLean Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Casi McLean

For readers new to Casi McLean's genre-blending style, the absolute best starting point is the Lake Lanier Mysteries. This trilogy captures her signature mix of romantic suspense and time-slip magic, set against the backdrop of Georgia's eerie, real-life man-made lake. Once you have finished this trilogy, you can smoothly transition into its spin-off cozy series, the Three Sisters Island Mysteries, which shares the same magical time-travel mechanics.

If you prefer political intrigue and high-stakes thriller vibes over cozy lake mysteries, start with the Deep State Mysteries series instead. For readers who want a quick, bite-sized taste of her supernatural twists, the standalone novelettes in the Destiny Collection are ideal. Below is the breakdown of each series in its recommended reading order.

The Connected Lake Lanier & Three Sisters Island Universe

McLean's most popular books belong to a loosely connected universe centered around mystical time portals and antique watches that allow characters to cross centuries. The reading order flows best when you follow their publication sequence:

1. Lake Lanier Mysteries

This series introduces the concept of a time portal hidden beneath the waters of Lake Lanier, thrusting modern characters into historical conflicts while they navigate intense romance.

• Beneath the Lake (2015) – The award-winning first book that sets the stage with a portal to the past.
• Beyond the Mist (2017) – The second installment, following another time-slip mystery around the lake.
• Between the Shadows (2018) – The concluding volume of the primary Lake Lanier trilogy.

2. Three Sisters Island Mysteries

A cozy spin-off from the Lake Lanier series, this run follows the Holloway sisters—Raine, Summer, and Meadow—who discover they can travel through time after finding a unique antique pocket watch. While some fan communities and retailers classify these books under different series headings or lists, the chronological story is best enjoyed as follows:

• Timeless Secrets (2021) – Book 1, focusing on the discovery of the watch and the first sister's journey.
• In Time For Christmas (2021) – Book 2, which pulls double duty as a festive holiday romance and a key continuation of the family's temporal adventures.
• Timeless Treasures (2022) – Book 3, deepening the mysteries of the island and the Holloway lineage.
• Timeless Mysteries (2022) – Book 4, which rounds out the core sisters' storylines.
• Time Swept (2023) – A companion novel sub-branded as a "Magical Moment" within the series. It follows Danica Lane to a lake house near Lake Lanier, where her timeline collides with Nathan Hayes, a man fleeing a false murder accusation 140 years in the past.

Deep State Mysteries

If you want to skip the historical settings and dive into modern government conspiracies, psychic connections, and military suspense, the Deep State Mysteries series is the correct path. These should be read in order:

1. Reign Of Fire (2019) – Introduces a psychic journalist and a ghostly twin attempting to expose a deadly political plot.
2. The List: Alyssa's Revenge (2019) – Continues the high-stakes revenge plot and political thrillers.
3. China Storm (Upcoming / In Progress) – Planned as the third book in this political suspense series.

Destiny Series: Five Novelettes With A Twist

Originally published as separate stories in 2014, these short, supernatural romantic tales were later compiled into the Destiny Series: Five Novelettes With A Twist box set in 2015. They can technically be read in any order as they are self-contained stories, but the publication order is:

1. Destiny (2014)
2. The Gift (2014)
3. After Midnight (2014)
4. Convergent (2014)
5. The Pegasus Chronicle (2014)

Important Caveat: The High-Tech Crime Solvers Series

Many online book databases list a long series called High-Tech Crime Solvers under Casi McLean's profile, including books like Virtually Lace, Virtually Undead, Virtually Harmless, and Virtually Dead.

Readers should note: High-Tech Crime Solvers is a collaborative project written by several different authors. McLean did not write the entire series. She only wrote Virtually Timeless (2020), which stands as Book 5 in the collection and features Atlanta twins Sydney and Noah Monaco investigating an inheritance. The other books in the series are standalone mysteries by authors like Uvi Poznansky, Robert I. Katz, and P.D. Workman. You do not need to read the other authors' books to enjoy McLean's contribution.

Casi McLean's Standalone Novels

In between her major series, McLean has written standalone thrillers that showcase her versatile writing styles:

• A Switch In Time: The President Is Missing... (2020) – A unique time-slip political thriller. This book has a special history: it was developed from an unfinished 1960s manuscript written by McLean's mother, Eleanor LaRue, which Casi modernized and finished.
• Fatal Obsession (2021) – A darker, contemporary psychological romantic suspense novel following sportscaster Elise Sloan and her NFL player partner Deke Madigan as they try to survive a dangerous stalker.

Non-Fiction & Memoirs

For readers interested in the author's real-life inspirations and writing journey, McLean has published two non-fiction titles:

• Wingless Butterfly: Confessions of a Recovering Jerk Magnet (2011) – McLean's debut memoir (sometimes subtitled Healing The Broken Child Within), detailing her personal struggle to heal and her search for her biological father.
• So You Want To Be An Author: 50 Award-Winning Authors Share Success Secrets (2017) – A helpful guide for aspiring writers filled with industry advice.