The Recommended Reading Order for Catharine Riggs’s Novels
For readers diving into the suspenseful world of Catharine Riggs, the best path forward is straightforward. To experience the psychological depth and shifting dynamics of her writing style, we recommend following the publication order of the primary series. While the books are largely standalone mysteries, reading them in order allows you to fully appreciate how the author constructs her dark, coastal universe and develops her themes of greed and deception.
Santa Barbara Suspense Series in Publication Order
- What She Gave Away (2018)
- What She Never Said (2019)
Detailed Book-by-Book Breakdown
1. What She Gave Away (2018)
In her debut novel, Catharine Riggs introduces readers to the dark side of Montecito and Santa Barbara, California—a world where manicured lawns hide toxic secrets. The story is told through alternating perspectives: Crystal Love, a loan analyst at a local bank who possesses a dangerous grudge and a dark history, and Kathi Wright, a recently widowed woman struggling with the suspicious circumstances surrounding her husband's death. As Crystal begins systematically dismantling the lives of the wealthy circles around her, a tense web of financial fraud, revenge, and denial begins to unravel. Riggs uses her professional background in business banking to paint a realistic and terrifying picture of white-collar crime and the psychological leverage of secrets.
2. What She Never Said (2019)
The second novel shifts the suspense to Serenity Acres, an upscale luxury retirement home where the affluent spend their final years. When residents begin dying under highly unusual and suspicious circumstances, Ruth Mosby, the vice president of operations, finds herself in a precarious position. Teaming up with a retired detective, Ruth attempts to uncover the truth behind what appears to be an active 'Angel of Death' operating within the facility. This installment escalates the psychological tension, exploring how vulnerability is exploited in elite spaces and how far people will go to protect their reputations and wealth.
Reading Order and Chronological Advice
Because the events of What She Gave Away and What She Never Said occur in chronological alignment with their publication, the publication order matches the internal timeline. Although the novels feature different primary protagonists (Crystal Love in the first, Ruth Mosby in the second), they share the same overarching setting of Santa Barbara and Montecito. Some secondary characters make minor crossover appearances, reinforcing the sense of a shared, insular community. Therefore, starting with the first book is highly recommended to build a proper foundation of the setting and its recurring social dynamics.
What to Know Before You Start
Before cracking open your first Catharine Riggs novel, it is helpful to understand her specific approach to the psychological thriller genre. Unlike traditional mystery writers who focus on heroic detectives solving clean crimes, Riggs specializes in unreliable narrators, flawed protagonists, and morally ambiguous characters. Influenced by classic suspense writers like Patricia Highsmith and Daphne du Maurier, her stories rely heavily on building a sense of dread and dissecting human behavior under pressure. Furthermore, Riggs's novels serve as a sharp social commentary on the pressures of keeping up appearances, the corrupting influence of wealth, and the class divides that run deep beneath California's sunny exterior.
Looking Ahead: The Shift to Gothic Thrillers and Cath Carson
For fans who have finished the Santa Barbara Suspense series and are eager for more of Riggs's signature tension, there is an exciting shift on the horizon. The author has transitioned to writing under the pen name Cath Carson. Under this new alter ego, she has penned a gothic thriller titled Beneath the Carriage House, which is slated for publication in the summer of 2027 by Dutton Books. While this upcoming release marks a departure from her contemporary California setting, it promises to deliver the same dark, atmospheric suspense that readers have come to expect from her work.