Catrin Collier Books in Order

Where to Start with Catrin Collier

For readers new to Catrin Collier, there are two primary entry points depending on your preference. If you want to dive into her signature multi-generational Welsh historical sagas, start with Hearts of Gold, her most famous work. If you prefer a standalone experience that showcases her emotional depth and historical research, begin with One Last Summer, a poignant novel set in East Prussia during World War II, based directly on her mother's wartime diaries.

Hearts of Gold Series: Publication vs. Chronological Order

Set in Pontypridd, Wales, from the 1930s to the 1950s, this series follows the lives of families enduring mining hardships and war. While publication order is a great way to experience the books as they were released, reading them chronologically aligns the narrative timeline more smoothly.

Recommended Chronological Order

1. Hearts of Gold (1992)
2. One Blue Moon (1993)
3. A Silver Lining (1996)
4. All That Glitters (1995)
5. Such Sweet Sorrow (1996)
6. Past Remembering (1997)
7. Broken Rainbows (1993)
8. Spoils of War (2000)
9. Magda's Daughter (2008)
10. Bobby's Girl (2009)

Original Publication Order

1. Hearts of Gold (1992)
2. One Blue Moon (1993)
3. Broken Rainbows (1993)
4. All That Glitters (1995)
5. Such Sweet Sorrow (1996)
6. A Silver Lining (1996)
7. Past Remembering (1997)
8. Spoils of War (2000)
9. Magda's Daughter (2008)
10. Bobby's Girl (2009)

Beggars and Choosers Series

This sequence captures the social struggles of the Rhondda Valley mining communities. It is best read in order of publication:

1. Beggars and Choosers (2003)
2. Winners and Losers (2004)
3. Sinners and Shadows (2004)
4. Finders and Keepers (2005)
5. Black-eyed Devils (2009)

Note: The Tiger Bay series (consisting of Tiger Bay Blues and Tiger Ragtime, both published in 2006) serves as a thematic spin-off, exploring related narrative threads in Cardiff's historic docklands.

Detective Trevor Joseph Series (Written as Katherine John)

Under the pseudonym Katherine John, the author crafts tense crime fiction and psychological thrillers featuring Detective Trevor Joseph. These should be read in order of release to track the recurring investigators' personal developments:

1. Without Trace (1990)
2. Midnight Murders / Six Foot Under (1996)
3. Murder of a Dead Man (1997)
4. The Corpse's Tale (2006)
5. Black Daffodil (2008)
6. The Destruction of Evidence (2010)
7. A Well Deserved Murder (2012)
8. The Ghost Before Christmas (2013)
9. The Vanished (2015)

Other Notable Series & Pseudonyms

Swansea Girls Books

A trilogy focusing on young women navigating post-WWII Swansea:

1. Swansea Girls (2001)
2. Swansea Summer (2002)
3. Homecoming (2003)

The Tsar's Dragons Series

An ambitious historical trilogy centered on Russian industrial history and Welsh immigrants:

1. The Tsar's Dragons (2014)
2. Princes & Peasants (2016)
3. A Dragon's Legacy (2019)

Glyndŵr Books

A historical series tracing the life and legacy of Welsh rebel leader Owain Glyndŵr:

1. The Foretold Son (2013)
2. Glorious Shall Their Dragon Be (2014)
3. My Child's Child To Weep (2015)

Note: Later editions and full lists of this historical saga sometimes include the fourth novel, When Warriors Go to Die.

Farcreek Books (Written as Caro French)

Written under the name Caro French, this contemporary romance trilogy is named after the yachts owned by the Cullen brothers:

1. Lady Luck (1995)
2. Lady Lay (1995)
3. Lady Chance (1995)

The Grand (Written as Katherine Hardy)

Based on the popular ITV period drama, these novelisations follow a 1920s Manchester hotel:

1. The Grand (1997)
2. Under New Management (1998)

What to Know Before You Start

Catrin Collier uses multiple pen names depending on the genre. Historical fiction and family dramas are typically published under Catrin Collier. Psychological crime thrillers are released under Katherine John (or K.A. John). Contemporary romance works are written under Caro French, and television novelisations under Katherine Hardy. Most of her historical works are heavily inspired by real accounts, especially Welsh industrial history and the struggles of war refugees.