Where to Start Reading Cindy Dees
With over one hundred novels spanning military romance, espionage thrillers, and even epic fantasy, Cindy Dees has built an incredibly diverse bibliography. Drawing directly from her real-life experience as one of the youngest female pilots in U.S. Air Force history, her stories feature a level of tactical realism and high-stakes tension that few others can match. If you are new to her work, deciding where to start can feel daunting. Fortunately, her books are grouped into distinct series and multi-author continuities, making it easy to find a path that matches your reading taste.
For the quintessential Cindy Dees experience, we recommend starting with the Valkyrie Ops series, beginning with Beyond the Limit (2019). This duology focuses on elite female military operatives and showcases Dees' strength at blending authentic combat maneuvers with intense, slow-burn romance. Alternatively, if you want pure, heart-pounding suspense with a retired CIA assassin, start with the Helen Warwick series, beginning with Second Shot (2023). This thriller series is currently being adapted into a Netflix project, making it the perfect time to catch up on the books.
The Medusa Universe and H.O.T. Watch Crossovers
The crown jewel of Dees' solo work is the Medusa Project, which follows an all-female Special Forces team. It is a thrilling, action-packed military romance series that should ideally be read in publication order. A spin-off series, Mission Medusa (released in 2019), acts as a direct continuation, focusing on a new class of recruits trained under the same top-secret program after a previous team goes missing.
If you are reading the Medusa Project, you will want to pay close attention to the H.O.T. Watch series. These two series share a shared universe and feature a major crossover. Specifically, the novel Medusa's Master (2009) is officially listed as the third book in the H.O.T. Watch series, but it functions as a direct crossover featuring Katrina 'Kat' Kim from the Medusas alongside Jeff Steiger from the H.O.T. Watch agency. To get the complete picture of this universe, we recommend alternating between the two series or reading the Medusa Project up to book six before diving into H.O.T. Watch.
The Medusa Project Reading Order
- The Medusa Project (2005)
- Medusa Rising (2005)
- The Medusa Game (2006)
- The Medusa Prophecy (2007)
- The Medusa Affair (2007)
- The Medusa Seduction (2007)
- The Medusa Proposition (2010)
- Medusa's Sheik (2010)
Mission Medusa Reading Order
- The Recruit (2019)
- The Spy (2019)
- The Operator (2019)
H.O.T. Watch Reading Order
- The Dark Side Of Night (2007)
- Night Rescuer (2009)
- Medusa’s Master (2009)
- The Longest Night (2010)
- Soldier's Last Stand (2011)
- Soldier's Night Mission (2011)
- Soldier's Rescue Mission (2011)
- Her Hero After Dark (2012)
Multi-Author Continuity Series and Contributions
Cindy Dees is a prolific contributor to shared-universe romance lines published by Harlequin. These are multi-author projects where a central storyline connects books written by different authors. When reading these, you can choose to read only Dees' contributions, but for the complete narrative arc, it is best to follow the series' full publication order.
Her most famous contributions are within the massive Colton family saga. Over the years, Dees has contributed to several subseries, including The Coltons of Montana (writing Dr. Colton's High-Stakes Fiancee), The Coltons of Roaring Springs (writing Colton Under Fire), The Coltons of Kansas (writing Colton in the Line of Fire), and the Colton 911: Chicago line (writing Desperate Ransom). She also contributed Target (2005) to the popular Athena Force series, which follows the graduates of an elite academy for women.
The Sleeping King: A Journey into Epic Fantasy
For readers looking for something completely different, Dees co-authored an epic fantasy trilogy with Bill Flippin called The Sleeping King. Unlike her military romances, this trilogy is based on the long-running live-action role-playing (LARP) game Dragon Crest. Dees, a longtime story creator for the LARP, collaborated with the game's founder to adapt the complex lore of the planet Urth into a novel format. It is a classic quest story involving elemental magic, immortal rulers, and a rebellion to find a legendary elven king.
The Sleeping King Reading Order
- The Sleeping King (2015)
- The Dreaming Hunt (2016)
- The Wandering War (2018)
What to Know Before You Start
Before launching into Cindy Dees' massive catalog, keep these practical tips in mind:
- Standalone vs. Series: Most of Dees' romance novels can be enjoyed as standalones, as each book typically resolves the main romantic plot. However, reading them in order is highly recommended for her military series (like Valkyrie Ops and the Medusa Project) to appreciate the overarching plotlines and recurring side characters.
- Pseudonyms: Under her real name, Cindy Dees writes action-heavy, intense romantic suspense and thrillers. If you are looking for lighter, clean, and wholesome contemporary romances, look for books written under her pen name, Cynthia Dees, which are set in charming small towns like Apple Pie Creek.
- Crossover Connections: Always keep a eye out for shared characters, especially between the H.O.T. Watch and Medusa Project series, which share high-tech military espionage agencies.