Clea Simon Books in Order

Where Should You Start Reading Clea Simon?

Clea Simon has built a wonderfully diverse bibliography spanning cozy paranormal mysteries, gritty pet noirs, rock-and-roll crime fiction, and dark psychological suspense. Because her series do not crossover, you do not have to read her entire catalog in publication order. Instead, the best way to start depends entirely on the specific subgenre or vibe you prefer:

• For Magic & Cozy Paranormal Fans: Start with the Witch Cats of Cambridge series, beginning with A Spell of Murder. This series features an aspiring witch, a cozy New England setting, and three adorable feline familiars who secretly help solve crimes.
• For Classic Cozy Mystery Lovers: Start with the Dulcie Schwartz series, beginning with Shades of Grey. This series blends academic life with a touch of the supernatural, featuring a graduate student guided by the ghost of her late, beloved cat.
• For Music & Rock 'n' Roll Enthusiasts: Start with the Theda Krakow series, beginning with Mew Is for Murder. Drawing heavily from Simon's background as a rock music critic, it follows a freelance journalist investigating crime in Boston’s vibrant indie music scene.
• For Grit, Snark, and Realism: Start the Pru Marlowe Pet Noir series with Dogs Don't Lie. This series features a tough, cynical animal behaviorist who can communicate with pets, delivering a sharper, more hard-boiled detective style than traditional cozies.
• For Dystopian Noir Lovers: Dive into the Blackie & Care series, starting with The Ninth Life. This is her darkest series, set in a gritty urban landscape and narrated by a black cat who was once human, guarding a homeless teenager.

The Witch Cats of Cambridge Mysteries

This series introduces readers to Becca Colwin, a young woman living in Cambridge, Massachusetts, who has just discovered she has magical abilities. Becca works at a shop called "Charm and Cherish" and is assisted by her three very distinct, magical cats: Harriet, Laurel, and Clara. The mysteries are cozy, whimsical, and highly focused on the bond between Becca and her familiars. They should be read in chronological order to follow Becca's developing magical powers and relationships.

1. A Spell of Murder (2018)
2. An Incantation of Cats (2020)
3. A Cat on the Case (2021)
4. To Conjure a Killer (2023)
5. The Cat's Eye Charm (2025)

The Dulcie Schwartz Mysteries

Set in the academic world of Harvard University, this series follows Dulcie Schwartz, a graduate student studying Gothic literature. After the death of her beloved cat, Mr. Grey, she begins receiving advice and warnings from his ghost. This series combines academic drama, research mysteries, and light paranormal elements. They must be read in publication order to track Dulcie's academic career and personal growth.

1. Shades of Grey (2009)
2. Grey Matters (2010)
3. Grey Zone (2011)
4. Grey Expectations (2012)
5. True Grey (2012)
6. Grey Dawn (2013)
7. Grey Howl (2014)
8. Stages of Grey (2014)
9. Code Grey (2015)
10. Into the Grey (2016)

The Pru Marlowe Pet Noir Mysteries

Pru Marlowe is not a cozy sleuth. She is a hard-boiled animal behaviorist who has returned to her Berkshire home, carrying the secret ability to hear what animals are thinking. The animals in Pru's world are not cute sidekicks; they are witnesses, victims, and sometimes accomplices. Wallis, a snarky tabby cat, serves as her main sounding board. This series has a noir sensibility, with sharp dialogue and complex plots that are best enjoyed in order.

1. Dogs Don't Lie (2011)
2. Cats Can't Shoot (2012)
3. Parrots Prove Deadly (2013)
4. Panthers Play for Keeps (2014)
5. Kittens Can Kill (2015)
6. When Bunnies Go Bad (2016)
7. Fear on Four Paws (2018)

The Theda Krakow Mysteries

This is the series that launched Clea Simon's fiction career. It features Theda Krakow, a freelance music journalist in Boston, and her cat, Musetta. The series heavily utilizes Simon's real-life experiences as a Boston-based rock critic. The mysteries highlight the gritty indie club scene, animal rights struggles, hoarding issues, and the realities of freelance writing.

1. Mew Is for Murder (2005)
2. Cattery Row (2006)
3. Cries & Whiskers (2007)
4. Probable Claws (2009)

The Blackie & Care Mysteries

This trilogy moves into dystopian territory. Blackie is a black cat who retains memories of a past human life, who acts as protector and guide to Care, a homeless teenager trying to make a living as an investigator. Together, they navigate a dark, dangerous city. It is Simon's most experimental and atmospheric series, featuring a tighter continuity than her cozy books.

1. The Ninth Life (2016)
2. As Dark as My Fur (2017)
3. Cross My Path (2018)

Standalone Novels and Non-Fiction

For readers who want to experience Clea Simon's writing outside of a long-running series, she has written several highly acclaimed standalone psychological thrillers. These novels tend to have a darker, more intense tone, exploring themes of memory, music, and complicated relationships.

Standalone Novels

• World Enough (2017) – A gritty mystery exploring nostalgia, aging, and memory, set against the backdrop of the Boston punk rock scene in the 1980s.
• Hold Me Down (2021) – A psychological thriller following a former rock star dealing with trauma and the dark secrets of her past.
• Bad Boy Beat (2024) – A suspenseful look at the ethics of tabloid journalism and murder.
• The Butterfly Trap (2025) – A domestic suspense novel detailing the dual perspectives of a marriage filled with dark secrets.

Non-Fiction Works

Before turning to fiction, Simon published deeply personal and well-researched non-fiction books detailing family struggles and the unique relationship between women and felines.

• Mad House: Growing Up in the Shadow of Mentally Ill Siblings (1997)
• Fatherless Women: How We Change After We Lose Our Dads (2001)
• The Feline Mystique: On the Mysterious Connection Between Women and Cats (2002)

What to Know Before You Start

While most of Clea Simon's cozy mysteries can technically be read as standalones, they benefit greatly from being read in order due to character development. Pru Marlowe's relationship with her animal clients, Becca's magical evolution in Cambridge, and Dulcie's academic progression at Harvard are ongoing narrative arcs that build from book to book. Her standalones like World Enough and Hold Me Down serve as excellent palette cleansers between series, especially for readers who enjoy gritty indie music vibes and psychological tension.