Deborah Coonts Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Deborah Coonts

If you are new to the fast-paced, humorous, and sometimes dark worlds of Deborah Coonts, the best place to start is at the beginning of her signature series, the Lucky O'Toole Las Vegas Adventures. The debut novel, Wanna Get Lucky? (2010), introduces readers to the witty, capable, and slightly chaotic Lucky O'Toole, the Chief of Customer Relations at the Babylon, a massive Las Vegas mega-resort. It perfectly establishes the blend of snappy dialogue, romantic tension, and lighthearted mystery that fans of Janet Evanovich will instantly recognize.

However, if you prefer high-stakes suspense over Sin City shenanigans, the standalone medical thriller After Me (2016) is a fantastic alternative starting point. It showcases Coonts’ range, shifting from breezy humor to a tense, gripping story about a witness protection officer battling memory loss and a killer.

Lucky O'Toole Las Vegas Adventures: Recommended Reading Order

The Lucky O'Toole series is best read in publication order. Because the series features significant character development, evolving romantic dynamics, and recurring subplots involving the staff of the Babylon Casino, skipping around can lead to minor spoilers. The list below integrates both the mainline novels and the intermediate novellas for the most complete reading experience:

1. Wanna Get Lucky? (2010) — The novel that started it all. Lucky investigates a murder after a young woman is pushed from a helicopter into the Babylon's pirate pond.
2. Lucky Stiff (2011) — A corpse turns up inside a giant light fixture, and Lucky must balance the investigation with a high-stakes poker tournament.
3. Lucky in Love (2012) — A novella that bridges the gap between major investigations, focusing on Lucky's complicated love life.
4. So Damn Lucky (2012) — Lucky faces a blackmailer threatening to expose the dirty secrets of the Babylon's elite clientele.
5. Lucky Bang (2012) — A fast-paced novella featuring Vegas high-rollers and sudden shootouts.
6. Lucky Now and Then (2014) — A holiday-themed novella that tests Lucky's patience and her heart.
7. Lucky Bastard (2014) — Lucky deals with a French chef, a stolen painting, and a runaway bride in a full-length caper.
8. Lucky Catch (2014) — When a billionaire's yacht becomes a crime scene, Lucky finds herself caught in the crosshairs.
9. Lucky Flash (2015) — A quick-hit novella featuring a flash mob gone wrong at the Babylon.
10. Lucky Break (2015) — A dead body in a VIP suite forces Lucky to delve into the dark side of professional sports.
11. Lucky the Hard Way (2016) — Lucky takes on a case involving country music stars and mysterious disappearances.
12. Lucky Ride (2017) — A road trip adventure that takes Lucky outside of her usual casino comfort zone.
13. Lucky Score (2018) — A high-society heist brings new allies and old rivalries to the forefront.
14. Lucky Ce Soir (2019) — Lucky travels to Paris, proving that trouble follows her even across the Atlantic.
15. Lucky Enough (2020) — The latest full-length adventure, forcing Lucky to choose between safety and her instincts.

Lucky O'Toole Collections and Crossover Spin-offs

For readers who want to catch up on the shorter adventures without buying them individually, The Complete Lucky O’Toole Novella Collection (2018) compiles the intermediate novellas into a single volume. Additionally, Coonts teamed up with author Josie Brown for a fun crossover novella, The Housewife Assassin Gets Lucky (2018). This book serves as Book 17 in Brown's long-running Housewife Assassin series and brings Lucky O'Toole into a wild, comedic espionage mission.

Kate Sawyer Medical Thrillers

Moving away from the comedic vibes of Las Vegas, the Kate Sawyer series offers a darker, psychological edge. This series is unique for its portrayal of a protagonist who is dealing with early-onset Alzheimer's while trying to solve complex cases and stay alive. To get the full story of Kate's struggle with her memories and her past, read these two books in order:

1. After Me (2016) — Kate Sawyer, a former cop in witness protection, wakes up with a dead body, no memory of how it got there, and a ticking clock.
2. Deadfall (2020) — Kate returns to face the remnants of the conspiracy that ruined her life, struggling to piece together clues before her memory fades completely.

Brinda Rose Humorous Mysteries

If you love the humor of the Lucky O'Toole series but want a change of scenery, the Brinda Rose series is the perfect fit. This series features a Jersey transplant in Texas who finds herself in charge of a professional football team after her husband's suspicious death:

• 90 Days to Score (2020) — Originally released in three parts, this novel follows Brinda Rose as she tries to clear her name, manage a rowdy NFL team, and dodge the socialites of Dallas.

Standalones and Non-Fiction

Coonts has also written several standalone stories and contributed to local collections, demonstrating her versatility across genres:

• Crushed (2016) — A contemporary romance and the start of the Sophia Stone Napa Valley series. It follows a widow struggling to save her family's boutique vineyard amid family drama and romantic tension.
• Deep Water (2017) — A romantic suspense novel drawing heavily on Coonts’ own background as a pilot, featuring flight, survival, and deep-sea mystery.
• Fade, Sag, Crumble (2011) — A non-fiction anthology published by CityLife Books as part of the "Las Vegas Writes" project, where Coonts and nine other Vegas writers reflect on decay, resilience, and the reality of living in Sin City.

What to Know Before You Start

Deborah Coonts' writing is characterized by its authenticity. Having lived in Las Vegas for fifteen years, she brings a genuine insider's view to the Babylon Casino. Furthermore, her background as a tax lawyer, commercial pilot, and flight instructor shines through in her detailed portrayals of legal maneuvering and aviation scenes. While the Lucky O'Toole books are light and funny, they do not shy away from complex relationship dynamics, making the reading order especially important for those who want to watch Lucky grow over the course of the decade-long series timeline.