E. Lockhart Books in Order

Where to Start with E. Lockhart

E. Lockhart (the pen name of Emily Jenkins) is master of two very different young adult domains: the sun-drenched, twisty psychological thriller and the witty, hyper-relatable contemporary high school comedy. Because her work spans distinct genres, your best starting point depends entirely on what kind of reading experience you are looking for.

If you love suspense, unreliable narrators, and jaw-dropping plot twists, you should start with her massive bestseller We Were Liars. It is the book that redefined her career and remains her most famous work. If you prefer a lighter, humorous, and deeply emotional look at teenage friendships, romance, and mental health, start with The Boyfriend List, the first book in the beloved Ruby Oliver quartet.

For readers who appreciate smart, feminist boarding-school intrigue, The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks is a brilliant standalone option that showcases Lockhart's sharp wit and commentary on patriarchal systems without the dark thriller elements of her later books.

The We Were Liars (Sinclair Family) Universe

The Sinclair family universe is E. Lockhart's most celebrated creation. Set primarily on the private island of Beechwood off the coast of Massachusetts, these novels examine generational wealth, toxic family dynamics, secrets, and lies. While the books can technically be read as standalones, they are deeply interconnected, and reading them out of order will ruin major twists.

The Recommended Publication Order

To experience the mysteries and reveals as the author intended, readers should follow the publication order:

• We Were Liars (2014) – Introduces Cadence Sinclair Eastman during her seventeenth summer on Beechwood Island as she struggles to recover her memories after a mysterious accident two years prior.
• Family of Liars (2022) – A prequel set during the summer of 1987, focusing on a younger generation of Sinclairs, specifically Cadence's aunt, Caroline (Carrie) Sinclair, and a tragedy that haunts the family for decades.
• We Fell Apart (2025) – A companion novel set parallel to the events of the original book (around 2012). It follows Matilda Klein as she visits her reclusive artist father at his seaside estate, Hidden Beach, and uncovers a web of lies among three mysterious teenagers.

The Chronological Order Caveat

If you were to read the Sinclair family books chronologically, the order would be:

1. Family of Liars (Set in 1987)
2. We Fell Apart (Set around 2012)
3. We Were Liars (Set around 2014)

Warning: Do not read them in chronological order first! Both Family of Liars and We Fell Apart contain massive spoilers regarding the central mystery, the ultimate fate of the characters, and the shocking twist ending of the original We Were Liars. Save the chronological order for a re-read once you already know the family secrets.

The Ruby Oliver Quartet

Before writing thrillers, E. Lockhart gained a loyal following with her contemporary quartet following the life, panic attacks, and therapy sessions of Ruby Oliver. These books must be read in strict publication and chronological order, as they follow a continuous narrative arc across Ruby's high school years:

1. The Boyfriend List: 15 Guys, 11 Sebastian Cabots, 4 Liasons, 9 Crying Fits, and 2 Hideous Haircuts (2005) – Ruby begins seeing a therapist after experiencing panic attacks, compiling a list of every boy she has ever had a romantic interaction with.
2. The Boy Book: A Study of History and Human Anatomy (2006) – Ruby navigates the social fallout of her list being distributed at school and tries to decipher the confusing behavior of teenage boys.
3. The Treasure Map of Boys: Noel, Jackson, Finn, Hutch, and the Rough Draft of a Girl's Life (2009) – Ruby deals with junior year stress, fluctuating friendships, and her complicated feelings for multiple boys.
4. Real Live Boyfriends: Yes. Boyfriends, Plural. If My Life Were a Sitcom (2010) – The final chapter of Ruby's high school journey, exploring mature relationships, college choices, and personal growth.

Standalone YA Novels and Collaborations

E. Lockhart has written several standout standalone novels that range from experimental thrillers to theatrical comedies:

• Fly on the Wall (2006) – A humorous, modern gender-swap story inspired by Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis. Art student Gretchen Yee is transformed into a fly and gains access to the boys' locker room, leading to eye-opening realizations about gender dynamics.
• Dramarama (2007) – A story about two theater-obsessed best friends, Sadye and Demi, who spend a life-changing summer at a competitive performing arts camp.
• The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks (2008) – A Michael L. Printz Honor book about a sophomore girl at a prestigious boarding school who secretly infiltrates and takes over an all-male secret prank society.
• How to Be Bad (2008) – A collaborative road-trip novel co-written with bestselling authors Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle, following three girls from the Florida Panhandle.
• Genuine Fraud (2017) – A gritty psychological thriller about identity theft, privilege, and murder, famously told in reverse chronological order. It is heavily inspired by Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr. Ripley.
• Again Again (2020) – An innovative novel that explores parallel realities during a single summer, showing the different paths Adelaide's life could take based on small decisions.
• The Pools (October 2026) – A contemporary fantasy and fairy tale written in a blend of prose and verse. It follows a girl named Lexie after five teenagers bath in local hot springs and transform into birds.

Graphic Novels and DC Universe Ties

In 2021, Lockhart ventured into the DC Universe with the young adult graphic novel Whistle: A New Gotham City Hero. Illustrated by Manuel Preitano, this standalone graphic novel introduces Willow Zimmermann, a Jewish teenager from Gotham's Down River neighborhood who gains superpowers and a canine sidekick named Lebowitz, finding herself caught between community activism and Gotham's infamous supervillains.

Writing as Emily Jenkins

For readers interested in E. Lockhart's full literary footprint, she writes children's fiction and middle-grade books under her birth name, Emily Jenkins. Her most famous children's work is the Toys Go Out trilogy, which follows the secret lives of three toys: Lumphy the stuffed buffalo, StingRay the plush stingray, and Plastic the ball. She also co-authored the popular Upside-Down Magic series with Sarah Mlynowski and Lauren Myracle, which was adapted into a Disney Channel Original Movie.