“Please don’t joke and bleed at the same time.”
If you’re a fan of witty, thrilling, and sometimes darkly romantic stories, Rachel Hawkins has a book for you. From her popular YA novels to her gripping adult thrillers, Hawkins has built a devoted following who can’t get enough of her clever plots and unforgettable characters. However, with multiple series and standalone novels, it can be tough knowing where to start – or what order to read her books. That’s why we here at What We Reading have compiled the best Rachel Hawkins books in order, helping you to navigate her bibliography from must-read classics to hidden gems. Whether you’re new to Hawkins or looking to revisit her world, this list ranks her works. So, read on to discover the perfect Rachel Hawkins reading order, and make sure you never miss a book in this captivating author’s collection.
The Wife Upstairs (2021)
First up on our list of the best Rachel Hawkins books is 2021’s bestselling retelling of Jane Eyre, The Wife Upstairs. The story follows Bea, a woman recently out of prison and struggling to rebuild her life. When she meets the charming and affluent Edward, she’s swept up by his wealth, charisma, and seemingly perfect life.
However, Bea quickly discovers that Edward’s mansion hides dark secrets, including the mysterious fate of his previous wife, Jane. As Bea becomes entangled in Edward’s world, she must navigate lies, obsession, and manipulation, questioning whom she can trust. Hawkins masterfully blends psychological suspense with biting social commentary, conjuring a story filled with tension, twists, and morally complex characters.
The Heiress (2024)
When Ruby McTavish Callahan Woodward Miller Kenmore dies, she’s not only North Carolina’s richest woman, she’s also its most notorious. The victim of a kidnapping as a child and a widow four times over, Ruby ruled the tiny town of Tavistock from Ashby House, her family’s estate. In the aftermath of her death, that estate – along with a nine-figure fortune and complex legacy of being a McTavish – passes to her adopted son, Camden.
Ten years on, Camden is a McTavish in name only; however, the news of his uncle’s death brings him and his wife, Jules, back into the family fold at Ashby House. As Ashby House tightens its grip on both Jules and Cam, questions about the infamous heiress come to light. Soon, Jules and Cam come to realise that an inheritance can entail far more than what’s written in a will – and that the bonds of family stretch far beyond the grave.
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Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1) (2010)
Three years ago, Sophie Mercer discovered that she was a witch. It’s gotten her into a few scrapes. When Sophie attracts too much human attention for a prom-night spell gone horribly wrong, it’s her dad who decides her punishment: exile to Hex Hall, an isolated reform school for wayward Prodigium, aka. Witches, faeries, and shapeshifters.
Come the end of her first day among fellow freak-teens, Sophie has quite a scorecard. Worse, Sophie soon learns that a mysterious predator has been attacking students, and her only friend is the number one subject. As a series of blood-curdling mysteries starts to converge, Sophie prepares for the biggest threat of all: an ancient society determined to destroy all Prodigium, especially her.
Hex Hall Book Series In Order
- Hex Hall (2010) – Hex Hall #1
- Demonglass (2011) – Hex Hall #2
- Spell Bound (2012) – Hex Hall #3
- School Spirits (2013) – Hex Hall #4
The Villa (2023)
As kids, Emily and Chess were inseparable. However, now in their thirties, the demands of adult life have left their relationship strained. So when Chess suggests a girls’ trip to Italy, Emily jumps at the opportunity to reconnect with her best friend. Villa Aestas in Orvieto is a high-end holiday home. However, in 1974, it was known as Villa Rosato and was rented for the summer. There, he set in motion a chain of events that led to one of the greatest horror novels of all time, as well as a shocking murder.
As Emily digs into the villa’s complicated history, she begins to think there might be more to the story. Yet the closer that Emily gets to the truth, the more tension she feels developing between her and Chess. As secrets from the past come to light, equally dangerous betrayals from the present also emerge – and it looks as though the villa will claim another victim before the summer ends.
Reckless Girls (2022)
When Lux McAllister and her boyfriend, Nico, are hired to sail two women to a remote South Pacific island, it seems like the adventure of a lifetime. Stuck in a dead-end job in Hawaii and keen to escape after a family tragedy, Lux is pulled to the opportunity, and soon bonds with the passengers, Brittany and Amma, college best friends looking for their own kind of freedom. Shimmering Meroe Island promises paradise, but the mysterious history of shipwrecks, cannibalism, and murder casts a long shadow.
Their adventure expands when another boat, the Azure Sky, arrives, bringing the glamorous couple Jake and Eliza. As the six explore the island off the grid, Lux feels a rare sense of belonging. But tension soon grows: secrets from Brittany, Amma, Jake, and Eliza boil to the surface, and the sudden arrival of a suspicious stranger only intensifies the distrust. When one person vanishes and another is found dead, Lux realises that paradise may be deadly – and escaping Meroe alive could be impossible.
Rebel Belle (Rebel Belle #1) (2014)
Another one of the best fantasy books by Rachel Hawkins, Rebel Belle, introduces us readers to Harper Price, a peerless Southern belle, born ready for the homecoming tiara. But after a strange run-in at the dance imbues her with incredible abilities, Harper’s destiny takes a turn for the seriously weird. She becomes a Paladin, one of an ancient line of guardians with agility, super strength, and lethal fighting abilities.
Just when life can’t get any more disastrously crazy, Harper finds out who she’s charged to protect: David Stark, school reporter, subject of a mysterious prophecy, and possibly Harper’s least favourite person. But things get complicated when Harper begins falling for him – and discovers that David’s own fate could very well be to destroy Earth.
Rebel Belle Book Series In Order
- Rebel Belle (2014) – Rebel Belle #1
- Miss Mayhem (2015) – Rebel Belle #2
- Lady Renegades (2016) – Rebel Belle #3
Royals (Royals #1) (2018)
Meet Daisy Williams. She’s an offbeat sixteen-year-old Floridian with mermaid-red hair, a part-time job at bootleg Walmart, and a perfect older sister who’s nearly engaged to the Crown Prince of Scotland. Daisy has no desire to live in the spotlight, but relentless tabloid attention forces her to join Ellie at the relative seclusion of the castle across the pond.
While the dashing young Miles has been appointed to teach Daisy the ropes of being regal, the prince’s roguish younger brother kicks up scandal wherever he goes and tries his best to take Daisy along for the ride. The crown – and the intriguing Miles – might be trying to make Daisy into a lady, but Daisy may just rewrite the royal rulebook to suit herself.
Royals Book Series In Order
- Royals (2018) – Royals #1
- Her Royal Highness (2019) – Royals #2
The Storm (2026)
Another one of the best Rachel Hawkins books for anyone looking for their next great thriller read, The Storm whisks reads to St. Medard’s Bay, Alabama, a place known for three things: deadly hurricanes, the Rosaline Inn, and Lo Bailey, the local girl infamously accused of the murder of her lover, political scion Landon Fitzroy, during Hurricane Maine in 1984.
When Geneva Corliss, the current owner of the Rosaline Inn, hears a writer is coming to town to research the crime that put St. Medard’s Bay on the map, she’s less interested in solving a whodunit than in how a true crime novelist may help the inn’s bottom line. Except August Fletcher has arrived in town with none other than Lo Bailey, intent on clearing her name. As the summer heats up and another storm begins twisting its way toward them, Geneva discovers some people can be just as destructive as any hurricane in this new 2026 thriller.
Journey’s End (2016)
The town of Journey’s End might not literally be at the end of the world; however, it sure feels that way to Nolie Stanhope. Spending the summer with her scientist father in the tiny Scottish village isn’t exactly Nolie’s idea of a good time, but she soon finds a native Journey’s Ender, Bel McKissick. While Nolie’s father came to the village to study the Boundary – a mysterious fog bank offshore – Bel’s family can’t afford to consider it a threat. The McKissicks’ livelihood depends on tourists believing the village to be the victim of a terrible curse.
Albert Etheridge, a boy who disappeared in the Boundary in 1914, suddenly returns – without having aged a day, and with no memory of the past century. Then the Boundary begins creeping closer to town, threatening to consume everyone within. While Nolie’s father wants to have the town evacuated, Bel’s parents lead the charge to stay within Journey’s End. Elsewhere, Albert and Nolie look for ways to stop the encroaching boundary in this charming middle-grade fantasy novel by Rachel Hawkins.
Ruby And Olivia (2017)
Another one of the best Middle Grade books by Rachel Hawkins, Ruby and Olivia, is a spooky tale for fun, friendship, and humour. Ruby is best friends with Emma, but she and Emma’s twin sister, Olivia, are definitely not friends. Unfortunately, Emma will be away all summer, while Ruby and Olivia are going to be stuck at a community service day for troublemakers – together.
The campers are tasked with cataloguing the contents of an abandoned mansion. Sorting through objects in an old house sounds boring, and working together is the last thing these two girls want to do. But, when the taps run freezing cold and doors slam inexplicably, Ruby and Olivia wonder if the other campers are having a bit of fun, or whether the mansion is looking for new, permanent residents.
Part-time reader, part-time rambler, and full-time Horror enthusiast, James has been writing for What We Reading since 2022. His earliest reading memories involved Historical Fiction, Fantasy and Horror tales, which he has continued to take with him to this day. James’ favourite books include The Last (Hanna Jameson), The Troop (Nick Cutter) and Chasing The Boogeyman (Richard Chizmar).
