Lisa See Books in Order (Updated 2026-02-06)

Lisa See is an American author whose work falls into two clear lanes: a three-book mystery sequence and a set of historical novels that are mostly standalones, plus a couple of nonfiction titles. If you want to avoid accidental character spoilers, read the connected books in order and treat the rest as pick-and-choose.

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The only time order truly matters

Red Princess mystery novels (read in order)

These follow the same central investigator and work best as a continuous run.

1. Flower Net (1997): A series of Los Angeles murders pulls a Chinese American detective into family politics and dangerous secrets.
2. The Interior (1999): A missing-person case becomes a deeper search for truth inside a community that knows how to stay silent.
3. Dragon Bones (2003): An ancient discovery triggers a modern investigation where history and crime collide in uneasy ways.

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Historical novels (mostly standalones)

These are designed as complete stories. A few share themes and echoes, but you don’t need to read them in a strict sequence unless you want to follow her writing career in order.

Read in publication order if you want the cleanest experience

1. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (2005): A lifelong friendship is tested by class, custom, and the private language women use to survive.
2. Peony in Love (2007): A young woman’s romantic obsession reshapes her fate long after her brief life ends.
3. Shanghai Girls (2009): Two glamorous sisters are forced from privilege into survival, carrying their bond into a new country.
4. Dreams of Joy (2011): A daughter’s choices pull a family into political upheaval and the costs of belief.
5. China Dolls (2014): Three friends chase stardom while confronting the limits placed on Asian American women in show business.
6. The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (2017): A mother and daughter, separated by adoption, grow up on opposite sides of the world with a shared origin.
7. The Island of Sea Women (2019): Two girls on Jeju Island become friends amid war, betrayal, and the fierce work of the haenyeo divers.
8. Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023): A brilliant physician navigates power, medicine, and women’s lives inside an elite historical world.

Upcoming novel

• Daughters of the Sun and Moon (scheduled 2026): Three Chinese women in post–Civil War Los Angeles fight to survive violence and build futures against the odds.

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Nonfiction (separate from the novels)

These don’t connect to the fiction and can be read any time.

• On Gold Mountain (1995): A family history that traces generations of Chinese American life, ambition, and reinvention in Los Angeles.
• 365 Days in China (2007): A yearlong portrait of modern China through daily moments, travel, and observation.

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A calm, practical way to read Lisa See

If you want a plan that stays simple:

1. Choose one lane first: either the Red Princess mysteries or the historical novels.
2. If you choose mysteries, read Flower Net → The Interior → Dragon Bones.
3. If you choose historical fiction, start with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan (classic entry) or The Tea Girl of Hummingbird Lane (more contemporary-feeling pacing), then follow publication order if you want the full progression.
4. Save nonfiction for whenever you want real-world context and family history.

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FAQs

Do the historical novels connect to each other like a series?
No. They’re best treated as standalones, even though they share themes about women’s lives, family bonds, and cultural history.

Which Lisa See books are most spoiler-sensitive?
The Red Princess mysteries, because they share a continuing lead and ongoing relationships.

If I only read one to start, which is the safest?
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan is the most common first pick for her historical fiction, while Flower Net is the clean entry for the mystery run.