Alice Hunter writes psychological crime thrillers in two lanes: a connected “Serial Killer” sequence (best read in order) and separate standalones (read anytime).
If you mix them together, nothing breaks, but the series books land harder when you keep their character context intact.
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Pick your starting book (based on what you want)
If you want a continuing story with returning characters: start with The Serial Killer’s Wife (2021) and read forward.
If you want a true standalone with no baggage: start with Bad Apple (2024).
If you want a darker “professional predator” angle rather than family fallout: start with The Perfect Psychopath (2025).
What connects to what
One series (order matters):
- Serial Killer series (a continuing sequence; read in publication order)
Standalone novels (order does not matter):
- Bad Apple
- The Perfect Psychopath
Serial Killer series (publication order)
The Serial Killer’s Wife (2021): A woman’s life fractures when her husband is accused of murder, turning loyalty into a liability and setting the series’ core question, what you can’t see in the person you live with.
The Serial Killer’s Daughter (2022): A new case forces the fallout wider, shifting the danger from private suspicion to public consequence and showing how the “family story” keeps rewriting itself.
The Serial Killer’s Sister (2023): A fresh perspective drags hidden history into the open, pushing the series toward its most personal reckoning and tightening the circle of who can be trusted.
The Serial Killer Gene (2026): A DNA revelation threatens to make violence feel inherited, escalating the series into questions of compulsion, identity, and whether “blood” can trap you into a story you didn’t choose.
Best practice: Read these four in order. Each book can be read alone, but the emotional payoffs assume you’ve seen earlier damage accumulate.
Standalone novels (any order)
Bad Apple (2024): A marriage collapses under a shocking accusation, and the story pivots from “turn him in” certainty to the far messier problem of surviving what comes after.
The Perfect Psychopath (2025): A predator who understands systems, and people, too well drives a cat-and-mouse thriller where the real tension is what looks normal until it doesn’t.
Chronological order
Not needed here. The only timeline that matters is the Serial Killer sequence, which already runs cleanly by publication.
Newest book and what’s next
Most recent release as of February 23, 2026: The Perfect Psychopath (2025).
Next announced title: The Serial Killer Gene (2026) (commonly listed for May 2026, with some regional format listings showing July 2026).
FAQs
Do the standalones share characters with the series?
No reliable public listing presents them as a shared-universe sequence. Treat them as separate.
Can I read The Serial Killer’s Sister first?
You can, but it’s a spoiler-prone approach because the series is built around shifting understanding of past events. Start with The Serial Killer’s Wife if you’re series-reading.
Are box sets/collections “extra books”?
No. Collections repackage existing titles and don’t change reading order.
The calm recommendation
If you’re only going to read one connected run, go straight through the Serial Killer series from The Serial Killer’s Wife (2021) onward. If you want the easiest standalone entry, pick Bad Apple (2024).
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.