Hank Phillippi Ryan Books in Order (Updated February 24, 2026)

Hank Phillippi Ryan writes crime fiction in two distinct modes: earlier series mysteries anchored by a working journalist, and later standalone psychological/domestic thrillers built around a single high-stakes dilemma.

Order matters inside each series because careers and relationships carry forward, but her standalone thrillers can be read in any sequence.

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A reading compass (pick the door that matches your mood)

Door 1 – You want a continuing cast and a classic “reporter + investigation” engine.
Start the Jane Ryland books with The Other Woman (2012).

Door 2 – You want an earlier, TV-news flavored mystery series.
Start the Charlotte McNally books with Prime Time (2007).

Door 3 – You want modern, twist-forward standalone thrillers (no series baggage).
Start with Trust Me (2018) if you want the clean “new-era” entry point, or One Wrong Word (2024) if you want a recent one-and-done premise.

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The two series (read these in order)

Jane Ryland (with Jake Brogan) – publication order

1. The Other Woman (2012): A career-threatening moment forces reporter Jane Ryland into a case where the personal and professional stakes fuse, setting the series’ rule that every “story” comes with collateral damage.
2. The Wrong Girl (2013): A missing-person case tilts into something more dangerous, widening Jane’s world and tightening the series’ focus on who controls a narrative, and who pays when it’s wrong.
3. Truth Be Told (2014): A case driven by belief, persuasion, and public perception pushes Jane into higher-risk reporting, escalating the cost of being right in public.
4. What You See (2015): A story that seems visually obvious refuses to stay simple, forcing Jane to confront how easily evidence can be shaped into certainty.
5. Say No More (2016): A family-linked crisis accelerates the personal arc, making the “reporter vs. rules” tension feel less theoretical and more urgent.

How strict is the order? Very. You can follow each case, but the emotional reveals land best in sequence.

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Charlotte McNally – publication order

1. Prime Time (2007): A suspicious thread in the day-to-day news grind becomes a full investigation, introducing Charlotte “Charlie” McNally’s voice and the series’ insider view of newsroom pressure.
2. Face Time (2007): A case shaped by images, reputation, and public judgment widens Charlie’s risks, turning her pursuit of truth into a direct threat to her safety and career.
3. Air Time (2009): Going undercover in a high-gloss world turns the reporting into a trap, pushing Charlie toward a life-changing choice about what she’s willing to sacrifice for the story.
4. Drive Time (2010): A fast-moving investigation tests the series’ core relationships, paying off the accumulated tensions that only make sense if you’ve watched Charlie’s life tighten book by book.

How strict is the order? Moderate. You can sample, but book 4 works best after the first three.

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Standalone thrillers (read in any order)

If you want to watch the author’s current thriller style evolve, go top to bottom.
If you’d rather pick by premise, jump anywhere.

1. Trust Me (2018): A journalist and an accused killer form an uneasy alliance that turns into a controlled-burn game of manipulation, forcing every character to gamble on what “truth” even means.
2. The Murder List (2019): A legal system built to manage the worst crimes becomes the story’s pressure point, as one woman realizes the rules meant to protect can also target.
3. The First to Lie (2020): Betrayal becomes motive and strategy, pushing multiple viewpoints into collision until the question isn’t who lied, it’s who lied first and why it worked.
4. Her Perfect Life (2021): A carefully built identity starts to fracture under scrutiny, turning “having it all” into a liability that someone else can weaponize.
5. The House Guest (2023): A sudden divorce and a shifting circle of loyalty turn social survival into literal survival, with friendship itself treated like evidence.
6. One Wrong Word (2024): A single slip detonates a public-facing life, sending the story into a spiral where reputation, control, and danger tighten in the same direction.
7. All This Could Be Yours (2025): Visibility becomes vulnerability as a book tour turns into a stalking-and-secrets thriller, forcing the protagonist to confront what attention can be used to prove.

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What’s next (reliably listed)

Mother Daughter Sister Stranger (2026): A family crisis fractures into a search story, where the past isn’t background, it’s the lever someone uses to force the present to break.

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Minimal-stress recommended plan

• If you want one continuous journey: Jane Ryland #1-#5 in order.
• If you want a shorter series taste: Charlotte McNally #1-#4 in order.
• If you want “pick-up-and-go” suspense: start with Trust Me (2018), then read the standalones in publication order.

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FAQ

Do any of the standalones share characters or a required timeline?
No, treat them as separate continuities.

Can I read Jane Ryland after the standalones?
Yes. Just don’t start Jane Ryland in the middle unless you’re fine with relationship and career spoilers.

Which series is the most continuity-sensitive?
Jane Ryland. The books are built to “remember” earlier choices.