Jane Harper Books in Order (Updated February 19, 2026)

Jane Harper writes Australian-set crime fiction that’s mostly standalone, with one clear, numbered sequence starring Aaron Falk. If you want to avoid spoilers in character arcs, follow Falk in order. Everything else can be read whenever.

If you like this… start with this

• Drought-town secrets, old friends, old guilt: The Dry
• A survival-leaning mystery in the bush with a tight suspect set: Force of Nature
• A remote outback station, one death, and a family under pressure: The Lost Man
• Coastal tragedy, returning home, and the past still running the show: The Survivors
• Festival-night disappearance with long-buried consequences (and Falk’s last outing): The Exiles
• A missing son, a dying town, and one set of footprints that doesn’t make sense: Last One Out

---

The Aaron Falk books (read in order)

These are the only Jane Harper novels with a straightforward “Book 1, Book 2…” continuity.

1. The Dry: Introduces Federal Agent Aaron Falk as he returns to his hometown to face a death, and the accusation that chased him out.
2. Force of Nature: Falk investigates after a corporate hiking trip goes wrong, with the terrain and group dynamics doing as much damage as the crime.
3. The Exiles: Falk is pulled into a disappearance tied to a public event, and the emotional closure depends on knowing where he started.

---

Standalone novels (publication order)

These don’t share plot continuity with each other or with the Falk books, so you can pick by premise.

1. The Lost Man: Two brothers find a third dead in the outback, and the mystery becomes about what family members choose not to say.
2. The Survivors: A man returns to his coastal hometown and discovers an old tragedy still shapes who gets blamed when new answers surface.
3. Last One Out: A mother revisits a shrinking town for the memorial of her missing son and finds the only physical clue points in two directions at once.

Edition note: publication timing can differ by country; the order above reflects the novels’ general release sequence as they’re commonly listed by publisher and major catalogs.

---

A practical recommended order (three good options)

• Option A: “Start where most readers start”
  1. The Dry → 2) Force of Nature → 3) The Exiles (then choose any standalone)
• Option B: “No series commitment”
  The Lost Man → The Survivors → Last One Out
• Option C: “One book only” (pick your mood)
  • Big-town nostalgia + long-buried suspicion: The Dry
  • Family pressure-cooker in a harsh landscape: The Lost Man
  • Community grief and blame on a coastline: The Survivors

---

FAQs

Do I have to read the Aaron Falk books in order?
If you care about Falk’s personal timeline and recurring relationships, yes. The cases are separate, but the character arc isn’t.

Is The Exiles the end of the Aaron Falk series?
It’s widely presented as Falk’s concluding novel, and it reads like a closing chapter.

Are any of the standalones secretly connected?
No required connections. Treat each standalone as its own world.

---

Conclusion

If you want the cleanest, spoiler-safe path, read Aaron Falk in order starting with The Dry. If you’d rather sample Harper without committing to a series, start with The Lost Man and go wherever the premise pulls you next.