Jayne Ann Krentz Books in Order (Updated July 19, 2026)

Jayne Ann Krentz has published romantic suspense, historical romance, paranormal romance, and futuristic romance under several names. Her three principal active identities are Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, and Jayne Castle.

Those names indicate setting more reliably than continuity:

• Jayne Ann Krentz: Contemporary romantic suspense
• Amanda Quick: Historical romantic suspense
• Jayne Castle: Futuristic paranormal romance
• Stephanie James, Jayne Bentley, Jayne Taylor, and Amanda Glass: Earlier publishing names

Most of the books are standalones or short connected sequences. The major exception is the paranormal branch linking the Arcane Society books across all three principal names.

First Decide Which World You Want

1. For contemporary suspense, begin with The Golden Chance or a modern standalone such as The Shop on Hidden Lane.
2. For Amanda Quick’s historical mysteries, begin with Seduction for the early standalones, Slightly Shady for Lavinia Lake and Tobias March, or The Girl Who Knew Too Much for Burning Cove.
3. For Jayne Castle’s futuristic world, begin with After Dark. Readers wanting the earliest Curtain Worlds setting can start with Amaryllis.
4. For the complete cross-pen-name paranormal experience, begin the Arcane Society with Second Sight.

The Pen Names Explained

Jayne Ann Krentz uses different names to signal different eras.

Jayne Ann Krentz: Contemporary settings, often combining romance, murder investigations, family secrets, and paranormal abilities.

Amanda Quick: Historical settings, usually Victorian or early twentieth-century, with unconventional investigators and romantic suspense.

Jayne Castle: Futuristic stories set on other worlds, especially Harmony, where psychic abilities and alien ruins shape daily life.

Stephanie James: Early category romances, most later reissued under the Jayne Ann Krentz name.

Jayne Bentley and Jayne Taylor: Names used for a small group of early romances.

Amanda Glass: Used for the original publication of Shield’s Lady, now generally associated with Krentz’s Lost Colony books.

The pen names do not always mark separate universes. The Arcane Society deliberately moves through the Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle timelines.

The Arcane Society Books in Order

The Arcane Society is the most important cross-pen-name continuity. It follows people with unusual psychic talents and the organizations that study, exploit, or police those abilities.

Publication order is the strongest first-reading route because the books move between historical, contemporary, and futuristic eras while preserving the intended order of discoveries.

Core Arcane Society Order

1. Second Sight (2006), as Amanda Quick: Photographer Venetia Milton becomes involved with Gabriel Jones and the Victorian-era Arcane Society after a secret assignment at an isolated estate turns deadly.
2. White Lies (2007), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Human lie detector Clare Lancaster becomes a murder suspect and works with Arcane operative Jake Salter to uncover a conspiracy inside her newly discovered family.
3. Sizzle and Burn (2007), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Raine Tallentyre hears voices connected to violent crimes and joins investigator Zack Jones when a hidden body exposes a psychic killer.
4. The Third Circle (2008), as Amanda Quick: Leona Hewitt and Arcane agent Thaddeus Ware pursue a dangerous crystal while confronting a Victorian criminal organization fascinated by psychic power.
5. Running Hot (2008), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Aura-reading librarian Grace Renquist and investigator Luther Malone pose as a couple while tracking a psychic criminal network in Hawaii.
6. The Perfect Poison (2009), as Amanda Quick: Botanist Lucinda Bromley becomes linked to a murder committed with a rare poison and hires psychic investigator Caleb Jones to clear her name.

The Dreamlight Trilogy

The Dreamlight books follow the Burning Lamp through three eras. Read them in the sequence below rather than grouping them solely by author name.

7. Fired Up (2009), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Businessman Jack Winters believes an inherited psychic curse is destroying him and seeks dreamlight reader Chloe Harper for help.
8. Burning Lamp (2010), as Amanda Quick: In Victorian London, Adelaide Pyne and Griffin Winters become involved with the dangerous lamp that shapes the Winters family legend.
9. Midnight Crystal (2010), as Jayne Castle: On Harmony, Guild boss Adam Winters needs dreamlight reader Marlowe Jones to prevent the family curse from reaching its final stage.

Arcane Novella

10. The Scargill Cove Case Files (2011), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Fallon Jones and Isabella Valdez investigate unusual activity in Scargill Cove, expanding the contemporary Arcane storyline after the Dreamlight trilogy.

This is a shorter work, but it belongs to the official continuity.

The Looking Glass Trilogy

11. In Too Deep (2011), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Fallon Jones and Isabella Valdez investigate a psychic weapon while their relationship moves beyond the events of The Scargill Cove Case Files.
12. Quicksilver (2011), as Amanda Quick: Glass-reader Virginia Dean and Owen Sweetwater investigate a Victorian murder involving mirrors, psychic energy, and a secretive family of hunters.
13. Canyons of Night (2011), as Jayne Castle: Charlotte Enright and police chief Slade Attridge confront dangerous energy inside alien ruins on Rainshadow Island.

Recommended Arcane Rule

Read all thirteen entries in the order above.

The historical books establish organizations and artifacts that reappear in contemporary and futuristic forms. Rearranging the novels by fictional era follows chronology but weakens the intended progression of revelations.

Lost Night Files Books in Order

The Lost Night Files trilogy follows three women who lost a night of memory after attending a mysterious retreat. Each book gives one woman a central romance and investigation, while the larger conspiracy continues across all three.

1. Sleep No More (2023)

Sleep No More (2023): Pallas Llewellyn’s unsettling dreams lead her to investigate a suspicious death with ambition-driven businessman Ambrose Drake while she searches for the truth about her missing memories.

2. The Night Island (2024)

The Night Island (2024): Talia March and Luke Rand travel to an isolated retreat after another person connected to the lost night disappears, bringing them closer to the experiment behind their altered abilities.

3. Shattering Dawn (2025)

Shattering Dawn (2025): Amelia Rivers and private investigator Gideon Sweetwater pursue the final answers about the night that changed the women and the people determined to control its consequences.

Read the trilogy in order. The individual romances resolve, but the central mystery is not complete until Shattering Dawn.

Fogg Lake Books in Order

The Fogg Lake trilogy follows a community whose residents developed unusual abilities after a mysterious event known as the Incident.

1. The Vanishing (2020)

The Vanishing (2020): Catalina Lark and scientist Slater Arganbright investigate a murder and disappearance connected to the night Fogg Lake’s residents acquired psychic talents.

2. All the Colors of Night (2021)

All the Colors of Night (2021): Aura reader North Chastain hires synesthete Sierra Raines to locate a missing artifact while a psychic disorder threatens his life.

3. Lightning in a Mirror (2022)

Lightning in a Mirror (2022): Olivia LeClair and Harlan Rancourt confront the conspiracy behind Fogg Lake and the paranormal weapons developed from its secrets.

Read all three in publication order because the investigation into the Incident continues across the trilogy.

Cutler, Sutter & Salinas Books in Order

This contemporary romantic-suspense trilogy follows three adopted brothers raised by Anson Salinas after surviving a violent cult.

1. When All the Girls Have Gone (2016)

When All the Girls Have Gone (2016): Charlotte Sawyer and private investigator Max Cutler search for Charlotte’s missing stepsister while uncovering deaths linked to a women’s investment club.

2. Promise Not to Tell (2018)

Promise Not to Tell (2018): Gallery owner Virginia Troy and investigator Cabot Sutter examine a suspicious suicide tied to the cult they both survived as children.

3. Untouchable (2019)

Untouchable (2019): Investigator Jack Lancaster and meditation instructor Winter Meadows hunt the cult leader responsible for the fire that shaped Jack’s childhood.

The cases differ, but the brothers’ shared history makes this order important.

Dark Legacy Books in Order

1. Copper Beach (2012)

Copper Beach (2012): Psychic book expert Abby Radwell and security specialist Sam Coppersmith search for a dangerous coded volume connected to paranormal technology.

2. Dream Eyes (2013)

Dream Eyes (2013): Psychic investigator Gwen Frazier and consultant Judson Coppersmith investigate the death of Gwen’s mentor and a series of murders concealed as paranormal accidents.

The second book shifts to another couple but continues the Coppersmith family and its involvement with psychic artifacts.

Whispering Springs Books in Order

1. Light in Shadow (2002)

Light in Shadow (2002): Interior designer Zoe Luce uses her psychic awareness of rooms to detect violence and becomes involved with private investigator Ethan Truax.

2. Truth or Dare (2003)

Truth or Dare (2003): Zoe and Ethan return as a married couple when a new investigation threatens their attempt to build a stable life.

Unlike many Krentz sequences, both books follow the same central couple. Read them in order.

Eclipse Bay Books in Order

The Eclipse Bay trilogy follows members of the feuding Harte and Madison families.

1. Eclipse Bay (2000)

Eclipse Bay (2000): Hannah Harte and Rafe Madison inherit the same property and are forced to confront the attraction and family rivalry that began years earlier.

2. Dawn in Eclipse Bay (2001)

Dawn in Eclipse Bay (2001): Gabe Madison and Lillian Harte challenge the assumptions their families have made about both their careers and their compatibility.

3. A Summer in Eclipse Bay (2002)

A Summer in Eclipse Bay (2002): Octavia Brightwell and Nick Harte become involved in another romance shaped by the town’s history and the continuing Harte-Madison connections.

The family feud softens across the trilogy, making publication order the best choice.

Ladies and Legends Books in Order

1. The Pirate (1990)

The Pirate (1990): Katherine Inskip’s island vacation brings her into conflict with Jared Hawthorne, whose guarded personality hides a stronger interest than either expects.

2. The Adventurer (1990)

The Adventurer (1990): Sarah Fleetwood and Gideon Trace search for a legendary treasure while discovering that their partnership is becoming personal.

3. The Cowboy (1990)

The Cowboy (1990): Margaret Lark returns to confront Rafe Cassidy after their relationship ends, forcing both to reconsider the choices that separated them.

The books share thematic and character connections but resolve their central romances individually.

Gifts Books in Order

1. Gift of Gold (1988)

Gift of Gold (1988): Verity Ames hires Jonas Quarrel and discovers that his psychic ability to read violence from objects connects them to a dangerous historical mystery.

2. Gift of Fire (1989)

Gift of Fire (1989): Verity and Jonas continue their relationship while another psychic investigation tests Jonas’s abilities and their uncertain future.

Both books follow the same couple and should be read together.

Dreams Books in Order

1. Dream, Part One (1988)

Dream, Part One (1988): Diana Prentice and Colby Savagar begin a relationship shaped by recurring dreams, a small town’s secrets, and unresolved events from Colby’s past.

2. Dream, Part Two (1988)

Dream, Part Two (1988): Diana and Colby confront the danger behind their shared dream imagery and bring their two-part romantic mystery to its conclusion.

The books were later collected as Shared Dream and Dreams: Parts 1 and 2.

Lost Colony Books in Order

These early futuristic romances helped establish ideas later developed more fully in the Curtain Worlds books.

1. Sweet Starfire (1986)

Sweet Starfire (1986): Cidra Rainforest leaves her sheltered society and joins adventurer Teague Severance on a dangerous interplanetary search.

2. Crystal Flame (1986)

Crystal Flame (1986): Kalena and Ridge enter a politically arranged partnership that becomes a genuine bond during a dangerous journey.

3. Shield’s Lady (1989)

Shield’s Lady (1989): Sariana Dayne and Gryph Chassyn enter a marriage shaped by political expectations, psychic bonds, and conflict between their cultures.

Shield’s Lady was originally published as Amanda Glass. The three books share a broad futuristic-romance tradition but are not one continuing family saga.

Jayne Castle: The Curtain Worlds

Jayne Castle’s major futuristic books take place on worlds settled by humans after access to Earth was lost. St. Helens and Harmony are related through the broader Curtain Worlds concept but use different settings and social structures.

St. Helens Books in Order

1. Amaryllis (1996)

Amaryllis (1996): Psychic prism Amaryllis Lark works with powerful talent Lucas Trent while investigating industrial sabotage and a murder.

2. Zinnia (1997)

Zinnia (1997): Psychic prism Zinnia Spring and private investigator Nick Chastain join forces during a kidnapping case involving St. Helens’s matchmaking culture.

3. Orchid (1998)

Orchid (1998): Psychic prism Orchid Adams and talent Rafe Stonebraker investigate disappearances connected to a dangerous cult.

Each book follows a new couple, but the worldbuilding makes publication order preferable.

Harmony Books in Order

Harmony is the largest Jayne Castle continuity. Humans live among alien ruins and use psychic abilities shaped by the planet’s energy.

Opening Harmony Sequence

Bridal Jitters (1999)

Bridal Jitters (1999): Para-archaeologist Virginia Burch and ghost hunter Sam Gage enter alien catacombs while reconsidering the marriage arrangement expected by their families.

This novella introduces Harmony before the first full-length novel.

1. After Dark (2000)

After Dark (2000): Para-archaeologist Lydia Smith and Guild boss Emmett London investigate a murder, a missing alien artifact, and corruption within the ghost-hunting system.

2. After Glow (2004)

After Glow (2004): Lydia and Emmett continue their relationship while another crisis involving alien energy and Guild politics threatens their future.

These two full-length books follow the same couple.

Ghost Hunters and Wider Harmony Order

3. Ghost Hunter (2006): Former cop Elly St. Clair and Guild boss Cooper Boone investigate a disappearance involving alien catacombs and dangerous ghost energy.
4. Silver Master (2007): Matchmaker Celinda Ingram and Guild boss Davis Oakes become involved with a dust bunny and a powerful alien relic.
5. Dark Light (2008): Reporter Sierra McIntyre and Guild chief John Fontana investigate disappearances and political conflict inside the ghost-hunting community.
6. Obsidian Prey (2009): Prospector Lyra Dore and businessman Cruz Sweetwater compete over an unusual amber discovery while confronting murder and betrayal.
7. Midnight Crystal (2010): Marlowe Jones and Adam Winters complete the Dreamlight trilogy in the Harmony era.
8. Canyons of Night (2011): Charlotte Enright and Slade Attridge investigate dangerous events on Rainshadow Island, completing the Looking Glass trilogy.

Rainshadow and Later Harmony Books

9. The Lost Night (2012): Rachel Blake and Harry Sebastian investigate missing memories and dangerous psychic energy on Rainshadow Island.
10. Deception Cove (2013): Alice North and Drake Sebastian enter the island’s forbidden Preserve while confronting criminals and unstable alien energy.
11. The Hot Zone (2014): Sedona Snow and Cyrus Jones investigate illegal psychic experiments after Sedona escapes captivity.
12. Siren’s Call (2015): Siren talent Ella Morgan and Guild boss Rafe Coppersmith investigate a deadly alien chamber beneath Rainshadow.
13. Illusion Town (2016): Hannah West and Elias Coppersmith wake after a lost night to discover they may have married while investigating a dangerous conspiracy.
14. Guild Boss (2021): Lucy Bell and Guild hunter Gabriel Jones reunite after a failed rescue in the alien underground.
15. Sweetwater and the Witch (2022): Witch Ravenna Chastain and investigator Ethan Sweetwater work together after a murder exposes dangerous psychic secrets.
16. People in Glass Houses (2024; later official release listing in 2025): Crystal artist Molly Griffin and Guild boss Joshua Knight investigate an alien structure capable of trapping minds and distorting perception.
17. It Takes a Psychic (2026): Leona Griffin and Oliver Rancourt investigate paranormal danger on Harmony while navigating a partnership complicated by their unusual abilities.
18. Enter the Nightmare (2026): Alice enters the Hotel of Dreams with Owen and confronts psychic nightmares capable of becoming real.

Enter the Nightmare was published on June 30, 2026 and is the latest new Jayne Castle novel as of July 19, 2026.

Best Harmony Starting Point

Begin with Bridal Jitters when you want every story.

Begin with After Dark when you prefer to start with a full-length novel.

Do not begin with Midnight Crystal or Canyons of Night unless you have already read the earlier Arcane books in their respective trilogies.

Guinevere Jones Books in Order

These four early Jayne Castle romantic mysteries follow Guinevere Jones and security consultant Zac Justis.

1. The Desperate Game (1986)

The Desperate Game (1986): Guinevere becomes involved in a dangerous corporate mystery and reluctantly accepts Zac’s investigative help.

2. The Chilling Deception (1986)

The Chilling Deception (1986): Guinevere and Zac investigate another case while their professional and romantic partnership becomes more established.

3. The Sinister Touch (1986)

The Sinister Touch (1986): A new threat draws the couple into a mystery involving manipulation, hidden motives, and danger close to their business lives.

4. The Fatal Fortune (1986)

The Fatal Fortune (1986): Guinevere and Zac confront the final case in their four-part sequence while deciding the future of their relationship.

Desperate and Deceptive collects Books 1 and 2. Sinister and Fatal collects Books 3 and 4.

Amanda Quick Books in Order

Amanda Quick is the historical-romance identity. Some titles are standalones, while others form investigator partnerships or shared settings.

Vanza Books in Order

1. With This Ring (1998)

With This Ring (1998): Beatrice Poole hires the enigmatic Leo Drake to help investigate a death connected to an ancient ring and the secretive philosophy of Vanza.

2. I Thee Wed (1999)

I Thee Wed (1999): Practical companion Emma Greyson and Edison Stokes investigate danger within a country household while confronting another branch of Vanza’s influence.

3. Wicked Widow (2000)

Wicked Widow (2000): Madeline Deveridge employs psychic investigator Artemis Hunt after becoming convinced that someone is using occult methods to threaten her.

4. Lie by Moonlight (2005)

Lie by Moonlight (2005): Teacher Concordia Glade and private inquiry agent Ambrose Wells rescue students from an isolated school and uncover a wider criminal plan.

The books feature different couples but share Vanza traditions and recurring investigative ideas.

Lavinia Lake and Tobias March Books in Order

1. Slightly Shady (2001)

Slightly Shady (2001): Lavinia Lake and private inquiry agent Tobias March collide during a burglary investigation and reluctantly form an investigative partnership.

2. Don’t Look Back (2002)

Don’t Look Back (2002): Lavinia and Tobias investigate the theft of a rare bracelet and a murder while their personal relationship becomes more complicated.

3. Late for the Wedding (2003)

Late for the Wedding (2003): The investigators attend a country-house gathering where a killer appears to be recreating the crimes of an infamous historical murderer.

All three books follow the same couple and must remain in order.

Ladies of Lantern Street Books in Order

1. Crystal Gardens (2012)

Crystal Gardens (2012): Paid companion Evangeline Ames survives an attack and works with Lucas Sebastian to investigate dangerous paranormal activity at his estate.

2. The Mystery Woman (2013)

The Mystery Woman (2013): Beatrice Lockwood and Joshua Gage investigate a murder tied to psychic talents, secret identities, and the Lantern Street agency.

The books focus on different women from the same investigative circle.

Burning Cove Books in Order

Burning Cove is set in 1930s California and mixes Hollywood glamour, organized crime, psychic talents, and private investigation.

1. The Girl Who Knew Too Much (2017)

The Girl Who Knew Too Much (2017): Reporter Irene Glasson and hotel owner Oliver Ward investigate the murder of an actress at a glamorous California resort.

2. The Other Lady Vanishes (2018)

The Other Lady Vanishes (2018): Adelaide Blake escapes a private asylum and becomes involved with businessman Jake Truett when another death threatens her new life.

3. Tightrope (2019)

Tightrope (2019): Trapeze artist Amalie Vaughn and inventor Matthias Jones investigate sabotage, murder, and a machine capable of influencing the mind.

4. Close Up (2020)

Close Up (2020): Crime-scene photographer Vivian Brazier and private investigator Nick Sundridge hunt a killer staging victims as artistic compositions.

5. The Lady Has a Past (2021)

The Lady Has a Past (2021): Apprentice investigator Lyra Brazier and hotel security expert Simon Cage search for a missing woman whose disappearance exposes dangerous secrets.

6. When She Dreams (2022)

When She Dreams (2022): Research assistant Maggie Lodge and private investigator Sam Sage examine blackmail, psychic dreams, and a threat connected to a former employer.

7. The Bride Wore White (2023)

The Bride Wore White (2023): Dream reader Prudence Ryland and psychic investigator Jack Wingate investigate a murder after Prudence discovers a body during a staged séance.

Each book gives its central couple a resolution, but recurring characters and the development of Burning Cove make publication order worthwhile.

Amanda Quick Standalone Historical Romances

The following books are not numbered parts of a continuing series.

1. Seduction (1990): Sophy Dorring enters an unconventional marriage with the Earl of Ravenwood and challenges the emotional distance governing his life.
2. Surrender (1990): Victoria Huntington’s pursuit of adventure leads her into a strategic marriage with Lucas Colebrook.
3. Scandal (1991): Emily Faringdon’s romantic ideals collide with Simon Traherne’s plan for revenge against her family.
4. Rendezvous (1991): Augusta Ballinger becomes involved with the guarded Earl of Graystone while a secret society and murder complicate their courtship.
5. Ravished (1992): Harriet Pomeroy recruits Gideon Westbrook to remove thieves from local caves and discovers the man behind his dangerous reputation.
6. Reckless (1992): Phoebe Layton seeks the Earl of Wylde’s help finding a legendary manuscript and becomes part of a more dangerous quest.
7. Dangerous (1993): Prudence Merryweather investigates a supposed haunting with Sebastian Fleetwood and exposes a human threat.
8. Deception (1993): Olympia Wingfield hires a tutor whose hidden identity turns her quiet household into an adventure.
9. Desire (1993): Lady Clare and Gareth of Wyckmere enter a politically useful marriage while investigating danger on Desire Island.
10. Mistress (1994): Iphiginia Bright poses as the mistress of the supposedly dead Earl of Masters and is surprised when he returns.
11. Mystique (1995): Alice and Hugh the Relentless pursue a legendary green crystal through a medieval landscape of political danger.
12. Mischief (1996): Imogen Waterstone and Matthias Marshall investigate a secret society while pursuing separate plans for justice.
13. Affair (1997): Charlotte Arkendale and Baxter St. Ives investigate suspicious deaths while concealing their own motives.
14. The Paid Companion (2004): Elenora Lodge accepts employment as Arthur Lancaster’s temporary fiancée and becomes involved in a murder investigation.
15. Wait Until Midnight (2005): Sensation novelist Caroline Fordyce and investigator Adam Hardesty investigate a death staged inside the world of Victorian spiritualism.
16. The River Knows (2007): Louisa Bryce and Anthony Stalbridge pursue evidence connecting a respected man to blackmail and murder.
17. Otherwise Engaged (2014): Amity Doncaster and Benedict Stanbridge reunite during an investigation involving a serial attacker and experimental technology.
18. Garden of Lies (2015): Ursula Kern and archaeologist Slater Roxton investigate the suspicious death of Ursula’s employee.
19. ’Til Death Do Us Part (2016): Calista Langley and Trent Hastings investigate threatening gifts delivered by a stalker using Victorian mourning customs.

Jayne Ann Krentz Contemporary Standalones

These books introduce new central couples and complete their main suspense plots within one volume.

Early and Mid-Career Titles

1. Uneasy Alliance (1984): Two strong-willed professionals enter a reluctant partnership that complicates both business and attraction.
2. Call It Destiny (1984): A woman’s carefully planned future changes when an old relationship and family expectations collide.
3. Ghost of a Chance (1984): A romantic reunion develops around unresolved history and the possibility of a second chance.
4. Legacy (1985): An inheritance draws its recipient into danger and a relationship shaped by family secrets.
5. Man with a Past (1985): A guarded man’s history complicates his attempt to form a lasting relationship.
6. Witchcraft (1985): A writer and an enigmatic man become involved in a romance carrying suggestions of mystery and paranormal intuition.
7. The Waiting Game (1985): Sara Frazer’s search for answers brings her into conflict with Adrian Saville and a danger neither can ignore.
8. True Colors (1986): Two people with conflicting assumptions discover that appearances conceal both emotional and practical truths.
9. Twist of Fate (1986): A woman’s plans are overturned by an unexpected relationship and a conflict tied to her past.
10. The Ties That Bind (1986): Family obligations and personal desire place two people in a relationship neither can treat casually.
11. Between the Lines (1986): Professional tension becomes personal when two strong personalities are forced to examine what remains unspoken between them.
12. The Family Way (1987): A developing romance is tested by disagreements about family, commitment, and the future.
13. The Main Attraction (1987): A woman’s return to a familiar setting places her near the man who remains the central complication in her life.
14. Chance of a Lifetime (1987): An unexpected opportunity creates both professional risk and a relationship that could change two lives.
15. Test of Time (1987): A couple must decide whether their bond can survive the pressures that separated or challenged them.
16. A Coral Kiss (1987): Amy Slater and Jed Glaze become involved in danger surrounding a tropical setting and a concealed crime.
17. Midnight Jewels (1987): Mercy Pennington and Croft Falconer investigate a rare book and the secrets attached to its previous owner.
18. Full Bloom (1988): A determined entrepreneur’s plans become entangled with a man whose motives and attraction are difficult to separate.
19. Joy (1988): A holiday-season relationship forces two guarded people to reconsider what they expect from commitment.

Later Contemporary Romantic Suspense

20. The Golden Chance (1990): Philadelphia Fox enters a battle over inheritance and family power with businessman Nick Lightfoot.
21. Sweet Fortune (1991): Jessie Benedict investigates a suspicious organization while Hatchard’s plans for their future create another source of conflict.
22. Family Man (1992): Katy Wade and Luke Gilchrist confront a powerful family’s expectations while attempting to define their own relationship.
23. Hidden Talents (1993): Serenity Makepeace and Caleb Ventress become involved in both a small-town business project and a dangerous mystery.
24. Wildest Hearts (1993): Annie Lyncroft enters a practical marriage arrangement with Oliver Rain and discovers that his motives extend beyond business.
25. Grand Passion (1994): Cleo Robbins and Max Fortune investigate danger surrounding Cleo’s inn and the unconventional family she has created.
26. Trust Me (1995): Desdemona Wainwright and Sam Stark develop a relationship while a murder threatens their very different professional worlds.
27. Absolutely, Positively (1996): Molly Abberwick and scientist Harry Trevelyan investigate threats tied to invention, family rivalry, and corporate ambition.
28. Deep Waters (1996): Charity Truitt and Elias Winters investigate danger in a Pacific Northwest community while confronting their unusual emotional connection.
29. Sharp Edges (1998): Eugenia Swift and Cyrus Chandler investigate the death of an art-glass collector and the secrets surrounding her collection.
30. Flash (1998): Olivia Chantry and Jasper Sloan inherit joint control of a company and become partners in a murder investigation.
31. Soft Focus (2000): Business rivals Elizabeth Cabot and Jack Fairfax pursue stolen technology while reconsidering the relationship they ended.
32. Smoke in Mirrors (2002): Leonora Hutton and Thomas Walker investigate deaths connected to an academic institution and a long-buried scandal.
33. Falling Awake (2004): Dream researcher Isabel Wright and operative Ellis Cutler investigate the death of a man connected to their secret work.
34. All Night Long (2005): Reporter Irene Stenson returns to the town where her parents died and works with Luke Danner to challenge the accepted explanation.
35. River Road (2014): Lucy Sheridan returns to Summer River and works with Mason Fletcher to uncover the truth about a death and an incident from their youth.
36. Trust No One (2015): Grace Elland and businessman Julius Arkwright investigate the murder of a motivational speaker who controlled the secrets of those around him.
37. Secret Sisters (2015), also listed in some records with alternate wording: Madeline Chase and security expert Jack Rayner investigate a murder tied to a childhood crime and a secret shared between sisters.
38. The Shop on Hidden Lane (2026): A woman connected to a mysterious shop becomes involved in a contemporary romantic-suspense story built around hidden history, danger, and an unexpected alliance.

The Shop on Hidden Lane was published on January 6, 2026 and is the latest book released under the Jayne Ann Krentz name.

Early Books Under Other Names

Many early category romances have been reissued under Jayne Ann Krentz. Reissue dates should not be mistaken for new novels.

Jayne Taylor

Whirlwind Courtship (1979)

Whirlwind Courtship (1979): A rapid and unexpected romance forces its central couple to decide whether intense attraction can support a lasting commitment.

Jayne Bentley Books in Order

1. A Moment Past Midnight (1980): A late-night encounter changes the direction of a guarded relationship.
2. Turning Toward Home (1980): A return to familiar people and places creates an opportunity for emotional reconciliation.
3. Maiden of the Morning (1980): A young woman’s independence is tested by a demanding relationship and competing expectations.
4. Hired Husband (1981): A practical marital arrangement develops into a bond neither participant expected.
5. Sabrina’s Scheme (1981): Sabrina’s carefully constructed plan becomes complicated when genuine attraction alters her objective.

Stephanie James Books in Publication Order

These are primarily standalone category romances. Most have since appeared in editions carrying the Jayne Ann Krentz name.

1. A Passionate Business (1981): Professional ambition and attraction collide when business negotiations become personal.
2. Corporate Affair (1982): Two people on opposing sides of a corporate conflict struggle to keep their relationship separate from work.
3. Dangerous Magic (1982): A seemingly irresistible attraction brings emotional danger and unresolved secrets.
4. Renaissance Man (1982): A capable and unconventional hero disrupts a woman’s assumptions about the partner she needs.
5. Reckless Passion (1982): A relationship driven by impulse forces both characters to confront the consequences of acting without restraint.
6. Stormy Challenge (1982): Professional rivalry and emotional conflict create an unstable path toward romance.
7. Velvet Touch (1982): A guarded relationship develops beneath a polished social or professional surface.
8. Lover in Pursuit (1982): A determined hero refuses to accept the heroine’s attempt to end or avoid their relationship.
9. Serpent in Paradise (1983): A tropical setting conceals danger and mistrust beneath an intense romance.
10. Raven’s Prey (1983): A woman becomes dependent on a dangerous and enigmatic man while caught in a threatening situation.
11. Price of Surrender (1983): Emotional surrender carries a cost when trust and independence remain contested.
12. Affair of Honor (1983): Personal loyalty and professional obligation complicate a developing romance.
13. To Tame the Hunter (1983): A forceful relationship challenges a man accustomed to pursuit and a woman unwilling to be controlled.
14. Gamemaster (1983): Strategy, manipulation, and attraction turn a relationship into a contest neither can easily leave.
15. The Silver Snare (1983): A valuable object or opportunity draws two people into danger and mutual dependence.
16. Battle Prize (1983): A competitive relationship becomes emotionally serious as both parties reconsider what winning means.
17. Body Guard (1983): Protection places a woman in close contact with the man responsible for keeping her safe.
18. Gambler’s Woman (1984): A woman becomes involved with a risk-taking man whose life and decisions resist predictability.
19. Night of the Magician (1984): Mystery and performance surround a romance with a man skilled at concealment.
20. Nightwalker (1984): A dangerous nighttime encounter draws its central couple into a relationship shaped by suspicion.
21. Fabulous Beast (1984): A formidable man’s reputation conceals the emotional vulnerabilities beneath his controlled exterior.
22. The Devil to Pay (1985): A bargain with a difficult man creates consequences beyond the original agreement.
23. Wizard (1985): An unusually intelligent and secretive hero disrupts the heroine’s carefully ordered life.
24. Golden Goddess (1985): Beauty, value, and public perception complicate a romance involving strong personal ambitions.
25. Cautious Lover (1986): Two people wary of emotional risk must decide whether caution is protecting or isolating them.
26. Green Fire (1986): A dangerous pursuit and intense attraction bring the central couple into conflict.
27. Second Wife (1986): A woman entering a second marriage confronts the lingering influence of her predecessor.
28. Saxon’s Lady (1987): A forceful hero and an independent woman struggle over trust, control, and commitment.
29. The Challoner Bride (1987): Marriage joins the heroine to the Challoner family and to a man whose expectations challenge her independence.

Collections and Reissues

Omnibus editions combine existing books and should not be counted as additional novels.

Together in Eclipse Bay: Collects all three Eclipse Bay books.

Shared Dream: Collects Dream, Part One and Dream, Part Two.

Dreams: Parts 1 and 2: A later digital edition of the same two-part story.

Desperate and Deceptive: Collects the first two Guinevere Jones books.

Sinister and Fatal: Collects the final two Guinevere Jones books.

Dangerous Affair: Collects Affair of Honor and Dangerous Magic.

Wildest Dreams: Collects Renaissance Man and Velvet Touch.

Reckless Nights: Collects Stormy Challenge and Reckless Passion.

Ruthless Love: Collects Corporate Affair and Lover in Pursuit.

A new cover, ebook release, audiobook, or change from an early pen name to Jayne Ann Krentz does not create a new story.

Latest Jayne Ann Krentz Releases

The newest release across Krentz’s active pen names is Enter the Nightmare, published as Jayne Castle on June 30, 2026.

Enter the Nightmare (2026): Alice and Owen enter the Hotel of Dreams, where psychic nightmares can take physical form and threaten the people trapped within its influence.

Other recent releases are:

1. It Takes a Psychic (2026), as Jayne Castle: Leona and Oliver investigate danger in the continuing Harmony world.
2. The Shop on Hidden Lane (2026), as Jayne Ann Krentz: A contemporary romantic-suspense mystery centers on a secluded shop, concealed history, and a dangerous alliance.
3. Shattering Dawn (2025), as Jayne Ann Krentz: Amelia Rivers and Gideon Sweetwater complete the Lost Night Files conspiracy.
4. People in Glass Houses (2024/2025 edition), as Jayne Castle: Molly Griffin and Joshua Knight investigate an alien structure that distorts minds and perception.

No later title was listed with a confirmed publication date as of July 19, 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Jayne Ann Krentz’s first book?

Her earliest published novel was Vintage of Surrender in 1979 under the Jayne Castle name.

Vintage of Surrender (1979): An early category romance built around emotional negotiation, independence, and a relationship neither participant can approach casually.

Whirlwind Courtship, published as Jayne Taylor, also appeared in 1979.

How many names has Jayne Ann Krentz used?

Her published names include Jayne Ann Krentz, Amanda Quick, Jayne Castle, Stephanie James, Jayne Bentley, Jayne Taylor, and Amanda Glass.

The first three remain the identities most important to current readers.

Is Amanda Quick the same author as Jayne Ann Krentz?

Yes. Amanda Quick is the name Krentz uses primarily for historical romantic suspense.

The Amanda Quick books include standalones, the Lavinia Lake and Tobias March trilogy, Burning Cove, and historical portions of the Arcane Society.

Is Jayne Castle the same author as Jayne Ann Krentz?

Yes. Jayne Castle is used primarily for futuristic paranormal romance.

Most current Jayne Castle novels take place on Harmony within the broader Curtain Worlds setting.

Do all Jayne Ann Krentz books connect?

No. Many are standalones or belong to short, separate series.

The strongest cross-name connection is the Arcane Society. Harmony also overlaps with Arcane through Midnight Crystal and Canyons of Night.

What is the correct Arcane Society order?

Read:

1. Second Sight
2. White Lies
3. Sizzle and Burn
4. The Third Circle
5. Running Hot
6. The Perfect Poison
7. Fired Up
8. Burning Lamp
9. Midnight Crystal
10. The Scargill Cove Case Files
11. In Too Deep
12. Quicksilver
13. Canyons of Night

This order deliberately alternates among Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle.

Do the Harmony books need to be read in order?

Publication order is recommended.

The featured couples usually receive complete romances, but Guild politics, family histories, alien technology, and recurring psychic institutions develop across the series.

Can I start Harmony with Guild Boss?

The romance and immediate mystery can be followed, but After Dark is the stronger entry point.

Guild Boss (2021): Lucy Bell and Gabriel Jones reunite after an alien-catacomb rescue that left them with unresolved mistrust and attraction.

Starting there means entering after much of Harmony’s worldbuilding has already been established.

Where does Midnight Crystal belong?

It has two placements:

• Harmony sequence after Obsidian Prey
• Dreamlight trilogy after Fired Up and Burning Lamp

For a complete Arcane read, follow the Dreamlight order.

Where does Canyons of Night belong?

It is both a Harmony/Rainshadow novel and the third Looking Glass book.

Read In Too Deep, then Quicksilver, then Canyons of Night when prioritizing Arcane continuity.

Do the Burning Cove books need to be read in order?

Yes, although each has a different primary couple.

The town, investigators, psychic research, and previous couples recur throughout the seven-book sequence.

Are the Lost Night Files complete?

Yes. The trilogy concludes with Shattering Dawn.

Read Sleep No More, The Night Island, and Shattering Dawn in order.

Is The Shop on Hidden Lane part of a series?

It is listed as a Jayne Ann Krentz contemporary romantic-suspense release rather than a numbered installment in one of the established trilogies.

No preliminary book is required.

What is the newest Jayne Ann Krentz book?

Under the Jayne Ann Krentz name, the newest book is The Shop on Hidden Lane, published January 6, 2026.

Across all pen names, the newest release is Jayne Castle’s Enter the Nightmare, published June 30, 2026.

What is the best book to start with?

The answer depends on the branch:

• Start with The Golden Chance for a representative Jayne Ann Krentz contemporary romance.
• Start with Second Sight for the complete Arcane Society.
• Start with Slightly Shady for Amanda Quick’s recurring Victorian investigators.
• Start with The Girl Who Knew Too Much for Burning Cove.
• Start with After Dark for Harmony.
• Start with Sleep No More for the Lost Night Files.

Final Reading Recommendation

Do not try to read every Jayne Ann Krentz title as one enormous sequence. Choose a setting first, then complete that branch in publication order.

For the most ambitious connected route, begin with Second Sight and follow the Arcane Society across the Amanda Quick, Jayne Ann Krentz, and Jayne Castle names.

For the futuristic books, begin Harmony with After Dark. For historical mysteries, choose Slightly Shady or The Girl Who Knew Too Much. For contemporary paranormal suspense, begin the completed Lost Night Files trilogy with Sleep No More.

The pen name tells you the era. The series name tells you whether order matters.