Lauren Henderson Books in Order (Updated March 5, 2026)

Lauren Henderson is a British author who writes across three distinct shelves:

1. Sam Jones (“tart noir” adult mysteries), 2) YA mysteries (Scarlett Wakefield), and 3) romcom / relationship fiction and humor nonfiction (including her Jane Austen dating guides).

Because those shelves don’t share continuity, the “right” order depends on which lane you’re entering. Within each lane, though, there are clear sequences.

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Start here if you don’t want to think about it

• For adult crime with an ongoing lead: begin Dead White Female (1995) and keep going through the Sam Jones run.
• For YA boarding-school mystery with a continuous arc: begin Kiss Me Kill Me (2008) and read Scarlett Wakefield in order.
• For light contemporary romcom (standalone): try My Lurid Past (2002) or Don’t Even Think About It (2004).
• For humor nonfiction: begin Jane Austen’s Guide to Dating (2005).

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Shelf 1: Sam Jones (adult mystery) – publication order

These follow the same protagonist and build on earlier relationships and fallout, so reading in order pays off.

1. Dead White Female (1995): Sam Jones enters as a sharp, messy, modern sleuth, and the series’ voice and approach to danger are set immediately.
2. Too Many Blondes (1996): A new case pushes Sam deeper into the social machinery around beauty and status, widening the series’ world.
3. The Black Rubber Dress (1997): The investigation threads get darker and more personal, with Sam’s choices starting to cost her in visible ways.
4. Freeze My Margarita (1998): A fast-moving, high-chaos installment that doubles down on pace and escalation rather than comfort.
5. The Strawberry Tattoo (1999): The series tightens its emotional pressure, using the case to expose what Sam can’t keep compartmentalized.
6. Chained! (2000): A higher-stakes entry where the danger feels closer and the consequences more permanent than in earlier books.
7. Pretty Boy (2001): A late-series push that leans into sharper risks and sharper self-knowledge, reading best as a culmination rather than a sampler.

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Shelf 2: Scarlett Wakefield (YA mystery) – publication order

This is a direct series with ongoing relationships and a continuing mystery spine. Read in order.

1. Kiss Me Kill Me (2008): Scarlett’s new-school life detonates into scandal and danger, establishing the central trauma and the rules of this world.
2. Kisses and Lies (2009): The aftermath becomes a new investigation, and Scarlett’s attempts at closure expand the suspect pool instead of shrinking it.
3. Kiss in the Dark (2010): A “fresh start” collapses quickly, with threats returning in a way that forces Scarlett into proactive choices.
4. Kiss of Death (2011): The arc reaches its most direct confrontation, cashing in the series’ tensions and giving the strongest payoff if you’ve read the earlier books.

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Shelf 3: Flirting in Italian (YA contemporary) – publication order

A short, clearly labeled sequence. Read in order.

1. Flirting in Italian (2012): A teen abroad setup that uses travel and friendship as the engine, with romance arriving as complication rather than destination.
2. Kissing in Italian (2014): The follow-up continues the same world and emotional lane, best read as a continuation rather than a separate standalone.

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Standalones: contemporary romcom / relationship fiction

These are designed as one-book experiences. Read by premise, not chronology.

• My Lurid Past (2002): A modern relationship comedy where image-management and desire collide, and the heroine can’t keep “public life” separate from private chaos.
• Don’t Even Think About It (2004): A brisk, funny, consequences-forward love story built around what people refuse to admit until the timing gets dangerous.
• Exes Anonymous (2005): A romantic reset built around unfinished history, where the real tension is whether the past is a lesson or a loop.

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Humor nonfiction: the Jane Austen guides (read in order)

These are companion-style guides. You can read either first, but reading in order makes the concept feel cleaner.

1. Jane Austen’s Guide to Dating (2005): Austen’s character logic translated into modern dating rules, with quizzes and archetypes doing the heavy lifting.
2. Jane Austen’s Guide to Romance: The Regency Rules (2006): A follow-on guide that expands from “dating” into broader relationship expectations and social dynamics.

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Optional extras and appearances (not required)

• Girls’ Night In (anthology): A multi-author collection that includes Henderson among others, best treated as a sampler rather than part of any series order.

(If you’re trying to be completionist, this is the kind of item to verify edition-by-edition, because anthologies can shift across markets.)

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Recommended reading orders (three routes)

Route A: The simplest “one shelf, one line” plan

1. Sam Jones in publication order (1995 → 2001)
2. Then choose either Scarlett Wakefield or the standalones, depending on mood

Route B: YA-first, then adult

1. Scarlett Wakefield (2008 → 2011)
2. Flirting in Italian (2012 → 2014)
3. Then step into Sam Jones (1995 → 2001) as a tonal shift to adult noir

Route C: Try one book, then commit if you like it

• Try: Dead White Female (adult crime) or Kiss Me Kill Me (YA mystery) or My Lurid Past (romcom)
• Then: stay in that lane and read forward

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Latest release status (as of March 5, 2026)

Lauren Henderson’s best-known series runs are established and commonly listed as complete in their main sequences:

• Sam Jones: 7 books (1995-2001)
• Scarlett Wakefield: 4 books (2008-2011)
• Flirting in Italian: 2 published titles (2012, 2014)