Louise Candlish is a British novelist best known for modern domestic and psychological thrillers. She does not write a numbered series in the usual sense, nearly all of her novels are standalones, so “reading order” is mainly about publication history and finding the right entry point for your taste.

Pick your starting point
- If you want the style she’s best known for now: start with Our House (2018).
- If you want a newer, polished standalone with a tight hook: start with The Only Suspect (2023).
- If you prefer earlier, more relationship-driven drama: start with Since I Don’t Have You (2007).
The novels, in publication order (one line per book)
- Prickly Heat (2004): A warm-weather, sharp-edged relationship story that shows her early voice before the later thrill-heavy phase.
- I’ll Be There for You (2005) (aka Sisters Avenue): A friendship-and-fallout novel built around the pressures of growing up and growing apart.
- The Double Life of Anna Day (2006): A split-identity setup where secrets and reinvention drive the tension.
- Since I Don’t Have You (2007): A domestic, emotionally focused story about what happens when a relationship’s foundations shift.
- The Second Husband (2008): A marriage-centered suspense-leaning drama where choices echo longer than expected.
- Before We Say Goodbye (2009): A relationship and life-change story shaped by things left unsaid and decisions made too late.
- Other People’s Secrets (2010): A close-quarters holiday setting where private lives collide and hidden histories surface.
- The Day You Saved My Life (2012): A “sliding doors” style premise where one moment reframes everything that follows.
- The Disappearance of Emily Marr (2013) (aka The Missing Hours of Emily Marr): A missing-person mystery that leans hard on doubt, memory, and what can’t be verified.
- The Island Hideaway (2013): A getaway narrative where the setting promises escape but delivers complications instead.
- The Sudden Departure of the Frasers (2015): A family-and-reputation thriller where a public scandal becomes intensely personal.
- The Swimming Pool (2016): A neighbourly micro-world story where appearances hold until they crack.
- Our House (2018): A nightmare scenario about home, ownership, and credibility that works best when you know as little as possible going in.
- Those People (2019): A street-level conflict novel where resentment builds gradually and then tips into something darker.
- The Other Passenger (2020) (aka The Other Couple): A commuter routine turns dangerous as obsession and opportunity intersect.
- The Heights (2021): A modern gothic-leaning setup where a charged location amplifies past and present tensions.
- The Only Suspect (2023): A tightly controlled mystery built around perspective, blame, and how narratives get manufactured.
- Our Holiday (2024): A coastal escape story where status, entitlement, and simmering hostility become the real threat.
- A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder (2025) (aka A Neighbor’s Guide to Murder): A neighbour-friendship premise that sharpens into a question of intervention, control, and consequences.
Short works and contributions (optional)
These are not required for any novel and don’t affect continuity.
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- The Skylight (2021) (Quick Reads): A compact, standalone piece designed as a short, accessible read rather than part of a sequence.
What’s newest and what’s next
- Newest published novel: A Neighbour’s Guide to Murder (2025).
- Next announced novel: A Knock at the Door, scheduled for November 5, 2026.
FAQs
Do I need to read Louise Candlish in order?
No, almost everything is standalone, so you can pick any premise that appeals, unless you specifically want to follow her evolution as a writer.
Why do some titles look different in different countries?
A few books have alternate titles across markets (for example, I’ll Be There for You / Sisters Avenue, and The Disappearance of Emily Marr / The Missing Hours of Emily Marr), but they’re the same novels.
What’s the safest “try one book” recommendation?
If you want the clearest snapshot of her current reputation, Our House is the most widely used entry point, with The Only Suspect as a strong newer alternative.
Bottom line
If you want one decisive starting choice, begin with Our House (2018). If you’d rather start closer to the present day, choose The Only Suspect (2023) and then move forward (or backward) from there.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.

