Michael Robotham Books in Order (Updated February 23, 2026)

Michael Robotham writes psychological and crime thrillers across multiple, separate series plus a handful of true standalones. Order matters inside each series because recurring characters and relationship changes carry forward.

If you keep the continuities separated, this is an easy bibliography to navigate.

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The 20-second decision map

New to Robotham and want a long-running crime series?
Start with The Suspect (Joe O’Loughlin).

Want the newest “core” series with a tighter entry point?
Start with Good Girl, Bad Girl (Cyrus Haven).

Want a more police-procedural start with a newer protagonist and only two books so far?
Start with When You Are Mine (Philomena McCarthy).

Want a one-and-done standalone?
Try The Secrets She Keeps or Life or Death.

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Continuity rules (so you don’t accidentally spoil yourself)

• Joe O’Loughlin novels should be read in order.
• Cyrus Haven novels should be read in order.
• Philomena McCarthy novels should be read in order.
• The three series are not the same storyline, but one title creates a mild “bridge” point (explained below).
• A few books sit outside the series and can be read anytime.

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Joe O’Loughlin / Vincent Ruiz books in order

What this is

A long-running sequence anchored by psychologist Joe O’Loughlin, with major recurring supporting characters (including police threads). Read in publication order to preserve reveals and character changes.

Publication order (recommended)

1. The Suspect (2004): A baffling series of attacks pulls psychologist Joe O’Loughlin into a murder investigation, setting the rules for the Joe/Ruiz partnership and the series’ personal stakes.
2. Lost (2005) (also published as The Drowning Man): A missing-person case with unsettling patterns drags Joe deeper into the cost of getting involved, tightening the bond, and the friction, between Joe and Ruiz.
3. Shatter (2008) (also published as The Sleep of Reason): A brutal, psychologically sharp case tests Joe’s judgment and safety at close range, pushing the series into darker territory and longer consequences.
4. Bleed for Me (2010): A young woman’s trauma and an eerie threat pull Joe into a case where the danger is hard to prove until it’s almost too late, raising the series’ tension and intimacy.
5. The Wreckage (2011): A seemingly contained mystery fractures into wider fallout, forcing Joe and Ruiz to confront how badly the wrong assumption can damage lives, and careers.
6. Say You’re Sorry (2012): A missing-girls investigation with escalating urgency drives one of the series’ most relentless hunts, reshaping trust and resolve among the core characters.
7. Watching You (2013): Suspicion turns inward as a family and neighborhood dynamic becomes the pressure-cooker, challenging Joe’s instincts when the “safe” setting is the threat.
8. Close Your Eyes (2015): A case with deep personal reverberations forces hard choices and closes certain doors for good, making this one of the most continuity-sensitive entries.
9. The Other Wife (2018): A domestic situation detonates into a high-stakes investigation, paying off long-running character threads and landing major emotional consequences.

Optional side step inside this continuity

• The Night Ferry (2007) – Often treated as a Vincent Ruiz–adjacent novel.
  If you want the cleanest character flow, it fits best after Lost (2005) and before Shatter (2008), but it’s not required to follow Joe’s core arc.

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Cyrus Haven / Evie Cormac books in order

What this is

A newer series featuring forensic psychologist Cyrus Haven and Evie Cormac. The emotional and investigative arcs are sequential.

Publication order (recommended)

1. Good Girl, Bad Girl (2019)
2. When She Was Good (2020)
3. Lying Beside You (2022)
4. Storm Child (2024)

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Philomena McCarthy books in order

What this is

A police-and-family-focused series following Philomena McCarthy.

Publication order (recommended)

1. When You Are Mine (2021)
2. The White Crow (2025)

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Standalones (no series commitment)

Read these anytime. They do not require other books for context.

• Bombproof (2009)
• Life or Death (2014)
• The Secrets She Keeps (2017)

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A clean “everything” order that avoids continuity confusion

If you prefer one list, this keeps each series intact while still moving forward by eras:

1. The Suspect
2. Lost
3. (Optional) The Night Ferry
4. Shatter
5. Bombproof (standalone)
6. Bleed for Me
7. The Wreckage
8. Say You’re Sorry
9. Watching You
10. Close Your Eyes
11. Life or Death (standalone)
12. The Secrets She Keeps (standalone)
13. The Other Wife
14. Good Girl, Bad Girl
15. When She Was Good
16. When You Are Mine
17. Lying Beside You
18. Storm Child
19. The White Crow

This is not the only sensible route, but it minimizes “who is this?” moments and keeps each character arc readable.

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Latest release status and what’s next

• Most recent release (as of February 23, 2026): The White Crow (2025) – Philomena McCarthy #2.
• Next confirmed book: Tell Me Something True – scheduled for September 29, 2026.

(Release dates can vary by region and format, but the title and the September 29, 2026 schedule are broadly consistent across major publisher listings.)

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FAQs

Do I need to read Joe O’Loughlin before Cyrus Haven (or the other way around)?
No. Treat them as separate entry points. If you’re only reading one series, start at that series’ Book 1.

Is The Other Wife Joe O’Loughlin or Cyrus Haven?
It’s best handled as late Joe O’Loughlin (after Close Your Eyes). If you’re reading Cyrus Haven, still begin with Good Girl, Bad Girl.

What if I only want the newest material?
Start with Good Girl, Bad Girl (2019) for the Haven line, or When You Are Mine (2021) for Philomena McCarthy.

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Bottom line

If you want the broadest, safest starting point: The Suspect begins Robotham’s longest and most developed continuity. If you want the cleanest modern entry: Good Girl, Bad Girl is the simplest “Book 1” to try.