T.R. Ragan is the thriller pen name of author Theresa Ragan. Under T.R. Ragan, the books split into four crime-thriller series plus standalone psychological thrillers.
The safest approach is simple: pick a series and read it straight through, because each one carries character history and emotional fallout forward.
Affiliate Disclosure
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This article may contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you.
A clean way to choose your entry point
Want a classic “detective vs. predator” series with a private investigator lead?
Start with Abducted (2011) (Lizzy Gardner #1).
Want a fast, revenge-fueled three-book run (tight trilogy feel)?
Start with Furious (2016) (Faith McMann #1).
Want a PI series with modern-case momentum and a steady partner dynamic?
Start with Her Last Day (2017) (Jessie Cole #1).
Want a reporter-led series built around family history and buried secrets?
Start with Don’t Make a Sound (2020) (Sawyer Brooks #1).
Want a one-book commitment?
Start with Such a Beautiful Family (2022) (standalone).
The series lanes (don’t mix these accidentally)
- Lizzy Gardner = one continuous PI arc (6 books).
- Faith McMann = a closed trilogy (3 books).
- Jessie Cole = one continuous PI arc (4 books).
- Sawyer Brooks = one continuous reporter arc (3 books).
- Standalones = read anytime; no series prerequisites.
Lizzy Gardner series (read in order)
Abducted (2011): A missing-girl case turns into a high-risk hunt for a calculating predator, introducing Lizzy’s instincts and the series’ “once you see it, you can’t unsee it” stakes.
Dead Weight (2012): A fresh disappearance forces Lizzy to move faster and trust her gut sooner, tightening the series’ pace while raising the personal cost of getting involved.
A Dark Mind (2013): A pattern-driven killer pushes the investigation into deeper psychological terrain, expanding the series from single-case urgency into wider threat logic.
Obsessed (2014): A fixated threat targets what Lizzy values most, escalating the danger from “work risk” to “life risk” and stressing her support network.
Almost Dead (2015): A case that hits close forces Lizzy to keep functioning while under strain, making consequences feel cumulative rather than reset-at-the-end.
Evil Never Dies (2015): The series leans into lasting fallout and hard-earned closure, paying off prior trauma while pushing Lizzy toward a more final line in the sand.
Faith McMann trilogy (read in order)
Furious (2016): A violent loss detonates Faith’s normal life, turning grief into a relentless drive and launching a trilogy built around payback and survival.
Outrage (2016): What looked settled becomes more complicated and more dangerous, widening the target list and forcing Faith to confront the cost of continuing.
Wrath (2017): The endgame arrives with fewer safe options and higher collateral risk, closing the trilogy by forcing Faith to choose what “justice” really means now.
Jessie Cole series (read in order)
Her Last Day (2017): A PI case with a ticking-clock urgency introduces Jessie’s method and moral lines, establishing the series’ blend of grit, empathy, and danger.
Deadly Recall (2018): A case built around memory and hidden history forces Jessie to question the “official” story early, pushing the series toward sharper reversals.
Deranged (2018): A volatile threat tests Jessie’s ability to stay strategic under pressure, raising both the physical risk and the emotional intensity.
Buried Deep (2019): Multiple missing-person threads converge into one escalating crisis, paying off prior relationship trust and pushing Jessie to the edge of what she can carry.
Sawyer Brooks series (read in order)
Don’t Make a Sound (2020): A reporter’s return to her past collides with a fresh wave of violence, building a series where the investigation keeps reopening old wounds.
Out of Her Mind (2020): A new case echoes earlier horrors and tempts copycat logic, widening the series into broader community fear and higher personal vulnerability.
No Going Back (2021): The biggest story of Sawyer’s career becomes the most dangerous, turning the trilogy into a high-stakes convergence of truth, vengeance, and exposure.
Standalone thrillers (read in any order)
Count to Three (2021): A missing-girl case becomes a pressure-cooker race against time, built to read like a single sustained escalation rather than a slow-burn mystery.
Such a Beautiful Family (2022): A picture-perfect household cracks under suspicion and secrecy, where the tension comes from what’s hidden inside “normal.”
Best House on the Block (2024): A neighborhood’s polished surface starts to feel predatory, turning proximity and observation into the engine of threat and obsession.
(Release years can vary by region/format; these are the commonly listed original publication years.)
Chronological order
Not needed. Each series is already chronological in publication order, and the standalones have no shared timeline.
What’s the latest book?
As of February 23, 2026, the most recently listed new standalone release under T.R. Ragan is Best House on the Block (2024) (with some listings showing a 2025 date depending on edition/market).
No new, reliably confirmed 2026 series installment date was consistently shown across the major bibliographic listings checked.
FAQs
Do Lizzy Gardner and Jessie Cole crossover?
They’re generally listed as separate series lines. If a cameo exists, it isn’t treated as required reading order.
Can I read the Sawyer Brooks books out of order since they’re “cases”?
You can, but the emotional and family-history thread is built to stack. Out of order reading blunts the intended pressure.
Which series is best if I only want one?
For the most classic long-form thriller arc: Lizzy Gardner. For a tight, fast trilogy: Faith McMann.
The simplest plan
Choose one lane and stay in it: Lizzy Gardner from Abducted, Faith McMann from Furious, Jessie Cole from Her Last Day, or Sawyer Brooks from Don’t Make a Sound. If you want a standalone first, Such a Beautiful Family is the cleanest one-book entry.
Frank is the editor of BookSeries.blog, focusing on publication order, chronological timelines, and spoiler-free reading guides for book series and fictional universes.