Luanne Rice Books in Order: Hubbard’s Point, Detective Conor Reid, and All Her Novels
Luanne Rice writes about families, love, secrets, and the complicated ties that keep people connected even when their lives take unexpected turns. Many of her novels are set in coastal communities, where the ocean, family homes, and small-town relationships become important parts of the story. Her work spans contemporary women’s fiction, romance, family drama, and suspense.
If you are searching for Luanne Rice books in order, there are a few connected series to know about, especially the Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall books, the Star of the Sea Academy novels, and the Detective Conor Reid thrillers. The rest can generally be read independently. This guide organizes her principal novels by series, provides a broader publication-order list, and explains where to start if you are new to her work.
1. Hubbard’s Point / Black Hall Books in Order
The Hubbard’s Point books, also associated with the Black Hall setting, explore family relationships and personal turning points in a coastal Connecticut community. The novels share a sense of place and overlapping connections, although each has its own central story.
Read the main books in this order:
1. Firefly Beach (2001)
Firefly Beach introduces readers to the world of Hubbard’s Point, where family memories, old relationships, and the pull of home shape the lives of the characters. It establishes the coastal atmosphere that runs through the connected novels.
This is the recommended starting point for readers who want to explore the series from the beginning.
2. Safe Harbor (2002)
Safe Harbor returns to the coastal setting and the emotional complications of family life. Rice explores how people deal with difficult histories, changing relationships, and the possibility of finding a place where they can feel secure again.
3. True Blue (2002)
In True Blue, the characters confront the consequences of love, loyalty, and choices that cannot easily be undone. The novel continues the series’ focus on relationships shaped by shared history and the pull of the sea.
4. The Perfect Summer (2003)
The Perfect Summer follows the emotional changes that can occur when people return to familiar places and reconsider the lives they have built. The coastal setting adds to the story’s atmosphere of nostalgia, hope, and personal renewal.
5. Beach Girls (2004)
Beach Girls is one of Rice’s best-known novels. It follows a group of women whose lives intersect through friendship, family, grief, and the enduring memories of summers spent by the shore.
The novel explores how old wounds can affect the next generation and how friendship can help people find a way forward. It is also a good standalone introduction to Rice’s writing, even though it belongs to the wider Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall world.
6. Last Kiss (2008)
Last Kiss revisits the emotional and family connections associated with Hubbard’s Point. As characters confront the past and the possibility of change, the novel continues the series’ themes of love, loss, and second chances.
6.5. The Night Before (2014, short story)
The Night Before is a short story connected to the Hubbard’s Point setting. On the eve of a wedding, a storm sweeps across a family farm on the Connecticut shoreline, setting events in motion.
It works as a companion piece rather than a full-length numbered novel. Readers can add it after the main series or read it when they want another short visit to the setting.
Recommended reading order: Firefly Beach → Safe Harbor → True Blue → The Perfect Summer → Beach Girls → Last Kiss. Add The Night Before as a companion story.
2. Summer’s Child Books in Order
The Summer’s Child books are connected stories about love, family, and the secrets that can remain hidden in a coastal community for years.
1. Summer’s Child (2005)
On the first day of summer, Mara Jameson goes out to water her garden and disappears. She is pregnant, and her disappearance leaves the people around her struggling to understand what happened and what it means for the family she has left behind.
The novel blends mystery, romance, and family drama, with the ocean and the changing seasons adding to the atmosphere.
2. Summer of Roses (2005)
Summer of Roses continues the emotional world of Summer’s Child. It explores how family relationships and unresolved questions shape the future, while continuing the series’ themes of love, loss, and the possibility of healing.
Read Summer’s Child first to establish the background and emotional context for the second novel.
3. Star of the Sea Academy Books in Order
The Star of the Sea Academy novels follow a family connected to a seaside school and the community around it. The stories focus on love, family loyalties, and the ways a shared past can continue to influence the present.
1. Sandcastles (2006)
Sandcastles follows Honor Sullivan, an artist who has built a life for herself and her three daughters at Star of the Sea Academy on the Connecticut coast. When one of her daughters announces that she plans to marry a man from the family’s past, old feelings and complicated relationships begin to resurface.
The novel explores family bonds, lost love, and the possibility of rebuilding a life after heartbreak.
2. What Matters Most (2007)
What Matters Most continues the story begun in Sandcastles. Two people who have loved each other for years must confront the distance between the lives they have built and the feelings they have never entirely left behind.
Read it after Sandcastles to follow the connected characters and their developing relationships.
4. Newport, Rhode Island Books in Order
These two novels are grouped together in reading-order bibliographies because of their Newport connections. They focus on family relationships, personal change, and the complicated emotional ties between women.
1. The Geometry of Sisters (2009)
The Geometry of Sisters explores the bonds between three pairs of sisters, examining the complicated equations of love, loyalty, loss, and forgiveness. The story looks at how family relationships can be both a source of strength and a cause of deep pain.
It is a good choice for readers who enjoy character-driven family fiction.
2. The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners (2009)
This novel follows a mother and daughter who have been separated for years and must find a way to face the future together. Their story unfolds against an island setting filled with history, natural beauty, and the possibility of a fresh start.
Read it after The Geometry of Sisters if you want to follow the catalog grouping, although the two novels can be enjoyed independently.
5. Detective Conor Reid Books in Order
Luanne Rice’s Detective Conor Reid books shift from family-centered fiction toward crime and suspense. Set in Rhode Island and its coastal communities, the series combines murder investigations with family secrets, personal conflict, and dangerous revelations.
1. Last Day (2020)
In Last Day, a terrible crime disrupts the lives of people connected to Black Hall, the Connecticut shoreline community familiar to readers of Rice’s earlier novels. The book blends suspense with the author’s interest in family and friendship, giving the setting an important role in the story.
It is the recommended starting point for readers who want to follow the Reid-related books from the beginning.
2. The Shadow Box (2021)
The Shadow Box is a tense thriller about a wife determined to expose the truth and the people who will do almost anything to stop her. The novel explores how secrets can become dangerous when someone decides that silence is no longer an option.
Although it can be read as a standalone thriller, it is commonly grouped with the Detective Conor Reid books in reading-order guides.
3. Last Night (2024)
In Last Night, a fierce blizzard blankets the Rhode Island coast. Artist Maddie Morrison seeks refuge from a difficult divorce at the Ocean House, but the situation becomes a nightmare when she is found dead and her young daughter, CeCe, disappears.
The novel brings together a missing-child investigation, family secrets, and the pressure of a storm-bound setting. Read it after Last Day and The Shadow Box if you are following the connected crime-fiction catalog.
4. Until Midnight (2026)
Until Midnight brings the Reid brothers back in a new thriller. The novel continues Rice’s crime-fiction work and is the latest title featured on her official book collection page as of October 2026.
Readers following the connected Reid books should read it after Last Night. As with the earlier books, its suspense is rooted in relationships, hidden motives, and the consequences of secrets that have remained buried for too long.
Recommended reading order: Last Day → The Shadow Box → Last Night → Until Midnight.
6. Luanne Rice Standalone Novels in Publication Order
Many of Rice’s best-known books are standalones. They explore relationships, grief, family history, love, and the ways people rebuild their lives after a turning point. You do not need to read them in a particular order.
The list below follows the principal standalone novels in approximate first-publication order. Years may differ between editions and catalogs.
1. Angels All Over Town (1985)
Rice’s debut novel introduces her interest in relationships, emotional upheaval, and the way ordinary lives can be changed by love and loss. It is a useful starting point for readers interested in her earliest published fiction.
2. Crazy in Love (1988)
Crazy in Love explores romantic relationships and the sometimes unpredictable decisions people make when love becomes complicated. It belongs to Rice’s early contemporary fiction.
3. Stone Heart (1990)
In Stone Heart, an archaeologist returns to her family after years away and discovers that the home she remembers has changed. The novel explores the emotional work of confronting the past and trying to build a different future.
4. Secrets of Paris (1991)
This novel follows Lydie McBride and her architect husband, Michael, as they move to Paris for a cultural exchange project involving the Louvre. Their new surroundings bring friendship, passion, and dark complications into their lives.
5. Blue Moon (1993)
Set in a coastal fishing community, Blue Moon centers on family, love, and loyalty. The story follows people whose relationships are deeply tied to the sea and to the history of their community.
6. Home Fires (1995)
Anne Davis returns to the island where she grew up, leaving behind the seemingly glamorous life she once led between Manhattan and France. The harsh coastal winter forces her to confront her past and reconsider what home really means.
7. Cloud Nine (1999)
Cloud Nine continues Rice’s exploration of relationships, personal hopes, and the unexpected changes that can reshape a person’s life. It can be read independently of her other novels.
8. Follow the Stars Home (2000)
This novel follows a woman whose life is changed by a difficult family decision and the enduring power of love. It became one of Rice’s best-known stories and was adapted as a television movie.
9. Dream Country (2001)
Dream Country is a standalone story about love, personal history, and the search for belonging. It fits naturally with Rice’s broader interest in how family and place shape identity.
10. Summer Light (2001)
In Summer Light, family relationships and the desire for a fresh start drive the story. The novel shares Rice’s interest in the emotional significance of home, memories, and the changing seasons.
11. The Secret Hour (2003)
The Secret Hour is a standalone novel that explores the hidden parts of people’s lives and the ways private decisions can change relationships. It is another option for readers who enjoy Rice’s character-focused storytelling.
12. Dance with Me (2004)
Jane Porter returns to her Rhode Island roots after years away, confronting family memories and a past that still affects the people she loves. The novel explores forgiveness, family ties, and the possibility of beginning again.
13. Silver Bells (2004)
Silver Bells is a holiday novel about family, love, and the possibility of reconciliation. Its seasonal setting makes it a natural choice for readers who want an emotional story around the holidays.
14. The Edge of Winter (2007)
This novel explores relationships and family tensions against a wintry backdrop. It is a standalone choice for readers drawn to Rice’s atmospheric settings and emotionally complicated characters.
15. The Letters (2008, with Joseph Monninger)
Co-written with Joseph Monninger, The Letters is a collaborative novel about relationships and the importance of communication. It differs from Rice’s solo novels but shares her interest in the emotional bonds that hold people together.
16. Light of the Moon (2008)
Light of the Moon is a standalone novel that explores personal relationships and the emotional choices people face when their lives take unexpected turns.
17. The Silver Boat (2011)
Three sisters return to their family beach house on Martha’s Vineyard to say goodbye. Memories of their mother, grandmother, and Irish father rise to the surface, and old letters reveal truths that send them back to their family’s ancestral homeland.
The novel is a strong choice for readers who enjoy family sagas with coastal settings and mysteries rooted in the past.
18. Little Night (2012)
Clare Burke has spent years living quietly in Manhattan after a traumatic conflict involving her sister led to estrangement and prison time. When her niece Grit appears at her door, Clare’s carefully constructed life begins to change.
The novel explores family secrets, sisterhood, forgiveness, and the possibility of repairing relationships that once seemed beyond recovery.
19. The Lemon Orchard (2013)
Set between the California coast and the Mexican border region, The Lemon Orchard follows a woman grieving a family loss who becomes connected to a young Mexican immigrant. Their relationship develops against the backdrop of immigration, grief, and unexpected love.
20. The Secret Language of Sisters (2016)
This young adult novel centers on sisters whose relationship changes after a life-altering accident. It explores communication, family loyalty, and the difficulty of understanding someone whose experiences are different from your own.
21. The Beautiful Lost (2017)
The Beautiful Lost follows Maia, a young woman struggling with depression and the fear that she could lose control of her life again. The novel explores grief, friendship, love, and the search for a place to belong.
22. Pretend She’s Here (2019)
Emily Lonergan is struggling after the death of her best friend, Lizzie Porter. Unable to accept her loss, Emily becomes increasingly entangled in the question of what it means to hold on to someone who is gone.
This young adult novel explores grief, obsession, and the fragile boundary between memory and reality.
23. If Anything Happens to Me (2024)
This suspense novel follows a family whose lives are changed by a frightening event and the questions it leaves behind. Rice brings her interest in family bonds and emotional stakes into a more thriller-oriented story.
7. Other Stories and Anthology Contributions
Rice has also published short fiction and contributed to collaborative collections. These works are separate from her main novel sequences.
How We Started (2012)
How We Started is an ebook special featuring two stories connected to characters from The Silver Boat and Little Night. It offers extra background on early love and the relationships that shaped the later novels.
Providence Noir (2015)
Rice contributed to Providence Noir, an anthology in the Akashic Noir series. This is a collaborative collection featuring multiple writers, not a Luanne Rice novel or a series she authored alone.
What My Mother Gave Me (2013)
Rice contributed to this anthology of essays by women reflecting on gifts and lessons received from their mothers. It is nonfiction and should be kept separate from her fiction bibliography.
Belle Mer (2022)
Belle Mer is Rice’s contribution to the multi-author Getaway collection. The collection includes stories by several authors, so it should not be treated as a standalone Luanne Rice series.
8. Luanne Rice Books in Publication Order
For readers who want to follow Rice’s career from the beginning, this combined list provides a practical chronological overview of her principal novels. The series lists above are more useful if you want to follow recurring characters and settings.
- Angels All Over Town (1985)
- Crazy in Love (1988)
- Stone Heart (1990)
- Secrets of Paris (1991)
- Blue Moon (1993)
- Home Fires (1995)
- Cloud Nine (1999)
- Follow the Stars Home (2000)
- Dream Country (2001)
- Firefly Beach (2001)
- Summer Light (2001)
- Safe Harbor (2002)
- True Blue (2002)
- The Secret Hour (2003)
- The Perfect Summer (2003)
- Dance with Me (2004)
- Silver Bells (2004)
- Beach Girls (2004)
- Summer’s Child (2005)
- Summer of Roses (2005)
- Sandcastles (2006)
- The Edge of Winter (2007)
- What Matters Most (2007)
- Last Kiss (2008)
- The Letters (2008, with Joseph Monninger)
- Light of the Moon (2008)
- The Geometry of Sisters (2009)
- The Deep Blue Sea for Beginners (2009)
- The Silver Boat (2011)
- Little Night (2012)
- The Lemon Orchard (2013)
- The Secret Language of Sisters (2016)
- The Beautiful Lost (2017)
- Pretend She’s Here (2019)
- Last Day (2020)
- The Shadow Box (2021)
- Last Night (2024)
- If Anything Happens to Me (2024)
- Until Midnight (2026)
This list focuses on principal novels rather than every short story, anthology contribution, reissue, or omnibus edition. Where publication dates vary between markets, the year shown is the commonly listed original publication year.
9. Where Should You Start with Luanne Rice?
The best starting point depends on the type of story you want to read.
- For a coastal family saga: Start with Firefly Beach or Beach Girls.
- For a connected family romance: Read Summer’s Child followed by Summer of Roses.
- For family relationships and reconciliation: Try The Geometry of Sisters.
- For a suspenseful crime story: Start with Last Day.
- For a recent thriller: Choose Until Midnight.
- For a story about sisters and family history: Read The Silver Boat.
- For young adult fiction: Try The Secret Language of Sisters or Pretend She’s Here.
- For a holiday read: Choose Silver Bells.
If you want the clearest introduction to Rice’s signature style, Beach Girls is a strong choice. It combines a coastal setting, complicated family relationships, friendship, and emotional healing. If suspense is more your preference, start with Last Day and continue through the Detective Conor Reid books.
Frequently Asked Questions About Luanne Rice Books
What is Luanne Rice’s first book?
Angels All Over Town, published in 1985, is generally listed as Luanne Rice’s debut novel.
How many books has Luanne Rice written?
Luanne Rice has published more than 30 novels, along with short stories and anthology contributions. The exact count depends on whether a bibliography includes collaborative collections, alternate editions, and short works as separate entries.
Do Luanne Rice’s books need to be read in order?
Most of her novels are standalones and can be read independently. For the Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall, Summer’s Child, Star of the Sea Academy, and Detective Conor Reid books, following the series order is the best way to experience the recurring characters and connections.
What is the order of the Hubbard’s Point books?
The main order is Firefly Beach, Safe Harbor, True Blue, The Perfect Summer, Beach Girls, and Last Kiss. The Night Before is a companion short story associated with the setting.
Is Beach Girls part of a series?
Beach Girls is associated with the wider Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall setting. It can still be enjoyed as a standalone story, particularly by readers interested in family relationships and coastal fiction.
What is the correct order for the Detective Conor Reid books?
The commonly listed order is Last Day, The Shadow Box, Last Night, and Until Midnight. Because catalog descriptions sometimes group the books differently, readers should use this as a practical reading path rather than assume that every edition labels the series identically.
What is Luanne Rice’s latest book?
Until Midnight is featured as her newest novel on her official book collection page in 2026. It brings the Reid brothers back in a new thriller.
What genres does Luanne Rice write?
Rice writes contemporary women’s fiction, family drama, romance, young adult fiction, and suspense. Her books often feature coastal communities, complicated family histories, and characters trying to rebuild their lives after a loss or major change.
About Luanne Rice
Luanne Rice is a bestselling American novelist whose work has appeared on the New York Times bestseller list. She is known for stories about family, friendship, love, and the emotional connections people form with the places they call home.
Many of her novels are set in coastal New England, where the sea and local communities play important roles in the characters’ lives. Her bibliography spans contemporary fiction, romantic stories, young adult novels, and suspense, allowing readers to discover different sides of her writing.
Final Note
The easiest way to read Luanne Rice is to follow the series that interests you and read her standalones whenever you like. Begin with Firefly Beach for the Hubbard’s Point/Black Hall books, Summer’s Child for the Summer’s Child duology, or Last Day for her connected crime-fiction books.
If you are more interested in family stories than series continuity, Beach Girls, The Silver Boat, and The Geometry of Sisters are excellent places to start. Rice’s novels share an emotional focus on family and belonging, but each offers its own cast, setting, and story.
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