Kelly Rimmer Books in Order: Every Heartbreaking, Hard-to-Put-Down Novel From Me Without You to The Midnight Estate
Kelly Rimmer writes the kind of novels that make you text a friend at midnight to say, “You have to read this, but keep tissues nearby.” Her stories sit between emotional family drama and historical fiction, built around secrets, motherhood, sisterhood and the choices people make under pressure.
This guide lists every Kelly Rimmer novel in order, with a short description of each, a note on where to start, and answers to the questions readers ask most. It is written for anyone who loves book club fiction, dual-timeline stories and World War II historical fiction, and wants to know which book to pick up next.
Kelly Rimmer Books in Order of Publication
Every title below is a standalone novel with its own cast and ending. Reading in order lets you watch her move from contemporary family drama into the sweeping historical fiction that made her a household name.
Me Without You (2014)
Her debut is a contemporary love story about attraction, grief and the courage it takes to let someone in. Callum is charmed by a barefoot stranger on a ferry, but Lilah is carrying a secret that complicates everything. It is a good first taste of the emotional depth she became known for.
The Secret Daughter (2015)
Sabina is pregnant when she learns she was adopted, and she sets out to find the woman who gave her up. The story moves between Sabina, her adoptive mother Megan and the young woman at the centre of the past. It is a moving look at adoption, motherhood and what love asks of us.
When I Lost You (2016)
A raw, character-driven family drama about loss and whether broken relationships can be repaired. Readers often describe it as one of her most emotional early novels. Expect a story that stays with you after the final page.
A Mother’s Confession (2016)
Two grieving women, a young widow and her late husband’s mother, tell the story in alternating voices. Each is hiding something, and the secrets they keep shape how they cope with the same loss. It is a thoughtful exploration of family, blame and forgiveness.
Before I Let You Go (2018)
This novel asks an impossible question: your sister or her baby? It follows two sisters caught between addiction, pregnancy and a devastating medical decision. It was her breakout into book club territory and is a favourite for readers who like Jodi Picoult.
The Things We Cannot Say (2019)
Her international bestseller moves between present-day America and wartime Poland. A mother searching for answers about her family learns that her grandmother’s silence hid a remarkable story of love and survival. If you only read one Kelly Rimmer novel, this is the one most readers recommend.
Truths I Never Told You (2020)
A 1959 mother with young children hides her deepest fears in a notebook, and decades later her daughter discovers those pages. It is a powerful story about postnatal depression, marriage and the secrets that shape a family. Publishers Weekly gave it a starred review, and Rimmer spoke with survivors of postnatal depression while researching it.
The Warsaw Orphan (2021)
Set in occupied Warsaw in 1942, this novel follows Elzbieta and Roman as they risk everything to help smuggle Jewish children out of the ghetto. It is inspired by the real-life women who saved thousands of children during the war. It is tense, tender and unforgettable.
The German Wife (2022)
Inspired by Operation Paperclip, the secret US program that brought German scientists to America after World War II, this novel follows Sofie and her husband from Berlin in the 1930s to a new life in 1950s Alabama. Sofie must face what her family’s choices have cost. It is a morally complex read that raises hard questions about complicity.
The Paris Agent (2023)
Two ordinary women become spies in Nazi-occupied France, while a double agent works against them. In a second timeline, a daughter searches for the truth about what happened to the agent who saved her father. It is her most suspenseful historical novel, ideal for readers of The Rose Code.
The Midnight Estate (2025)
Fiona Winslow returns to Wurimbirra, her crumbling family estate, and finds a novel in her late uncle’s library whose story mirrors her own. This gothic, dual-narrative mystery is a book-within-a-book about love, loss and betrayal. It was released in Australia in July 2025, and in North America as The Story Keeper in July 2026.
Where to Start With Kelly Rimmer
Because every book stands alone, there is no wrong place to begin. The right starting point depends on what you like to read.
- If you want her most celebrated novel: The Things We Cannot Say.
- If you love World War II historical fiction: The Warsaw Orphan, The German Wife or The Paris Agent.
- If you prefer contemporary family drama: Before I Let You Go or Truths I Never Told You.
- If you want a gothic mystery with a literary twist: The Midnight Estate (The Story Keeper).
- If you want to read her from the very beginning: Me Without You.
Common Themes in Kelly Rimmer’s Novels
Readers who pick up one of her books usually find the same threads running through all of them:
- Family secrets that surface years later
- Motherhood, in all of its joys and impossible choices
- Dual timelines that connect the past to the present
- Women’s courage during war and hardship
- Mental health, addiction and grief, handled with empathy
If you enjoy authors such as Kristin Hannah, Jodi Picoult, Kate Morton or Lisa Wingate, her work will feel familiar in the best way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kelly Rimmer’s Books
What is the first Kelly Rimmer book?
Her first novel is Me Without You, published in 2014. It was published by Bookouture, which welcomed her as its first Australian author.
Do I need to read Kelly Rimmer’s books in order?
No. Each of her novels is a standalone with its own characters and a complete ending. Reading in order is mainly useful if you like seeing an author’s style evolve from contemporary drama into historical fiction.
Which Kelly Rimmer book should I read first?
Most readers start with The Things We Cannot Say, her best-known novel. If you would rather begin with contemporary fiction, try Before I Let You Go.
How many books has Kelly Rimmer written?
Eleven novels are covered in this guide, from Me Without You in 2014 to The Midnight Estate in 2025. She has sold more than three million books.
What is Kelly Rimmer’s newest book?
The latest is The Midnight Estate, a gothic mystery published in Australia in July 2025. In North America it was released as The Story Keeper in July 2026. They are the same novel with different titles.
Is The Story Keeper the same book as The Midnight Estate?
Yes. The Story Keeper is the North American edition of The Midnight Estate, and the story is identical.
Which Kelly Rimmer books are historical fiction?
The Things We Cannot Say, The Warsaw Orphan, The German Wife and The Paris Agent are all set at least partly during World War II. Truths I Never Told You also has a historical timeline, set in 1959.
Are Kelly Rimmer’s books sad?
Many are emotional, and several deal with grief, illness or war. They are also hopeful, because her characters find courage, forgiveness and connection. It helps to keep tissues close.
Are Kelly Rimmer’s books based on true stories?
Some are inspired by real events rather than being retellings. The Warsaw Orphan draws on the women who rescued children from the Warsaw Ghetto, and The German Wife is inspired by Operation Paperclip.
What are good books to read if I like Kelly Rimmer?
Readers often move on to Kristin Hannah, Jodi Picoult, Kate Morton, Lisa Wingate and Fiona Davis, all of whom write layered, emotionally rich stories with strong female leads.
About Kelly Rimmer
Kelly Rimmer is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author whose novels have been translated into more than twenty languages. She was the first Australian author signed to Bookouture, which published Me Without You, and has since written both contemporary and historical fiction that has found a large international audience.
She lives in the Central West of New South Wales with her family and their dogs, Sully and Basil. Since 2022 she has also owned Collins Booksellers Orange, the last remaining bookstore in the regional city she calls home. For a reader’s guide, that matters: she is an author who spends her working life around books and the people who love them, and you can feel that care in how she writes about family and memory.
My Take as a Reader
I keep coming back to Kelly Rimmer when I want a story that feels like it matters. What I appreciate most is that she never rushes the emotional moments. If you read only a few, I would put The Things We Cannot Say, Before I Let You Go and The Warsaw Orphan at the top of the pile, and keep The Midnight Estate for a rainy weekend.
Final Note
Whether you start at the beginning with Me Without You or head straight for The Things We Cannot Say, Kelly Rimmer’s novels reward readers who want stories with heart. Bookmark this page, because we update our reading orders whenever a new release is announced. If you have a favourite Kelly Rimmer novel, I would love to hear which one it is.
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