Kiersten Modglin Books in Order: Every Thriller, Series, and Standalone

Kiersten Modglin writes psychological thrillers built around secrets that refuse to stay hidden. Her stories often begin with something familiar, such as a marriage, a family gathering, a new neighbor, or a seemingly perfect home, before revealing that someone has been lying all along.

With a large and growing bibliography, figuring out where to start can be confusing. Some titles have been renamed, a few books belong to connected series, and many others stand alone. This guide organizes her books by series first, followed by her standalone novels in publication order, with notes to help you choose your next read.

The Arrangement Novels in Order

The Arrangement is a three-book domestic thriller trilogy about a couple whose decision to open their marriage sets off a chain of increasingly dangerous consequences. Read these books in sequence because each installment continues the same story.

1. The Arrangement (2021)

A married couple agrees to an arrangement that is supposed to give their relationship new boundaries and possibilities. But the rules they establish soon become a source of suspicion, manipulation, and danger.

2. The Amendment (2022)

The consequences of the couple’s decision continue to unfold as new information changes what they thought they understood about their relationship. The second book deepens the deception and raises the stakes for everyone involved.

3. The Atonement (2022)

The trilogy reaches its conclusion as the characters face the consequences of their choices. Secrets, guilt, and the question of who can be trusted drive the final installment.

Reading tip: Read The Arrangement, The Amendment, and The Atonement consecutively if possible. The story is designed as a connected trilogy rather than three independent mysteries.

The Messes Series in Order

The Messes is a four-book romantic suspense series. The novels explore complicated relationships, emotional vulnerability, and the ways that love and trust can become tangled with danger.

1. The Cleaner (2018)

The first book introduces the interconnected world of the series, where a seemingly straightforward role becomes complicated by secrets and personal relationships. It establishes the emotional and suspenseful foundation for the novels that follow.

2. The Healer (2018)

The story continues with relationships in which care, dependence, and control are not always easy to distinguish. The characters must confront difficult choices as their personal lives become increasingly complicated.

3. The Liar (2018)

Deception becomes central to the third installment, where the truth behind the characters’ relationships is harder to establish than it first appears. The story builds on the emotional conflicts introduced in the earlier books.

4. The Prisoner (2018)

The final book brings the series’ romantic and suspenseful conflicts toward their conclusion. With choices narrowing and trust under pressure, the characters must face the consequences of what has happened before.

Reading tip: The author explicitly recommends reading all four Messes books in numbered order.

Carolina Killer Files in Order

The Carolina Killer Files titles have undergone changes in names and covers since their original publication. If you encounter older editions, you may see the earlier titles listed instead of the current ones.

1. Becoming Mrs. Abbott

Originally published as If It Walks Like a Killer, this psychological thriller introduces a seemingly ordinary couple whose carefully constructed life becomes entangled with a murder investigation. The revised edition has a new title and some changes to the story.

2. The List (2016)

A mysterious list of names becomes associated with a terrifying pattern of deaths. As the danger grows, the people connected to the list must confront the possibility that someone is targeting them deliberately.

3. The Missing Piece

Previously published as The Truth About My Scratches, this thriller explores the consequences of hidden information and unreliable assumptions. The revised edition has a new title and some changes to the original story.

Important: Becoming Mrs. Abbott and The Missing Piece are the current titles for earlier works. Do not count their former titles as two additional books when building your reading list.

Locke Industries Books

Kiersten Modglin collaborated with Emerald O’Brien on the Locke Industries psychological thriller books. The author says these novels were deliberately written so readers could start with either one without confusion or spoilers.

The Nanny’s Secret (2020)

A story involving a nanny and a family’s private life develops into a psychological thriller about the secrets hidden behind a seemingly ordinary household. It is part of the Locke Industries shared series rather than simply another unrelated standalone.

Because the Locke Industries books were designed to be read in either order, you do not need to finish another book before starting this one.

Kiersten Modglin Standalone Books in Publication Order

Most of Modglin’s books are standalone psychological thrillers. You can read them independently, so the following list is organized broadly by publication order rather than by a required story chronology.

The list uses current titles where earlier works have been renamed. Publication years can differ between original editions, revised editions, and catalog listings.

Early Standalone Thrillers

1. The List (2016): A mysterious list of names becomes connected to a pattern of deaths.
2. Playing Jenna (2017): A shorter psychological thriller centered on identity, relationships, and domestic tension.
3. The Beginning After (2018): A romantic psychological thriller about life after a major personal change and the complications that follow.
4. The Good Neighbors (2019): A neighborhood that appears ordinary becomes the setting for suspicion and unsettling secrets.
5. The Better Choice (2019): Romantic suspense in which personal decisions have consequences that are not immediately obvious.
6. The Lucky Ones (2020): A psychological thriller involving a serial killer and the people caught in the danger surrounding the case.
7. I Said Yes (2020): A domestic suspense story in which a major relationship decision leads to unexpected complications.
8. The Mother-in-Law (2020): Family relationships and the tensions surrounding a marriage become the foundation for a domestic thriller.
9. The Dream Job (2020): A promising professional opportunity takes a darker turn as the reality behind it begins to emerge.
10. The Liar’s Wife (2020): A missing child and a marriage filled with secrets form the center of this domestic psychological thriller.
11. My Husband’s Secret (2020): A woman discovers that the person closest to her may have been hiding a life she never imagined.
12. The Perfect Getaway (2020): A trip intended to provide an escape becomes entangled with danger and mistrust.
13. The Roommate (2021): Sharing a living space becomes more complicated as the people involved discover that not everyone is who they claim to be.
14. The Missing (2021): A disappearance becomes the focus of a suspenseful investigation involving hidden information.
15. Just Married (2021): A marriage that should mark a happy new beginning instead opens the door to troubling questions.
16. Our Little Secret (2021): A private secret threatens to disrupt relationships and expose what the characters have tried to conceal.
17. Widow Falls (2021): An isolated setting and a dangerous situation create the atmosphere for a tense psychological mystery.
18. Missing Daughter (2021): A missing child and the uncertainty surrounding her disappearance drive the suspense.
19. The Reunion (2021): A gathering brings people back together, but the past creates new reasons to question what everyone remembers.

Standalone Thrillers from 2022

20. Tell Me the Truth (2022): A domestic thriller built around competing accounts of events and the consequences of concealed information.
21. The Dinner Guests (2022): A gathering of guests becomes the setting for a suspenseful story in which relationships and secrets complicate the truth.
22. If You’re Reading This… (2022): A message becomes the starting point for a disturbing chain of revelations.
23. A Quiet Retreat (2022): A supposedly peaceful escape becomes less reassuring as unsettling circumstances emerge.

Standalone Thrillers from 2023

24. The Family Secret (2023): A family’s private history becomes central to a story about trust, deception, and the consequences of buried truths.
25. Don’t Go Down There (2023): A psychological thriller that builds suspense around danger, curiosity, and the things people are warned not to investigate.
26. Wait for Dark (2023): Fear and uncertainty intensify as the characters confront a situation in which the truth is difficult to establish.
27. You Can Trust Me (2023): The question of whom to trust becomes central to a thriller about deception and hidden motives.
28. Hemlock (2023): An unsettling mystery draws readers into a world where the apparent explanations may be misleading.
29. Do Not Open (2023): A warning becomes difficult to ignore, and the consequences of uncovering what was hidden drive the suspense.
30. You’ll Never Know I’m Here (2023): A psychological thriller centered on secrecy, identity, and the unsettling possibility that someone may be closer than expected.

Standalone Thrillers from 2024

31. The Stranger (2024): An unfamiliar person enters the characters’ lives, creating questions about identity, trust, and hidden intentions.
32. The Hollow (2024): A suspenseful story in which the apparent emptiness of a situation conceals deeper complications.
33. Bitter House (2024): Family and home become sources of unease in a thriller built around the secrets people keep behind closed doors.
34. The Guilty One (2024): Questions of guilt and responsibility shape a mystery in which the obvious explanation may not be the truth.
35. The Hidden (2024): A psychological thriller about concealed information and the danger of discovering what someone has tried to keep secret.
36. Where the Darkness Goes (2024): A suspenseful story that explores how far the consequences of a dark secret can reach.

Standalone Thrillers from 2025

37. The Last Trip (2025): A journey becomes a source of danger as the characters discover that getting away from their problems may not be as simple as they hoped.
38. Nine Pines (2025): A location-centered thriller in which the setting and the people connected to it hold important parts of the mystery.
39. Wilde Women (2025): A female-led suspense story involving power, loyalty, relationships, and the consequences of difficult choices.

Standalone Thrillers from 2026

40. Erased (2026): A psychological thriller built around what disappears, what is forgotten, and the questions that remain.
41. People Like Us (2026): During a wedding at a wealthy family’s estate, Astrid hears what sounds like a girl calling for help through an old radio. When others dismiss it as a prank, her decision to investigate puts her acceptance and safety at risk.
42. Head Under Water (2026): Opal Sullivan returns home to support her grieving mother and finds herself living alongside childhood enemy Will Kendricks. When suspicions arise around a family friend’s death, their complicated history makes the search for answers more dangerous.

Publication note: Head Under Water was released in September 2026. This list reflects titles available or listed through October 2026, but an author with a fast publication schedule may add new books after this guide is updated.

Kiersten Modglin Novellas and Shorter Fiction

Modglin has also written shorter works and contributed to multi-author collections. These are supplementary reads, not additional novels in the three main series.

The Long Route (2019)

This romantic-suspense novella is associated with the Lover’s Landing shared series. It offers a shorter reading experience for readers interested in Modglin’s romantic suspense work.

The Stranger in the Woods (2019)

This psychological-thriller novella is associated with the Crimson Falls shared-world project. It can be read as a shorter entry into her suspense fiction.

Playing Jenna (2017)

This shorter psychological thriller is also included in her broader standalone bibliography. If you are using a checklist that separates novellas from novels, avoid counting it twice.

Anthology Contributions

Modglin has contributed to collaborative collections, including Craving BAD and Leave Me Breathless: The Ivy Collection. These are optional extras for readers interested in her work beyond her individual novels.

What Is the Best Order to Read Kiersten Modglin?

If you are new to her books, you do not need to begin with the earliest title. Choose the reading path that matches your preferred kind of suspense.

• For a connected domestic thriller: Start with The Arrangement, followed by The Amendment and The Atonement.
• For romantic suspense: Begin with The Cleaner and read all four Messes novels in order.
• For a trilogy involving a killer mystery: Read Becoming Mrs. Abbott, The List, and The Missing Piece, keeping the title changes in mind.
• For a standalone psychological thriller: Try Hemlock, The Hidden, Nine Pines, or People Like Us.
• For a short read: Choose The Long Route or The Stranger in the Woods.

My recommendation is to begin with The Arrangement if you want a full three-book story, or The Cleaner if you prefer romantic suspense. Once you know her style, the standalones are easy to explore in whichever order appeals to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Kiersten Modglin written?

The total changes as she publishes new work and depends on whether you count novels, novellas, revised editions, and anthology contributions. Her bibliography includes dozens of psychological thrillers, the four-book Messes series, the three-book Arrangement trilogy, and other connected or collaborative works.

Do Kiersten Modglin’s books need to be read in order?

Most do not. The author specifically recommends reading The Messes and The Arrangement in order, while most of her other novels can be read independently.

What is the first Kiersten Modglin book?

Her first published book was originally released in August 2016 under the title If It Walks Like a Killer. It is now titled Becoming Mrs. Abbott.

Is Becoming Mrs. Abbott the same as If It Walks Like a Killer?

Yes. Becoming Mrs. Abbott is the revised and retitled version of If It Walks Like a Killer. The author notes that small parts of the story changed when the rights returned to her, so the titles should not be counted as two separate books.

Is The Missing Piece the same as The Truth About My Scratches?

Yes. The Missing Piece is the current title for the revised version of The Truth About My Scratches. Some older reading lists still use the earlier title.

Are The Arrangement books connected?

Yes. The Arrangement, The Amendment, and The Atonement form a continuous three-book domestic thriller. Read them in that order to avoid spoilers and follow the story properly.

What is the order of The Messes series?

Read The Cleaner, The Healer, The Liar, and The Prisoner. The author recommends this sequence for the romantic suspense series.

Are Locke Industries books required reading?

No. The Locke Industries books were designed to be read in either order, so you can begin with The Nanny’s Secret without needing to finish another title first.

What is Kiersten Modglin’s newest book?

As of October 2026, Head Under Water is among her latest releases, following Erased and People Like Us. Because her publication schedule is active, check the newest author listing when looking for books released after this guide was updated.

Final Note

Kiersten Modglin’s thrillers are made for readers who enjoy discovering that the story they thought they understood is only part of the truth. Her connected series reward reading in order, while her many standalones let you choose a new mystery whenever you want a fresh cast and a different set of secrets.

Start with one of the main series if you want a continuing story, or pick a standalone based on its premise. Either way, keep an eye on renamed titles so your reading list stays accurate.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.