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Order of Kay Hooper Books
In the crowded corridors of American suspense fiction, Kay Hooper is a name that glows in the dark—quite literally, given her fascination with the paranormal. Born on November 3, 1957, in Merced County, California, Hooper didn’t exactly grow up in the usual breeding grounds of thriller writers. Her early life moved across landscapes, as her father’s military career meant frequent relocations before the family settled in North Carolina—where the seeds of her rich, imagination-fueled writing took deep root.
She wasn’t always destined for storytelling—at least not on paper. Initially, she enrolled at East Carolina University, but not with literary ambitions in mind. Ironically, fate had a way of nudging her toward the keyboard. What began as a practical decision to take typing classes soon unlocked a career that would eventually span decades, genres, and an uncanny knack for exploring the unexplained.
Kay Hooper’s writing career began in 1981 with traditional romance novels, the kind that swept readers off their feet. But it didn’t take long before she began to lean into the shadows. And by the 1990s, she was breaking genre conventions, blending psychic phenomena, law enforcement, and psychological thrillers into an intoxicating brew that birthed the world-renowned Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series. Here was a woman who dared to ask: What if the mind could not only solve crimes—but sense them before they happen?
Over time, her reputation evolved from “romance author” to “mistress of the supernatural thriller,” yet she never lost that innate ability to craft emotional connections between characters—an anchor in even her darkest stories. Through characters like Noah Bishop, she infused psychology with psychic intuition, creating narratives that are at once thrilling and deeply human. And let’s be honest—no one makes you question your own sixth sense quite like Hooper.
As of today, Kay Hooper is still alive and writing, which feels almost like a twist ending in itself. With more than 60 books to her name, and millions of copies sold worldwide, she’s never once followed the predictable route. Instead, she paved her own psychic path through mystery, thriller, and the occasional touch of horror—earning her comparisons to Dean Koontz and Lisa Gardner, though her voice remains wholly unique.
In a publishing world that often asks authors to "pick a lane," Hooper refused. She built her own road, complete with haunted turns and telepathic speed bumps. Her fans don’t just read her books—they feel them. And every time she releases a new one, you get that delicious sense of dread mixed with anticipation: What will she see in the dark this time?
So, whether you're new to her world or a veteran of the Bishop files, know this: Kay Hooper doesn’t just tell stories. She dares you to step into the unknown with her.
Coming up next: a deep dive into the Bishop/Special Crimes Unit series and her standalone suspense gems—because once you read about Kay Hooper, you'll want to devour everything she's written.
Publication Order of Series Books
Publication Order of Bishop/Special Crimes Unit
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Stealing Shadows | 2000 | Amazon |
| Hiding in the Shadows | 2000 | Amazon |
| Out of the Shadows | 2000 | Amazon |
| Touching Evil | 2001 | Amazon |
| Whisper of Evil | 2002 | Amazon |
| Sense of Evil | 2003 | Amazon |
| Hunting Fear | 2004 | Amazon |
| Chill of Fear | 2005 | Amazon |
| Sleeping with Fear | 2006 | Amazon |
| Blood Dreams | 2007 | Amazon |
| Blood Sins | 2008 | Amazon |
| Blood Ties | 2010 | Amazon |
| Haven | 2012 | Amazon |
| Hostage | 2013 | Amazon |
| Haunted | 2014 | Amazon |
| Fear the Dark | 2015 | Amazon |
| Wait for Dark | 2017 | Amazon |
| Hold Back the Dark | 2018 | Amazon |
| Hidden Salem | 2020 | Amazon |
| Curse of Salem | 2021 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Hagen
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Fall of Lucas Kendrick | 1987 | Amazon |
| In Serena's Web | 1987 | Amazon |
| Rafferty's Wife | 1987 | Amazon |
| Raven on the Wing | 1987 | Amazon |
| Zach's Law | 1987 | Amazon |
| Captain's Paradise | 1988 | Amazon |
| Outlaw Derek | 1988 | Amazon |
| Shades of Gray | 1988 | Amazon |
| Unmasking Kelsey | 1988 | Amazon |
| Aces High | 1989 | Amazon |
| It Takes a Thief | 1989 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Lane Montana and Trey Fortier
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Crime of Passion | 1991 | Amazon |
| House of Cards | 1991 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Men Of Mysteries Past
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Touch of Max | 1993 | Amazon |
| Hunting the Wolfe | 1993 | Amazon |
| The Trouble with Jared | 1993 | Amazon |
| All for Quinn | 1993 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Once Upon A Time...
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The Glass Shoe | 1989 | Amazon |
| Golden Threads | 1989 | Amazon |
| Through the Looking Glass | 1990 | Amazon |
| Star-Crossed Lovers | 1990 | Amazon |
| The Lady and the Lion | 1990 | Amazon |
| What Dreams May Come | 1990 | Amazon |
| The Matchmaker | 1991 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Quinn/Thief
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Once a Thief | 2002 | Amazon |
| Once a Thief | 2002 | Amazon |
| Always a Thief | 2003 | Amazon |
| Always a Thief | 2003 | Amazon |
Publication Order of The Bishop Files
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| The First Prophet | 2012 | Amazon |
| A Deadly Web | 2015 | Amazon |
| Final Shadows | 2018 | Amazon |
Publication Order of Standalone Novels
| Title | Year | Amazon Links |
|---|---|---|
| Elusive | 2004 | Amazon |
| Enchanted | 2003 | Amazon |
| Haunting Rachel | 1998 | Amazon |
| Finding Laura | 1997 | Amazon |
| After Caroline | 1996 | Amazon |
| Amanda | 1995 | Amazon |
| The Haunting of Josie | 1994 | Amazon |
| The Wizard of Seattle | 1993 | Amazon |
| Summer of the Unicorn | 1988 | Amazon |
| Time After Time | 1986 | Amazon |
| Rebel Waltz | 1986 | Amazon |
| Belonging to Taylor (with Kay Robbins) | 1986 | Amazon |
| Larger Than Life | 1986 | Amazon |
| Illegal Possession | 1985 | Amazon |
| Something Different | 1984 | Amazon |
| C.J.'s Fate | 1984 | Amazon |
| Kissed by Magic (with Kay Robbins) | 1983 | Amazon |
| Elusive Dawn (with Kay Robbins) | 1983 | Amazon |
| On Wings of Magic | 1983 | Amazon |
| Taken by Storm (with Kay Robbins) | 1983 | Amazon |
| Breathless Surrender | 1982 | Amazon |
| Mask of Passion | 1982 | Amazon |
| Return Engagement (with Kay Robbins) | 1982 | Amazon |
| Lady Thief | 1981 | Amazon |