This guide to the Ruth Ware books in order includes the Lo Blacklock series, her standalone psychological thrillers, short fiction, anthology contributions, and the YA fantasy books she published as Ruth Warburton. Most of Ware’s thrillers can be read in any order, but The Woman in Cabin 10 should come before The Woman in Suite 11.
I’ve listed each group in publication order. Start with whichever standalone sounds best to you, then follow the numbered order for the Lo Blacklock, Winter, and Witch Finder series.
Jump to:
- Lo Blacklock Books
- Ruth Ware Standalone Books
- Ruth Ware Short Stories
- Ruth Ware Anthology
- Ruth Ware Books in Order as Ruth Warburton
- Ruth Ware Book-to-Screen Adaptations
- Who is Ruth Ware?
Lo Blacklock Books
Travel journalist Lo Blacklock first appears in The Woman in Cabin 10. Her story continues in The Woman in Suite 11, so I recommend reading these two books in order.
- The Woman in Cabin 10 (2016)
- The Woman in Suite 11 (2025)
Ruth Ware Standalone Books
These novels follow different characters and mysteries, so you don’t need to read them in publication order. Ware moves between isolated houses, snowy retreats, elite schools, survival shows, and fast-paced chase stories, which makes it easy to choose a starting point based on the setting that interests you most.
- In a Dark, Dark Wood (2015)
- The Lying Game (2017)
- The Death of Mrs. Westaway (2018)
- The Turn of the Key (2019)
- One by One (2020)
- The It Girl (2022)
- Zero Days (2023)
- One Perfect Couple (2024)
Ruth Ware Short Stories
- The Tale of Mrs. Westaway (2019) is a companion novella set before The Death of Mrs. Westaway. It was released as a free ebook and may be difficult to find.
- We Will Be Watching (2020) is a free escape-room short story available through Ruth Ware’s book club.
Hush Collection
Snowflakes (2020) is an individually sold Amazon Original Story from the Hush collection. You don’t need to buy the full collection to read it.
Ruth Ware Anthology
Ware has also contributed stories to mystery anthologies. Each story below is available inside the linked collection.
- “Miss Marple’s Christmas” (2022) (Found in Marple: Twelve New Mysteries)
- “Murder at the Turkish Baths” (2024) (Found in Murder in Harrogate)
Ruth Ware Books in Order as Ruth Warburton
Before publishing psychological thrillers as Ruth Ware, Ruth Warburton wrote YA fantasy and paranormal romance. These books were released through UK publishers, so the years below follow their original publication dates.
Winter Trilogy
The Winter trilogy follows Anna Winterson, who moves to a small English town and learns that her family history is tied to witchcraft. Her growing powers and her relationship with Seth draw her into a dangerous conflict between rival witch families.
- A Witch in Winter (2012)
- A Witch in Love (2012)
- A Witch Alone (2013)
Witch Finder Books
The Witch Finder series is a historical paranormal romance set in Victorian London. Apprentice blacksmith Luke belongs to a secret brotherhood that hunts witches, but his initiation becomes complicated when he is ordered to kill Rosa Greenwood.
- Witch Finder (2014)
- Witch Hunt (2014)
Ruth Ware Book-to-Screen Adaptations
Netflix adapted The Woman in Cabin 10 as a movie starring Keira Knightley as Lo Blacklock. The film was released in 2025 and changes several characters and plot details from the novel, so the book and movie offer different versions of the mystery.
Who is Ruth Ware?
Ruth Ware is the pen name of British author Ruth Warburton. She began by writing YA fantasy before moving into psychological crime fiction with In a Dark, Dark Wood.
Ware’s thrillers often place ordinary people in isolated or tightly controlled settings where they can’t easily trust the people around them. Her books range from locked-room mysteries to gothic suspense and faster chase thrillers, but they share a strong focus on secrets, doubt, and survival.
Looking for more books in order?
If you want more thriller authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Thriller Books in Order index.