Victoria Thompson books in order span historical romance and historical mystery. The American author began with Western romances in the 1980s before becoming best known for the Gaslight Mysteries and Counterfeit Lady novels. This guide includes her series, standalone novels, short fiction, and the books completed or continued by her daughter, Ellen Thompson.
The Gaslight Mysteries follow midwife Sarah Brandt and Detective Sergeant Frank Malloy in turn-of-the-twentieth-century New York City, while the Counterfeit Lady books feature con artist Elizabeth Miles. Several of Thompson’s romances have ebook reissues, while some older print editions are easiest to find used.
Jump to:
- Victoria Thompson Mystery Books
- Victoria Thompson Romance Books
- Victoria Thompson Standalone Books
- Victoria Thompson Short Stories
- Victoria Thompson Nonfiction
- About Victoria Thompson
Victoria Thompson Mystery Books
Victoria Thompson was already an established historical romance author when Murder on Astor Place launched her mystery career. Both mystery series feature continuing characters and relationships, so I recommend reading each series in publication order.
Gaslight Mysteries
The Gaslight Mysteries begin with widowed midwife Sarah Brandt and New York City police detective Frank Malloy crossing paths during a murder investigation. Each book has its own case, but the recurring characters and their relationships develop across the series. I recommend reading these books in publication order.
Publication order is also chronological, so a separate chronological list would repeat the same sequence.
- Murder on Astor Place (1999)
- Murder on St. Mark’s Place (2000)
- Murder on Gramercy Park (2001)
- Murder on Washington Square (2002)
- Murder on Mulberry Bend (2003)
- Murder on Marble Row (2004)
- Murder on Lenox Hill (2005)
- Murder in Little Italy (2006)
- Murder in Chinatown (2007)
- Murder on Bank Street (2008)
- Murder on Waverly Place (2009)
- Murder on Lexington Avenue (2010)
- Murder on Sisters’ Row (2011)
- Murder on Fifth Avenue (2012)
- Murder in Chelsea (2013)
- Murder in Murray Hill (2014)
- Murder on Amsterdam Avenue (2015)
- Murder on St. Nicholas Avenue (2015)
- Murder in Morningside Heights (2016)
- Murder in the Bowery (2017)
- Murder on Union Square (2018)
- Murder on Trinity Place (2019)
- Murder on Pleasant Avenue (2020)
- Murder on Wall Street (2021)
- Murder on Madison Square (2022)
- Murder on Bedford Street (2023)
- Murder in Rose Hill (2024)
- Murder on Park Avenue by Ellen Thompson (2027)
Murder in Rose Hill is the final Gaslight novel written by Victoria Thompson. Murder on Park Avenue continues the series under Ellen Thompson. Readers following both mystery series should also know that City of Promises is a Counterfeit Lady novel that brings Sarah, Frank, and Catherine into Elizabeth Bates’s story.
Counterfeit Lady Books
The Counterfeit Lady series follows Elizabeth Miles, a skilled con artist who slips into New York high society and discovers that her talents can also expose wrongdoing. The books move forward chronologically in publication order, and Elizabeth’s relationships carry from one installment to the next. I recommend starting with City of Lies and following the list below.
- City of Lies (2017)
- City of Secrets (2018)
- City of Scoundrels (2019)
- City of Schemes (2021)
- City of Shadows (2021)
- City of Fortune (2022)
- City of Betrayal (2023)
- City of Promises by Victoria Thompson with Ellen Thompson (2026)
City of Promises is Counterfeit Lady book eight and the first official crossover with the Gaslight Mysteries. Ellen Thompson completed the novel after her mother’s death. I’d read it after City of Betrayal. Readers working through both series may also prefer to finish the Gaslight books through Murder in Rose Hill first because the crossover shows the Gaslight characters later in their lives. There isn’t an official combined order for the two series.
Victoria Thompson Romance Books
Before she became known for historical mysteries, Victoria Thompson wrote historical romance novels. The series below follow different central couples, so most can stand alone. I’ve kept each group in publication order, and several titles are available as ebook reissues even when the original print editions are difficult to find.
The Cowboy and the Lady Books
Victoria Thompson began her publishing career with Texas Treasure. These early historical romances follow different couples, so they can be read independently. I’ve kept them in publication order because that’s the simplest way to see how the series developed.
- Texas Treasure (1985)
- Texas Triumph (1987)
- Texas Blonde (1987)
- Bold Texas Embrace (1989)
Lady and the Scoundrel Books
Each book in this series centers on a different couple whose social positions put them at odds. A strict reading order isn’t necessary, but I recommend publication order for consistency.
- Texas Vixen (1986)
- Rogue’s Lady (1988)
- Fortune’s Lady (1989)
The Hired Gunslinger Books
The Hired Gunslinger romances each pair a new couple, so the stories stand on their own. The first novel was originally published as Angel Heart and was later reissued as Texas Angel. I list the original title first so readers don’t mistake them for separate books.
- Angel Heart (later reissued as Texas Angel) (1988)
- Wild Texas Promise (1990)
- Sweet Texas Surrender (1991)
- Blazing Texas Nights (1992)
The Tates of Texas Books
The Tates of Texas books are connected romances with a new central couple in each novel. My advice is to follow publication order because the family and setting connections are easier to appreciate that way.
- Wild Texas Wind (1992)
- Winds of Promise (1993)
- Winds of Destiny (1994)
- Winds of Fortune (1995)
Victoria Thompson Standalone Books
These historical romance novels aren’t part of an ongoing series. You can read them in any order, although I’ve listed them by publication year.
- Beloved Outcast (1989)
- Playing with Fire (1990)
- Cry Wolf (1995)
- Wings of Morning (1996)
- From This Day Forward (1997)
Victoria Thompson Short Stories
Victoria Thompson also contributed romance and mystery stories to several anthologies. These are optional extras rather than numbered series installments, so I wouldn’t interrupt the main novel lists to insert them.
- Merry (Short Story) (found in A Christmas Kiss: Six Holiday Love Stories) (1992)
- The Wrong Man (Short Story) (found in To Love and to Honor) (1995)
- The Minister’s Missing Daughter (Short Story) (found in Sherlock Holmes in America: 14 Original Stories) (2009)
- The Vanishing Wife (Short Story) (found in Katherine Hall Page Presents Malice Domestic 11: Murder Most Conventional) (2016)
- The Killing Game (Short Story) (found in Charlaine Harris Presents Malice Domestic 12: Mystery Most Historical) (2017)
- Morsels of the Gods (Short Story) (found in Parnell Hall Presents Malice Domestic 14: Mystery Most Edible) (2019)
The Killing Game is a prequel of sorts to the Counterfeit Lady series and features Elizabeth before City of Lies. I think it works either before the novels or after you’ve met Elizabeth. The Minister’s Missing Daughter brings Sarah Brandt and Frank Malloy together with Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, but it has no official numbered placement in the Gaslight series.
Victoria Thompson Nonfiction
Readers interested in Thompson’s approach to writing mysteries may also want this optional contribution.
- Ruining Everything: Tips for Plotting a Mystery (Chapter) (found in Many Genres, One Craft: Lessons in Writing Popular Fiction) (2011)
About Victoria Thompson
Victoria Thompson (1948-2024) was an American historical romance and mystery author. She began publishing historical romances in 1985 and later created the Gaslight Mysteries and Counterfeit Lady series, both set in New York City during periods of major social change.
Thompson was a USA Today bestselling author whose mysteries received Edgar, Agatha, Bruce Alexander, and Sue Grafton Award nominations. She also received a Romantic Times Career Achievement Award in 2012 and taught writing popular fiction at Seton Hill University for more than two decades.
I think one of the most interesting details about her process is how differently she approached each genre. She outlined her romances, but she preferred not to decide who committed the murder before beginning a mystery because she felt she made the culprit too obvious when she knew the answer in advance.
Thompson died in August 2024 after battling cancer. When she could no longer finish City of Promises, she asked her daughters, Ellen and Lisa, whether one of them would complete it. Ellen Thompson finished the book and is continuing the Gaslight series with Murder on Park Avenue.
Looking for similar books in order?
If you want more mystery authors and reading-order guides like this one, start with my Mystery Books in Order index.