Reading order · 32 books · 1977 to 2017 · Set in San Francisco
Sharon McCone Books in Order
Sharon McCone is a private investigator in San Francisco, first for a legal cooperative called All Souls and then for her own agency. She was one of the first modern American female private eyes, and her life, family and loves develop over more than thirty novels.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Series facts
- Books
- 32
- Published
- 1977 to 2017
- First book
- Edwin of the Iron Shoes
- Latest
- The Color of Fear (2017)
- Setting
- Set in San Francisco
The reading order
Every Sharon McCone book in publication order. Choose a title for its cast and summary.
32 books · Set in San Francisco
- 1Edwin of the Iron Shoes1977With Sharon McConeSharon McCone, investigator for a San Francisco legal cooperative, looks into the murder of an antiques dealer in a run-down street threatened by developers.Buy on Amazon
- 2Ask the Cards a Question1982With Sharon McConeSharon McCone’s neighbour is found strangled.Buy on Amazon
- 3The Cheshire Cat's Eye1983With Sharon McConeSharon’s friend is found murdered in a Victorian house he was restoring.Buy on Amazon
- 4Games to Keep the Dark Away1984With Sharon McConeSharon searches for a missing woman in a seaside town, with the help of her new assistant, Rae Kelleher.Buy on Amazon
- 5Leave a Message for Willie1984With Sharon McConeA cache of priceless religious scrolls surfaces at a San Francisco flea market, and Sharon McCone must guard the market’s owner from a dangerous pursuer.Buy on Amazon
- 6There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of1985With Sharon McConeVietnamese refugees in the Tenderloin district are being harassed, and Sharon investigates.Buy on Amazon
- 7Eye of the Storm1988With Sharon McConeSharon’s sister is renovating an old house in the Sacramento Delta, and a death follows.Buy on Amazon
- 8There's Something in a Sunday1989With Sharon McConeSharon is hired to follow a man every Sunday, and the case leads to murder.Buy on Amazon
- 9The Shape of Dread1989With Sharon McConeA comedian has disappeared, presumed murdered, and Sharon looks into the case.Buy on Amazon
- 10Trophies and Dead Things1990With Sharon McConeA former sixties radical is killed in a string of sniper attacks, and McCone’s search for the strangers named in his new will leads back to the Vietnam years.Buy on Amazon
- 11Where Echoes Live1991With Sharon McConeSharon investigates a planned gold mine near a remote lake in the eastern Sierra, and meets Hy Ripinsky.Buy on Amazon
- 12Pennies on a Dead Woman's Eyes1992With Sharon McConeSharon looks into a murder case from the 1950s.Buy on Amazon
- 13Wolf in the Shadows1993With Sharon McConeHy Ripinsky disappears in Mexico, and Sharon sets out to find him.Buy on Amazon
- 14Till the Butchers Cut Him Down1994With Sharon McConeAn old college friend, a businessman who rescues failing companies, receives threats, and asks Sharon for help.Buy on Amazon
- 15A Wild and Lonely Place1995With Sharon McConeA bomber is targeting diplomats in San Francisco.Buy on Amazon
- 16The Broken Promise Land1996With Sharon McConeSharon’s brother-in-law, a country music star, receives threats.Buy on Amazon
- 17Both Ends of the Night1997With Sharon McConeWhen McCone’s flight instructor asks her to find a missing boyfriend and then dies in a plane crash, McCone uncovers a link to witness protection.Buy on Amazon
- 18While Other People Sleep1998With Sharon McConeSomeone is impersonating Sharon McCone.Buy on Amazon
- 19A Walk Through the Fire1999With Sharon McConeSharon travels to Hawaii, where a film shoot is being sabotaged.Buy on Amazon
- 20Listen to the Silence2000With Sharon McConeAfter her father’s death, Sharon learns that she was adopted, and sets out to find her birth family.Buy on Amazon
- 21Dead Midnight2002With Sharon McConeStill grieving a loss in her own family, McCone takes a wrongful-death case involving a young journalist and begins to suspect his death was murder.Buy on Amazon
- 22The Dangerous Hour2004With Sharon McConeOne of Sharon’s employees is accused of fraud, and someone seems to be targeting her agency.Buy on Amazon
- 23Vanishing Point2006With Sharon McConeSharon investigates the disappearance of a woman twenty years ago.Buy on Amazon
- 24The Ever-Running Man2007With Sharon McConeA series of bombings targets the offices of Hy’s security firm.Buy on Amazon
- 25Burn Out2008With Sharon McConeSharon, taking time out at her ranch, is drawn into the murder of a young woman.Buy on Amazon
- 26Locked In2009With Sharon McConeSharon is shot in her office and left unable to move or speak, and her team must find the shooter.Buy on Amazon
- 27Coming Back2010With Sharon McConeSharon is recovering from her injuries when her physical therapist disappears.Buy on Amazon
- 28City of Whispers2011With Sharon McConeSharon’s half-brother goes missing in San Francisco.Buy on Amazon
- 29Looking for Yesterday2012With Sharon McConeA woman acquitted of murder asks Sharon to find the real killer.Buy on Amazon
- 30The Night Searchers2014With Sharon McConeA woman says a group of people in San Francisco are hunting a monster at night.Buy on Amazon
- 31Ice and Stone2015With Sharon McConeMcCone goes undercover in a corrupt Northern California county to investigate the deaths of two Indigenous women that officials have dismissed.Buy on Amazon
- 32The Color of Fear2017With Sharon McConeSharon’s father is beaten by a gang of thugs, and Sharon hunts the men responsible.Buy on Amazon
Do you need to read them in order?
Read in order, starting with Edwin of the Iron Shoes.
Who appears in which book
The series’ main characters, book by book. Lead means the book is told around them; minor covers cameos.
| Book | Sharon McCone | Ted Smalley | Rae Kelleher | Hank Zahn | Hy Ripinsky | Mick Savage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Edwin of the Iron Shoes | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 2 Ask the Cards a Question | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 3 The Cheshire Cat's Eye | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | |||
| 4 Games to Keep the Dark Away | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 5 Leave a Message for Willie | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 6 There's Nothing to Be Afraid Of | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 7 Eye of the Storm | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 8 There's Something in a Sunday | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 9 The Shape of Dread | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 10 Trophies and Dead Things | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | ||
| 11 Where Echoes Live | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 12 Pennies on a Dead Woman's Eyes | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 13 Wolf in the Shadows | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 14 Till the Butchers Cut Him Down | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 15 A Wild and Lonely Place | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | |
| 16 The Broken Promise Land | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 17 Both Ends of the Night | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 18 While Other People Sleep | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 19 A Walk Through the Fire | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 20 Listen to the Silence | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 21 Dead Midnight | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 22 The Dangerous Hour | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 23 Vanishing Point | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
| 24 The Ever-Running Man | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 25 Burn Out | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 26 Locked In | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 27 Coming Back | LLead | ·Minor | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | |
| 28 City of Whispers | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 29 Looking for Yesterday | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 30 The Night Searchers | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 31 Ice and Stone | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor | ||
| 32 The Color of Fear | LLead | ·Minor | MMajor | ·Minor |
Characters in the Sharon McCone books
6 characters from Marcia Muller’s chart, with the number of Sharon McCone books each appears in.
| Character | Books | First in this series |
|---|---|---|
| Sharon McConeSan Francisco private investigator | 32 | Edwin of the Iron Shoes 1977 |
| Ted SmalleyOffice manager | 32 | Edwin of the Iron Shoes 1977 |
| Rae KelleherSharon's assistant, later a novelist | 24 | Games to Keep the Dark Away 1984 |
| Hank ZahnLawyer at All Souls, Sharon's friend | 23 | Edwin of the Iron Shoes 1977 |
| Hy RipinskyPilot and security consultant, later Sharon's husband | 22 | Where Echoes Live 1991 |
| Mick SavageSharon's nephew and computer expert | 17 | The Broken Promise Land 1996 |