Once Upon a Murder (Sheryl Lister) Books in Order

Once Upon a Murder is romance crossed with real menace. The series is set in Black River Falls, a place marked by secrets, missing pieces, and the sense that danger has been living there longer than anyone wants to admit. These are not light mystery romances. They are darker, more suspicious, and built around the idea that love can take root in the middle of a crisis.

Reading in order helps here.

The series premise ties the books together through a larger mystery involving men who become entangled in a murder case and the truth behind it. Sheryl Lister's The Secrets We Break focuses on Gavin Black, the owner of a prestigious art gallery, after a powerful heiress disappears and he ends up under suspicion. Reporter Nadia Dubois enters the picture looking for answers, but the closer she gets to Gavin, the harder it becomes to keep emotion separate from the investigation.

What makes the series appealing is the way it uses romance to deepen the suspense rather than pause it. Attraction raises the stakes. Trust becomes dangerous. Every secret matters more because someone stands to lose not only freedom or safety, but the one person who may finally see them clearly. In Gavin's story, the art-world angle adds another layer of polish and deception, which fits the larger mood of Black River Falls well.

Then The Secrets We Create - Gavin returns to that world with a sharper, aftermath-style look at what really happened and what was still being hidden. That kind of follow-up suggests the series is interested in perspective, fallout, and the idea that the truth is rarely as simple as the first version people tell.

If you like your romance with a real suspense spine, this is a strong fit. Expect emotionally guarded characters, public suspicion, private hunger, and a setting that feels like it is holding its breath. The books do not treat love as a break from the danger. Love is part of the danger, because it gives the characters something worth protecting, and something they can no longer afford to lie about.