Rocky Pelligrino Books in Order

The Rocky Pelligrino books are about grief, dogs, and the odd miracle of a small island community.

The series begins with Lost & Found and continues with Picture This, both set on Peaks Island, Maine. Rocky is a psychologist, smart and observant, but when her husband dies suddenly she cannot think her way out of sorrow. She leaves her old life behind and takes a job as the island's animal control warden, which gives the series its particular blend of fresh start, emotional recovery, and low-key mystery.

In the first book, an injured black Labrador pulls Rocky into a new web of relationships. Hill, the archery instructor connected to the dog's wound, becomes part of her new world, and so do a handful of islanders who are carrying their own trouble. Rocky's training as a psychologist shapes the way she sees everyone around her. She notices habits, silences, and weak spots, including her own. That makes the supporting cast feel full and human instead of decorative.

Peaks Island matters just as much as the plot. The ferry rides, the winter weather, and the close quarters mean Rocky cannot disappear as neatly as she hopes. The island keeps putting people, animals, and unfinished business in her path until she has to answer them. It is a beautiful setting, but it is not a soft one.

By Picture This, Rocky has started to build something like a life again. Then a young woman arrives with a possible link to Rocky's late husband, and the ground shifts under her all over again. The second book asks what comes after survival. Can Rocky trust happiness when it finally shows up? Can she open herself to love without feeling she is betraying the past? The story also keeps one eye on the houses, histories, and half-buried secrets that make island life feel close and haunted at the same time.

These are not cozy mysteries, but they do have the pull of one more chapter.

What readers usually come for is the mix. There is sadness here, but also humor, friendship, island oddballs, and a deep affection for animals. The stakes stay personal rather than world-ending, which gives the books room to care about everyday acts of kindness and the slow repair of a damaged life. If you like character-driven fiction, a strong sense of place, and stories where healing happens in fits and starts instead of grand speeches, Rocky's books are likely to land well.