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Shirlee McCoy Books in Order

Browse Shirlee McCoy books in order, with series guides, quick summaries, and where to start tips for her suspense and small-town romances.

Last updated: July 4, 2026

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65 books

Still Waters

by Shirlee McCoy

2003

Lakeview sheriff Jake Reed thinks a rash of vandalism is just small-town trouble until Tiffany Anderson becomes a target. When she disappears, Jake races to find her before the danger turns fatal.

Die Before Nightfall

by Shirlee McCoy

2005

New to Lakeview, Raven Stevenson hopes to reconcile with her brother and escape old pain. Instead she stumbles into a decades-old mystery, and someone is willing to kill to keep its secrets buried.

Even in the Darkness

by Shirlee McCoy

2005

Veterinarian Tori Riley is hunted through Thailand by men who will kill to get what they want. Former DEA agent Noah Stone does not fully trust her, but he may be the only person who can help save her daughter.

When Silence Falls

by Shirlee McCoy

2006

After witnessing an attempted kidnapping, professor Piper Sinclair becomes a target herself. Former crime scene photographer Cade Macalister steps in to protect her and unravel a threat that feels disturbingly personal.

Little Girl Lost

by Shirlee McCoy

2007

In Stoneley, a search for answers pulls one of the Blanchard sisters into danger and into uneasy partnership with detective Mick Campbell. The case ties straight back to the old family mystery haunting the town.

Stranger in the Shadows

by Shirlee McCoy

2007

Chloe Davidson returns to Lakeview, Virginia, hoping for peace after disaster shatters her life. But someone is watching her from the shadows, and minister Ben Avery may be her only safe place to turn.

The Guardian's Mission

by Shirlee McCoy

2007

When Martha Gabler meets Tristan Sinclair near her mountain cabin, he claims to be an undercover ATF agent who needs her help. Pretending to be his girlfriend may be the only way they both get out alive.

Valley of Shadows

by Shirlee McCoy

2007

When DEA agent Hawke Morran's undercover mission explodes, Miranda Shelton becomes a target simply because she helped him. Now they have to stay ahead of the people who want them both silenced.

Lakeview Protector

by Shirlee McCoy

2008

Ex-military man Eli Jennings comes to Lakeview searching for a missing woman and finds another mystery waiting at Jasmine Hart's cabin. When clues point to a larger pattern, Jasmine may be next to disappear.

Missing Persons

by Shirlee McCoy

2008

A missing-person case tied to an old campus mystery drags the past into the present. Solving it means facing dangerous truths and trusting someone who may know more than he says.

The Protector's Promise

by Shirlee McCoy

2008

A woman in trouble has to rely on a determined protector who refuses to walk away from the case. As danger closes in, a promise of safety becomes something much more personal.

Cold Case Murder

by Shirlee McCoy

2009

An old murder comes roaring back into the present, dragging unfinished grief and new danger with it. Solving the case may be the only way to keep the next victim alive.

The Defender's Duty

by Shirlee McCoy

2009

Duty pulls a wary lawman into a dangerous case where protecting one woman could cost him everything. To finish the job, both of them will have to trust past fear less than the truth.

Deadly Vows

by Shirlee McCoy

2010

A woman in witness protection learns that hiding is not enough when her past comes back with deadly intent. To survive, she has to untangle betrayal, danger, and feelings she can no longer ignore.

Running Blind

by Shirlee McCoy

2010

After escaping a Mexican gang, Jenna returns home half-blind and accused of crimes she did not commit. Former Marine Nikolai Jansen helps her clear her name and uncover what really happened to her friend.

Running for Cover

by Shirlee McCoy

2010

After Morgan Alexandria is brutally attacked, retired homicide detective Jackson Holt becomes the one man standing between her and the people hunting her. Protecting Morgan means uncovering a mystery that is darker than either of them expected.

Running Scared

by Shirlee McCoy

2010

Teacher Maggie Tennyson helps reunite a boy with the father who thought he was lost forever, then finds herself in fresh danger. Private investigator Kane Dougherty is determined to protect her and learn what she is running from.

Lone Defender

by Shirlee McCoy

2011

Stranded in the desert with danger closing in, a woman has no choice but to trust the man trying to get her out alive. Surviving the wilderness is only the start of the fight.

Out of Time

by Shirlee McCoy

2011

A Texas Ranger and the woman under his protection race a deadly clock as old lies start to crack open. Every hour matters when the case turns personal.

Private Eye Protector

by Shirlee McCoy

2011

A private investigator takes on a case that quickly becomes personal when the woman he is guarding is targeted again. Every clue draws them deeper into a threat neither can ignore.

Navy SEAL Rescuer

by Shirlee McCoy

2012

After serving time for crimes she did not commit, Catherine Miller wants only peace at her farmhouse. When attacks begin, former Navy SEAL Darius Osborne steps in, and together they face a killer determined to finish the job.

The Lawman's Legacy

by Shirlee McCoy

2012

After a nanny is killed in Fitzgerald Bay, law enforcement is drawn into a case that threatens the family left behind. Protecting the vulnerable means uncovering secrets someone wants buried for good.

Undercover Bodyguard

by Shirlee McCoy

2012

Bakery owner Shelby Simons knows someone is after her, but accepting protection from former SEAL Ryder Malone is a different matter. Working undercover, Ryder must stop the stalker before the danger turns deadly.

Defender for Hire

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

A woman in danger turns to a seasoned protector when trouble closes in faster than she can outrun it. As they dig into the case, buried secrets make survival and trust equally hard.

Fugitive

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

When widow Laney Jefferson opens her door to a wounded, handcuffed stranger, she finds the boy she once trusted, now a wrongfully convicted lawman on the run. Helping Logan prove his innocence puts them both in the killer's sights.

Safe by the Marshal's Side

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

For a year, U.S. marshal Hunter Davis has protected witness Annie Delacorte and her toddler daughter. Keeping them hidden was hard enough, but growing feelings make the danger even more complicated.

Texas K-9 Unit Christmas

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

This holiday K-9 anthology mixes Christmas cheer with missing persons, danger, and lawmen who cannot clock out. Brave dogs and determined handlers lead the way through both stories.

The House on Main Street

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

Interior designer Tessa McKenzie comes back to Apple Valley to settle her late sister's affairs and leave again fast. But a grieving nephew, an inherited house, and Sheriff Cade Cunningham make going home far more complicated.

Tracking Justice

by Shirlee McCoy

2013

When a young boy vanishes from his bedroom, detective Austin Black and his bloodhound Justice begin a desperate search. The boy's mother, Eva Billows, trusts no one, but this time she has no choice.

Her Christmas Guardian

by Shirlee McCoy

2014

Former Army ranger Boone Anderson senses danger the moment he sees Scout Cramer and her little girl. When the child is taken, Boone throws himself into the rescue and into the secrets Scout has been hiding.

Protective Instincts

by Shirlee McCoy

2014

After surviving tragedy and a hostage ordeal, widow Raina Lowery wants only a quiet life. When a stalker begins circling closer, rescue specialist Jackson Miller returns to save her once again.

The Cottage on the Corner

by Shirlee McCoy

2014

Charlotte Garrison is close to making her bakery dream real when a little girl lands on deputy Max Stanford's doorstep. Helping Max care for the child forces both of them to face the family they might still build.

Capitol K-9 Unit Christmas

by Shirlee McCoy

2015

This holiday anthology sends K-9 lawmen into Christmas danger with vulnerable women depending on them. Seasonal cheer takes a back seat to protection, pursuit, and staying alive long enough to celebrate.

Deadly Christmas Secrets

by Shirlee McCoy

2015

Just before Christmas, new evidence rips open a dangerous past and makes a remote life anything but safe. A determined protector may be the only thing standing between one vulnerable woman and a killer.

Exit Strategy

by Shirlee McCoy

2015

A widowed woman thinks she has finally found a safe place to start over, but danger follows her there. A rescue specialist becomes her only ally as they race to learn who wants her dead.

Protection Detail

by Shirlee McCoy

2015

After a high-profile murder, a Capitol K-9 Unit captain must protect the witness who could bring the killer down. The closer they get to the truth, the less safe either of them becomes.

The Orchard at the Edge of Town

by Shirlee McCoy

2015

Apricot Sunshine Devereux-Miller hides out in Apple Valley to recover from a broken engagement and restore a neglected orchard. Deputy Simon Baylor and his two daughters make staying lost much harder than she planned.

Mystery Child

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

Quinn Robertson is on the run with her young niece, trying to deliver the child to her biological father. With rescue specialist Malone Henderson at her side, she must uncover why someone is desperate to keep them apart.

Secrets and Lies

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

Attacked in her classroom, pregnant widow Ariel Martin wants only to protect her unborn child. Rookie K-9 officer Tristan McKeller saves her life, but digging into her past may put them both in greater danger.

Sweet Haven

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

When her grandfather is injured, accountant Adeline Lamont has to keep the family chocolate shop running, even though she cannot master its famous fudge. New tenant Sinclair Jefferson makes the challenge, and the chemistry, impossible to ignore.

Sweet Surprises

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

Another Lamont sister gets a chance to rebuild her life in Benevolence with family, chocolate, and old dreams close at hand. A fresh start begins to look a lot like love.

The Christmas Target

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

Stella Silverstone heads home for the holidays to care for her grandmother and walks straight into a killer's sights. Rescue-team leader Chance Miller is the one person who can protect her long enough to expose the truth.

The Most Wonderful Time

by Shirlee McCoy

2016

A holiday romance collection filled with family complications, second chances, and Christmas-season hope. Warm settings and fresh starts tie the stories together.

Bittersweet

by Shirlee McCoy

2017

Back in Benevolence to help her grandfather manage Chocolate Haven, ex-prosecutor Willow Lamont has to face old wounds and new possibilities. Coming home may be the first step toward hope and lasting love.

Bodyguard

by Shirlee McCoy

2017

An FBI agent and his K-9 partner are assigned to protect a witness who is far from safe. The closer the danger gets, the more personal the mission becomes.

Christmas on the Run

by Shirlee McCoy

2017

Blackmailers threaten Carly Rose Kelley's son unless she helps them forge priceless stones. Her only hope is Dallas Morgan, the brother-in-law she never knew, and a Christmas escape that may not be fast enough.

Mistaken Identity

by Shirlee McCoy

2017

When Trinity Miller is attacked by men who think she is someone else, reclusive prosthetic maker Mason Gains is forced to step in. Their flight from danger reveals a conspiracy worth killing for.

Gone

by Shirlee McCoy

2018

While undercover inside a human-trafficking ring, FBI agent Sam Sheridan witnesses a kidnapping and blows his cover to save Ella McIntire. Now he has to keep her alive and uncover the secret that got her cousin killed.

Home Again

by Shirlee McCoy

2018

Ex-Navy SEAL Porter Bradshaw takes his turn caring for six grieving children and the family farm after tragedy brings him back to Benevolence. Warmhearted teacher Clementine Warren becomes the complication he cannot ignore.

Home with You

by Shirlee McCoy

2018

After a fatal crash leaves six children without their parents' care, Sullivan Bradshaw returns to Benevolence to manage the family farm. Free-spirited Rumer Truehart may be exactly the help, and the hope, he never expected.

Night Stalker

by Shirlee McCoy

2018

Special Agent Adam Whitfield is hunting a serial killer when his ex-wife Charlotte Murray becomes the next target. Saving her means catching the Night Stalker before he strikes again.

Valiant Defender

by Shirlee McCoy

2018

Soldiers and their K-9 partners are on the trail of a serial killer, and the case grows more dangerous by the hour. Protection and pursuit collide as trust deepens under fire.

Dangerous Sanctuary

by Shirlee McCoy

2019

FBI agent Radley Tumberg goes undercover as a fellow agent's estranged husband to rescue her from a spiritual sanctuary. What he finds is a trap with deadlier motives than he expected.

Home at Last

by Shirlee McCoy

2019

Flynn Bradshaw plans to help his injured sister-in-law Sunday rebuild her life and save the failing family farm. What starts as duty slowly becomes a tender second chance for both of them.

Lone Witness

by Shirlee McCoy

2019

Tessa Carlson saves a little girl from abduction and ends up in a criminal's crosshairs. Widowed FBI agent Henry Miller is determined to protect the woman in hiding before the spotlight gets her killed.

Sworn to Protect

by Shirlee McCoy

2019

A K-9 officer and his dog stand between a vulnerable witness and the people hunting her. As the case tightens, protection turns into trust, and trust may be the only way they survive.

Delayed Justice

by Shirlee McCoy

2020

A decades-old case refuses to stay buried when fresh questions put a woman in danger. A K-9 officer has to help her expose the truth before history repeats itself.

Falsely Accused

by Shirlee McCoy

2020

Framed for her foster brother's murder, FBI agent Wren Santino has to run before she can clear her name. Every step toward the truth brings a deeper betrayal into view.

Finding Justice

by Shirlee McCoy

2020

A woman linked to a dangerous case cannot outrun the people hunting her. The lawman sworn to protect her must find the truth before justice costs them both everything.

Hidden Witness

by Shirlee McCoy

2020

After witnessing a double murder, FBI defense attorney Annalise Rivers enters witness protection on a remote ranch. When an attempt on her life proves she has been found, only her tough protector can keep her alive.

Blizzard Showdown

by Shirlee McCoy

2021

A missing-person search in Alaska turns into a brutal fight for survival when a storm closes in. Between the wilderness and a human threat, rescue becomes more dangerous by the minute.

Danger in the Shadows

by Shirlee McCoy

2021

This two-story suspense collection pairs isolated settings with women who are anything but safe. Hidden enemies, lingering fear, and protectors forced into action drive both stories.

Evidence of Innocence

by Shirlee McCoy

2021

Exonerated after fifteen years in prison, Kinsley Garrett is determined to find her father's real killer. Police chief Marcus Bayne may be her best chance of staying alive long enough to prove the truth.

Peril from the Past

by Shirlee McCoy

2021

This two-story collection turns cold cases into present danger, with K-9 partners helping uncover what time could not erase. In McCoy's story, reopening an old murder threatens to become deadly.

Search and Recover

by Shirlee McCoy

2021

This K-9 suspense collection pairs missing-child searches with lawmen and their canine partners. Fast rescues, cold trails, and growing trust drive both connected stories.

Where should I start?

If you want romantic suspense: Running for CoverProtective InstinctsNight Stalker
If you want small-town comfort reads: The House on Main StreetThe Cottage on the CornerThe Orchard at the Edge of Town
If you like family-centered romance: Home with YouHome AgainHome at Last
If you want K-9 suspense: Protection DetailBodyguardBlizzard Showdown

Author bio

Shirlee McCoy writes stories where people are pushed hard by danger, grief, and impossible choices, but still find room for love and hope. She is best known for inspirational romantic suspense, especially her many books for Love Inspired Suspense, though she has also written warm contemporary series like Apple Valley, Home Sweet Home, and The Bradshaws.

Writing was part of her life early. She has said she began her first novel as a teenager, and the pull toward storytelling never really left. Before publishing, she trained as a teacher and worked teaching fifth grade. Later, after the birth of her third son, she realized she wanted to take writing more seriously and make room for it in the middle of family life.

That decision changed a lot.

A few years after she committed herself to the work, she sold her first book. Over time she built a big backlist and a dependable place in inspirational romance and suspense. Her early novel Still Waters helped launch the Lakeview books, and from there she kept expanding into connected series filled with sheriffs, investigators, rescue specialists, witnesses, and families under strain.

For years, McCoy balanced writing with raising and homeschooling her children. She has described writing at night after the rest of the day was already spoken for, which helps explain the grounded, workmanlike feel of her fiction. Even when her plots involve kidnappings, stalkers, serial predators, or hidden conspiracies, the books stay focused on ordinary routines, family obligations, and the small emotional choices that tell readers who these people are.

She likes high stakes, but she never loses sight of the people inside them.

Readers who come to McCoy for suspense often start with books like Running for Cover, Protective Instincts, Night Stalker, or Evidence of Innocence. These stories move quickly, but the appeal is not just the pace. McCoy tends to pair capable but wounded characters, people carrying old losses, broken trust, or the weight of protecting someone else. Her heroes are often lawmen, former military men, or rescue workers. Her heroines are just as often widows, witnesses, sisters, mothers, or women rebuilding their lives after trauma.

Her contemporary romances show another side of the same interests. In The House on Main Street, Sweet Haven, and Home with You, the danger fades back and questions of belonging move to the center. Small towns, inherited homes, family businesses, children in need of steadiness, and people coming back to places they thought they had outgrown all show up again and again. McCoy clearly likes stories about home, not as a perfect place, but as something people have to choose, repair, and sometimes earn.

She has also spoken about her faith and her family as central parts of her life, and she spends time training with a local search-and-rescue team. That real-world interest shows up in the rescue work, K-9 stories, and wilderness pressure that run through a lot of her suspense novels.

Whether she is writing about a woman hiding from a killer or a family trying to hold a farm together, McCoy keeps her focus on people who are scared, stubborn, and still willing to try again. That steady mix of danger, tenderness, and second chances is what brings many readers back.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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