Series · fantasy

Valdemar: Family Spies

by Mercedes Lackey

The Valdemar: Family Spies series by Mercedes Lackey has 3 books and is best read in publication order, starting with The Hills Have Spies (2018).

Books
3 books
First published
2018
Status
completed
Last checked

Start here: The Hills Have Spies (2018) — then read straight through in publication order.

Cover of The Hills Have Spies, the first book in Valdemar: Family Spies

Reading order

The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.

  1. Book 1:

    The Hills Have Spies

    Novel

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Hills Have Spies
  2. Book 2:

    Eye Spy

    Novel

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of Eye Spy
  3. Book 3:

    Spy, Spy Again

    Novel

    Alternative text for cover: Cover of Spy, Spy Again

About the Valdemar: Family Spies series

Family Spies picks up Mags and Amily's story a generation further on from the Herald Spy trilogy: now parents, the couple find their own children being drawn into the family trade of information-gathering and court intrigue, as new threats to Valdemar require the next generation's help. The trilogy continues the series' shift toward espionage-flavored plotting while adding a family-legacy dimension — watching Mags and Amily navigate parenthood alongside the same kind of high-stakes secrecy that defined their own younger years.

The Hills Have Spies, Eye Spy, and Spy, Spy Again close out the Mags/Amily storyline that began with the Collegium Chronicles nearly a decade earlier, completing an arc that spans eleven books across three connected trilogies-plus-quintet.

How to read this series

Read in publication order: The Hills Have Spies (2018), Eye Spy (2019), Spy, Spy Again (2020). This trilogy is the third and final stage of Mags and Amily's storyline, following the Collegium Chronicles and the Herald Spy trilogy — read both of those first, since Family Spies assumes full familiarity with the characters, their history, and Valdemar's political situation built up across the previous eight books.

Frequently asked questions

How many books are in the Family Spies trilogy?

Three: The Hills Have Spies (2018), Eye Spy (2019), and Spy, Spy Again (2020).

Do I need to read the Collegium Chronicles and Herald Spy first?

Yes. Family Spies is the third stage of a single ongoing storyline following Mags and Amily, starting with the five-book Collegium Chronicles and continuing through the Herald Spy trilogy before this one.

What order should I read Family Spies in?

Publication order: The Hills Have Spies, Eye Spy, Spy, Spy Again.

Does Family Spies focus on Mags and Amily's children?

Yes — the trilogy shifts some focus to their children being drawn into the family's espionage work, while still following Mags and Amily themselves as central characters.

Is Family Spies the end of Mags's story?

As of this trilogy's conclusion in 2020, no direct continuation of Mags and Amily's specific storyline has been announced, though the wider Valdemar universe continues through other sub-series like the Founding of Valdemar.


Reading order last verified .