A Series of Unfortunate Events
fantasy
Series · urban fantasy
Merry Gentry
The Merry Gentry series by Laurell K. Hamilton has 9 known books (9 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with A Kiss of Shadows (2000).
- Books
- 9 known books (9 novels)
- Published
- 9
- First published
- 2000
- Status
- completed
- Shelved under
- Fantasy
- Last checked
Start here: A Kiss of Shadows (2000) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The date order of published books and any announced future entries — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
A Kiss of Shadows
A Kiss of Shadows (2000) opens the series with Meredith Gentry pulled back into the fae world she fled: to inherit the Unseelie throne, she must produce an heir before her rival cousin does, in a court where succession is decided through fertility, seduction, and assassination attempts.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Kiss of Shadows - Book 2:
A Caress of Twilight
A Caress of Twilight (2002) continues Meredith Gentry's fight for the Unseelie throne, deepening the harem-style ensemble of guards-and-lovers that forms around her as the succession plot builds. It runs 326 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Caress of Twilight - Book 3:
Seduced by Moonlight
Seduced by Moonlight (2004) pushes Meredith Gentry further into the fae court's politics of fertility, seduction, and assassination that decide the Unseelie succession.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Seduced by Moonlight - Book 4:
A Stroke of Midnight
A Stroke of Midnight (2005) continues building Meredith Gentry's growing power and her ensemble of guards-and-lovers as the fight over the Unseelie throne intensifies. It runs 391 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Stroke of Midnight - Book 5:
Mistral's Kiss
Mistral's Kiss, the fifth Merry Gentry book at 212 pages, keeps Meredith Gentry's fae court succession plot and her ensemble of guards-and-lovers building toward A Lick of Frost.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mistral's Kiss - Book 6:
A Lick of Frost
A Lick of Frost (2007) continues the Unseelie succession fight at the center of Merry Gentry, with Meredith's ensemble of guards-and-lovers still central to the series' harem-style structure.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Lick of Frost - Book 7:
Swallowing Darkness
Swallowing Darkness (2008) pushes the fae court succession plot toward its climax, with Meredith Gentry's power and her circle of guards-and-lovers both still building across Laurell K. Hamilton's series.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Swallowing Darkness - Book 8:
Divine Misdemeanors
Divine Misdemeanors (2009) is the eighth Merry Gentry book, arriving before a substantial real-world publishing gap -- the story picks up directly with A Shiver of Light five years later.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Divine Misdemeanors - Book 9:
A Shiver of Light
A Shiver of Light (2014) closes out Merry Gentry at nine books, arriving five years after Divine Misdemeanors and continuing directly from where the fae court succession plot left off. It runs 372 pages.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of A Shiver of Light
About the Merry Gentry series
Merry Gentry is Laurell K. Hamilton's second long-running series, following Meredith Gentry -- a faerie princess in hiding as a Los Angeles private investigator -- after decades spent fleeing the fae courts' murderous politics. A Kiss of Shadows opens the series with Merry pulled back into the world she fled: to inherit the Unseelie throne, she must produce an heir before her rival cousin does, in a court where the succession is decided through fertility, seduction, and outright assassination attempts.
Hamilton's Merry Gentry books share Anita Blake's frank explicitness and morally complicated power dynamics, but trade Anita's vampire-and-were Missouri for a court of ancient, capricious fae royalty steeped in old bargains and older grudges. The series leans further into harem-style romantic structure than Anita Blake, with Merry's guards-and-lovers forming a central ensemble alongside the political throne plot.
Complete at nine books, Merry Gentry is essential reading for Anita Blake fans curious about Hamilton's other long-running series, sharing her voice and explicitness while exploring a very different mythology.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Merry Gentry series?
Nine: from A Kiss of Shadows (2000) to A Shiver of Light (2014).
What order should I read Merry Gentry in?
Publication order, starting with A Kiss of Shadows. It's one continuous story about Merry's fight for the Unseelie throne.
Is Merry Gentry connected to Anita Blake?
No, they're separate series set in different worlds, though both are by Laurell K. Hamilton and share similar explicit content and tone.
Is Merry Gentry finished?
Yes, the series is complete at nine books, concluding with A Shiver of Light (2014).
Is Merry Gentry as explicit as Anita Blake?
Yes -- it's adult urban fantasy with frank sexual content throughout, generally recommended for readers 18+.
If you like the Merry Gentry series
Reading order last verified .