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contemporary fiction
Series · contemporary fiction
World of Maggie Ward
The World of Maggie Ward series by Andrew M. Greeley has 3 known books (3 published) and is best read in publication order, starting with The Cardinal Virtues (1990).
- Books
- 3 known books (3 novels)
- Published
- 3
- First published
- 1990
- Status
- deceased
- Shelved under
- Literary Fiction
- Last checked
Start here: The Cardinal Virtues (1990) — 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:
The Cardinal Virtues
Opens Andrew M. Greeley's Maggie Ward trilogy in 1990, launching the Chicago Irish Catholic family saga of love, guilt, and forgiveness across generations; at 449 pages it is the longest of the three novels.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Cardinal Virtues - Book 2:
An Occasion of Sin
Published in 1991 at 351 pages, the second installment continues Greeley's multigenerational study of the same extended family, sitting between The Cardinal Virtues and the series-closing The Search for Maggie Ward.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of An Occasion of Sin - Book 3:
The Search for Maggie Ward
Although released last, in 1991, and closing out the trilogy in publication order, The Search for Maggie Ward actually reaches back to the earliest events in the family's internal timeline, giving the trilogy's title character her own origin story.
Alternative text for cover: Cover of The Search for Maggie Ward
About the World of Maggie Ward series
A trilogy of novels centered on Maggie Ward and the Chicago Irish Catholic families around her, moving between the mid-20th century and contemporary settings as Greeley traces love, guilt, and forgiveness across a single extended family. The Search for Maggie Ward, despite being published last of the three, tells the earlier, formative part of the story.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the World of Maggie Ward trilogy?
Three, published 1990-1991.
If you like the World of Maggie Ward series
Reading order last verified .