Kennedy Stern Books In Order

Publication Order of Kennedy Stern Books

Kennedy Stern Series

The American writer Alana Terry is well known for her bestselling Christian fiction that really draws in the audience. Creating mysteries that keep her audience constantly guessing all the way, she knows how to really establish an air of suspense and intrigue. This is something that she definitely excels at, really allowing her work to come to life, essentially leaping off the page for the reader. Taking her audience on a journey, she really pushes each premises to its limit, fully making the most of it all.

One series that she’s been doing this for is that of her long-running and much loved Kennedy Stern mystery suspense novels. Following the eponymous characters, she follows her as she navigates a number of life’s pitfalls, often dealing with difficult subject matter along the way. Studying and making her way in life, she deals with mysteries, with each book being a different self-contained story.

There’s nine books in the series so far and counting, along with some spin-offs and epilogues along the way. Some omnibus collections are also there, bringing all of the books together in sets of three, making them easier to follow. The books themselves are easy to pick up at any point, although it does reward fans who stay with it for the duration.

Unplanned

Originally published in 2015 on the 31st of March, this would pave the way not only for the Kennedy Stern series, but Alana Terry’s writing career as a whole. Establishing her as a writer for the very first time, it would come out on the Kindle platform to a great deal of critical acclaim. Introducing Kennedy Stern as a fully fledged character in her own right too, it really manages to deliver on its compelling concept.

Kennedy Stern attends college, undergoing a rigorous schedule there, and she’s also someone who has previously championed the pro-life cause. This is put to the test though, as she finds herself drawn into a mystery following a distressing call from someone far too young to carry a child. Now she must locate the woman and help her, putting her own mind at ease in the process, but this proves to be a little difficult, as she gets caught up in a web of intrigue and mystery. Will she be able to find the woman, can she put her own mind at ease, and what has become of a pregnancy that was otherwise unplanned?

This is an interesting thriller that raises a number of moral questions for those with faith, posing some difficult subject matter. Making for an interesting story regardless of the reader’s religious beliefs, it’s an extremely engaging novel, and a well told thriller. With strong characters too, Stern herself is a well drawn character who comes alive with every single turn of the page.

Paralyzed

Once again coming out in 2015, this would be released on the 30th of October, as it was initially published on the Kindle platform. Dealing with another self-contained story, it would look at the aftermath of the first, so it’s best that they’re all read in order. That being said, they can be read as stand-alone titles, but it’s a series that really rewards its returning fans with plenty of ongoing character arcs.

Returning to her campus after facing and surviving an abduction, Kennedy Stern must now deal with the psychological scars that haunt her. Paralyzed by horrific dreams, she’s facing mental anguish quite unlike any other, and now, on top of all that, one of the partners involved in the kidnapping is still on the loose. Looking to silence his witness permanently, Stern must deal with this new threat, as she’s pulled back in to a dark and dangerous world. Can she manage to survive it all, will she be able to deal with her own psychological demons, and what will she do to stop becoming paralyzed?

This really makes for an interesting character study, as it has so much depth to it running throughout at every single level. It’s definitely a story that knows what it’s about, fully the pushing the concept to its limit, whilst asking plenty of questions of the reader. Keeping the reader constantly guessing every step of the way too, it’s a story that makes the most of its character and its world, really allowing it to come alive.

Policed

Originally published in 2016, this would be the third book in the ongoing Kennedy Stern series of mystery thriller novels. Following on from the previous book, it would feature another self-contained mystery, while bringing over various arcs at the same time. It would also pave the way for the fourth book, ‘Straightened,’ to also come out later in 2016 that same year.

One night Kennedy Stern and her friend Reuben are on their way home after a night spent off campus when they stopped by a police officer. Harassing them both with racist taunts and sexual abuse, a violent altercation ensues with the officer, followed by a media frenzy in the aftermath. What happened was a hate-crime due to the dark color of Reuben’s skin, and now the two of them must deal with the intensive media scrutiny. Will they be able to cope with it all, can Kennedy and Reuben overcome this together, and what happens after they were wrongly policed?

There’s a lot of interesting contemporary ideas running throughout this book, and it handles them with expert precision. Really diving into them, the story is extremely well written, making for a tense and compelling novel from Alana Terry. The characters all feel wholly three-dimensional, establishing them as fully fleshed out personalities that come alive off of the page for the reader.

The Kennedy Stern Series

This is a fine collection of intriguing stories, all filled with a real sense of character, making for an interesting reading series. When it comes to the character of Kennedy Stern herself, she’s extremely well established, feeling wholly real in the mind’s eye of the reader. Staying with the audience long after they’ve put the book down, the themes and ideas are also extremely engaging on many levels. Making for a well written and highly compelling series, it’s one that will definitely continue to find fans for many years to come.