The Dark Room
H.D. Carlton Books Ranked: Lightest to Darkest
H. D. Carlton’s novels ranked from the lightest to the darkest, with where to start and the movie news.
From the edge of the dark to the bottom of it.
- Shallow River. The lightest place to start.
- Hollow and Untainted. The Zero Saga, her sci-fi romance.
- My Dreadful Darling. Book one of Hollow Graves, and it ends on a cliffhanger. The follow-up, My Darling Reverie, was due 27 August 2026 and is delayed with no new date. Carlton says it’s written but still needs editing.
- Satan’s Affair. Sibby’s novella.
- Where’s Molly. A connected standalone.
- Does It Hurt? Her standalone, and nowhere near gentle.
- Haunting Adeline. The one that made Zade Meadows famous, and now it’s becoming a film. Everything we know about the movie.
- Hunting Adeline. The darkest. You’ve been warned.
Every book in reading order: H.D. Carlton books in order.
How the books connect
Four of these books share one world. Carlton’s publisher gives the reading order as Satan’s Affair, Haunting Adeline, Hunting Adeline, then Where’s Molly.
Satan’s Affair is Sibby’s story, set at a travelling Halloween fair. When the fair reaches Seattle she crosses paths with Zade, and Haunting Adeline shows that same fair visit from his side and Adeline’s. You don’t need it to follow the duet, but read it if you want Sibby’s half. Satan’s Affair
FAQ
Do I need to read Satan's Affair before Haunting Adeline?
No, the duet stands on its own. Carlton’s publisher does list Satan’s Affair first, though, and its story crosses into Haunting Adeline at the Halloween fair, so start there if you want the whole picture.
On the shelf
The books this essay is standing next to. Notes on those pages are original. The warnings are there before the plot.
Essays are opinion. They are not a substitute for an author’s own warning note. Patreon · Ko-fi · Library