The Dark Room
Penelope Douglas books in order, and which one to start with
Three series, a pile of standalones, and Credence. Here's the order for the lot.
Devil’s Night
- Corrupt (2015)
- Hideaway (2017)
- Kill Switch (2019)
- Conclave (2019, novella)
- Nightfall (2020)
- Fire Night (2020, novella)
Full details on the Devil’s Night series page.
Fall Away
Bully (2013) opens it, then Until You (2013), Rival (2014) and Falling Away (2015), with novellas after. See the Fall Away series page.
Hellbent
Falls Boys (2022), Pirate Girls (2024), then Quiet Ones (2026). See the Hellbent series page.
Standalones
Credence, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Misconduct and Tryst Six Venom can be read in any order.
Where to start
Go for Corrupt if you want the series she’s best known for, or Credence if you want the one everyone argues about. Both score Spice 4 and Dark 4 here, and both have sexual assault and dub-con on their warning lists, so read the Corrupt warnings or the Credence warnings first. The full order is also on her author page.
FAQ
What order should I read Penelope Douglas books in?
Read each series in order (Devil's Night starts with Corrupt, Fall Away with Bully, Hellbent with Falls Boys). The standalones fit in anywhere.
Is Corrupt a standalone?
No. It is book 1 of Devil's Night.
Is there a Corrupt or Credence movie?
We have not found an announced adaptation of either as of October 2026.
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