Katherine V. Forrest Books In Order

Publication Order of The Coral Dawn Trilogy Books

Publication Order of Kate Delafield Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Collections

Publication Order of Anthologies

About Katherine V. Forrest

A Canadian-American author, Katherine V. Forrest is well known for the mystery novels she writes, publishing numerous stories within the genre. Hugely entertaining, she manages to really capture the reader’s attention with her sense of ambiance, evoking a rich and immersive atmosphere. Over the years this particular approach has proven to be massively successful, creating a tone and style that is very much hers alone. Allowing her writing to speak for itself, she really understands what her genre has to offer, taking it in new and exciting directions.

There’s a surprise on each and every page turn, as she constantly keeps her readers guessing throughout every step of the way. Constantly turning the page for more, she knows how to establish a real feeling of suspense and tension, keeping readers fully invested. Her clear and articulate writing style is also something to be admired, as she writes in a straightforward and to-the-point manner. Grounding her stories in reality, her books feel authentic and genuine, really ensuring that they feel believable for her audience.

Another strong element running throughout the work of Forrest is that of her characters, as they fully come alive on the page. Speaking to readers in a straightforward and direct manner, they really feel fleshed out, with the three-dimensional personalities engaging readers. The success of these characters is evident in that her readers continually come back for more time and time again, always looking to find what comes next. With so much more to offer still, she’s a writer with plenty more planned on the horizon, as she will carry on writing into the foreseeable future.

Early and Personal Life

Born in Windsor, Ontario, in Canada in 1939 on the 20th of April, Katherine V. Forrest grew up with a strong interest in the written word. Largely focusing on thrillers, she would also look at writing science-fiction, something that would also come to feature later in her writing career. Drawing a lot of inspiration from her own life, she would take experiences from the world around her and put it back into her work.

As an editor prior to becoming a writer herself, she would work for different publishers, while also writing non-fiction work too. Living in San Francisco near to The Castro district, she moved from Los Angeles, taking many different ideas into her work and writing. Currently living in Palm Springs, California, with her wife Jo Hercus, she continues to write regularly and consistently to this day.

Writing Career

It was in 1984 that Katherine V. Forrest would write and publish her very first novel, which was titled ‘Amateur City.’ This book would also become the first in her series of ‘Kate Delafield’ mystery novels, featuring their eponymous police detective. Known for leading the way in lesbian representation, her novels would be cited as an influence for many writers to follow.

Other series she would write would include ‘The Coral Dawn Trilogy’ science-fiction series, and ‘Carol Ashton’ written alongside Claire McNab. Winning awards for her work, such as four Lambda Literary Awards, and the GCLS 2009 Trailblazer Award to name a few, she’s widely regarded as a trailblazer in her own right. Continuing to write and edit, she is also the Supervising Editor working at Spinsters Ink, as she lives and writes in the California desert.

Murder by Tradition

Initially brought out through the ‘Alyson Books’ publishing label, this would first come out back in 1991 to much acclaim. The fourth title in the ‘Kate Delafield’ series of mystery novels, it would provide another case for the eponymous police detective. Each book provides a stand-alone mystery narrative, as the series itself can be picked up at any point, as every story is self-contained.

Following the murder of a gay restaurateur, Kate Delafield is afraid of being outed as a lesbian herself during her subsequent investigation. With the killer’s defence planning to use a ‘gay panic’ against her in court, he could potentially out her, changing everything in the process. Hoping to testify for the prosecution with her integrity remaining intact, she wants to bring about justice while keeping her head above water. Will she be able to protect herself in the process, can she ensure justice prevails, and what will become of the murder by tradition?

Dealing with serious subject matter such as homophobia, this book set during the late eighties and early nineties really casts an interesting light. Managing it with sensitivity, the book also provides an intriguing mystery for Kate Delafield to solve, offering lots of character development. Every element of the narrative is expertly handled, as it manages to balance everything in a well-rounded and entertaining story.

Daughters of an Emerald Dusk

First brought out in 2005, this would originally come out through the ‘Alyson Books’ publishing imprint, meeting an already eager audience. Providing the third and final novel in ‘The Coral Dawn Trilogy’ of books, it follows on directly from the previous books in the science-fiction series. Coming out on the first of April originally, it’s best that this series is read in order to get the most from it.

Colonizing the planet of Maternas after escaping a male dominated Earth, 4,000 women have escaped from the tyranny finding refuge. Now the first generation has reached full maturity some fifty years later, their vision for their perfect utopia has now changed somewhat. Shifting from the original vision of the founders of the Maternas colony, they have a completely different outlook for the future now. Where will their journey transport them to next, can they fully realize their goals, and what will become of the Daughters of an Emerald Dusk?

Finishing ‘The Coral Dawn Trilogy,’ this book provides a satisfying conclusion to the series overall, conceptualizing many of its themes and ideas. It’s a great ending to the series, with plenty of imagination, as it’s proven to be a highly ambitious and creative collection of novels. With strong characters too, it really does have a lot to offer, as Forrest fully makes use of a highly engaging and compelling premise.