Stephanie Gayle Books In Order

Publication Order of Thomas Lynch Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Appearing in a variety of literary journals and magazines, the American author Stephanie Gayle has been a mainstay of the industry for quite some time now, with a whole host of work behind her, as she puts out novels at a regular pace now, writing crime and mystery thrillers, many with gay and lesbian themes underpinning them, something which sets her apart from the rest, thus allowing her to inhabit a niche all of her very own. A master of crafting new and imaginative crimes, she is able to draw the reader in, creating a dark and foreboding world that is at once both enticing, as well as dangerous with a dark and seedy glamour to it. Coming a long way in a relatively short amount of time too, she only began her first series in 2015, making a name for herself extremely quickly building her profile at a rapid pace, allowing her to step into the literary limelight almost immediately. This, therefore, means that she is one of the most prolific writers currently working within her field to date, a fact which is backed up by her consistently great reviews, along with constantly reaching the top of the bestseller lists on numerous occasion. Knowing as well as understanding the craft down to the last minute detail she is definitely within her element, something which she continues to expand upon as an author, developing her style all the time. Writing short fictional stories and getting them published, as well as long-form fiction, she is a highly versatile writer too, as she always manages to defy audience expectations with her writing, knowing exactly what it is that she wants to say and precisely how she wants to say it. This then sees her as one of the foremost figures writing from a gay and lesbian perspective, a stance which is sorely lacking within her field and one that she fills more than adequately. With a gift for writing character she knows exactly what it is that audiences are looking for in a leading protagonist, as she keeps them engaged with personalities that strongly resonate with the reader. Winning prizes she is not without a sense-of-humor too, as she knows just when to lighten a story and temper the mood somewhat, allowing her narratives to become a lot more accessible, fun and engaging, which is something that she will continue for many years to come yet.

Early and Personal Life

Growing up in Massachusetts, the future author to be Stephanie Gayle would take to reading and writing from a very early age. Going on to attend Smith College, soon graduating before going on to work in the MIT Media Lab there, in the Finance Department. This is something that she continues alongside her career as a writer.

Using all of this experience to help build up her material she was never short of subject matter with which to write about. With a whole variety of hobbies she’s always had a competitive streak too, undertaking activities such as kickboxing, reading and baking. This has all lead to her becoming one of the most prolific authors currently working within her field to date, as she’s not showing signs of stopping any time soon.

Writing Career

Bringing out her first book back in 2007, she then had a long quiet period for a while before releasing another book in 2015. Later bringing out the first of her ‘Thomas Lynch’ novels, she would quickly go on to make a name for herself. This would build upon her profile as the years went on, marking her out as a definite figure to watch in the industry.

Winning prizes on numerous occasion, along with being nominated for the Pushcart Prize twice too, she is not without critical acclaim either. This has seen her go on to become one of the most sought after voices in the industry. With more planned on the horizon it seems that she has a lot more to come too.

My Summer of Southern Discomfort

This would come to be the first debut novel from Stephanie Gayle as a full-time novelist, as it would be a stand-alone title not being a part of any series as such. Working on its own accord, it takes a far more laid-back approach to that of her other later work, as the tone is gentle and somewhat soothing in its style and pacing. First brought out in 2007 this can be found on the Kindle, as it would help set-up Stephanie’s career as an author, establishing her profile as a writer for years to follow.

Starting out with the Harvard Law graduate Natalie Goldberg living in Georgia, Macon, it sees her convicting thieves and arsonists, something which was never her lifelong ambition. That’s when, following a steamy romance with her boss sours and she packs her bags and heads south, taking to a whole new life there among the locals, as she attempts to adept to life down there. This is a little harder than she initially expected though, as it soon transpires that her urban leftist background might be a little out of place. Can she fit in? What cases will she be given? ‘How will I cope’ she asks ‘with my summer of southern discomfort’?

Idyll Fears

Making up the second title in the ongoing ‘Thomas Lynch’ series of novels, a franchise which follows the eponymous protagonist as he undertakes a variety of investigations, this continues on from the last. Brought out through the ‘Seventh Street Books’ publishing label this time, this was originally published in 2017 on the 5th of September to much acclaim. Carrying on in much the same vein as before, this manages to capture the essence of the first, whilst also simultaneously providing another investigation for the police chief to solve.

Facing plenty of troubles in the police department as it is, with many of the other detectives there having trouble accepting him as gay, the police chief Thomas Lynch has another harrowing case file fall into his lap. Faced with the prospect of having to locate a six-year-old who has gone missing during a blizzard with a life threatening condition as well, he isn’t getting much help. Wondering if the young Cody will ever be found, he is also subjected to a number of prank calls from an anonymous colleague, whilst crime is rising sharply in the town of Idyll. Will he find the child? Can he find out who’s bothering him? What is behind his Idyll fears?