Stephanie Tromly Books In Order

Publication Order of Trouble Books

Stephanie Tromly
Stephanie Tromly was born in Manila, and grew up in Hong Kong. She graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and worked in Los Angeles as a screenwriter.

She doesn’t have just one set place to write. She loves writing in public, preferably in the middle of some crowd. One of Stephanie’s favorite places is at the McDonald’s just down the street from the apartment she had in Hong Kong. She has seen some amazing things there, and once “excuse me, excuse me’d” her way into the middle of this full-on triad brawl in order to rescue her handwritten manuscript.

She is a streaky writer, and wishes she weren’t. She wishes she were good at grinding it out, but she isn’t. When she feels a hot streak coming on, she likes to paint her nails red. Then she uses her pen to write something soothing onto her left hand, too, so that she can look at it each and every time she is about to feel the record about to skip (so to speak) as she’s writing. She spooks easily.

Stephanie believes that having worked in visual media makes her style of writing more kinetic. People will often remark on the influence of slapstick and action movies in her writing. She also believes the timing and pacing in “Trouble” is very much influenced by film. She tries writing dialogue in a short and quippy style, which is probably a holdover from her TV and film writing.

It was a huge shock to her that her first novel had sold. The internet overflows with bad news all about the “no hope” business of selling a book. For days after her book sold, she didn’t even believe it had happened. When it sunk in that it had, she didn’t even trust herself to feel good about it. Now that the book’s been out, the thought “all of it could vanish” still runs through her head from time to time.

“Trouble is a Friend of Mine” is the first novel in the “Trouble” series and was released in 2015. “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” meets “Veronica Mars” meets “Sherlock” in this story about a wisecracking girl that meets this weird yet brilliant boy and their roller coaster of a semester that is three parts thrilling, one part awkward, and five parts awesome.

Zoe Webster is not impressed when Philip Digby first shows up at her door. He is rude, and treats her like a book he has read already and knows the ending too. Of course Zoe didn’t like him when she met him for the first time. Nobody does. However before she knows it, Digby, who is brilliant, annoying, and attractive somehow, has drug her into a series of dangerous and hilarious situations which are all related to this investigation into the kidnapping of a local teen girl. It’s a kidnapping which might be linked to the tragic disappearance of his own sister from eight years prior.

Zoe just cannot say no when it comes to Digby. He just gets her, even though she hardly gets herself. However is he a hero, or is his manic quest actually an indication of this desperate effort to exorcise his own obsessive-compulsive tendencies and repair his broken family?

A romance where the leading male is decidedly unromantic, a crime book about catching the crook is not the only hook, a friendship tale where they are not even sure they like one another. Here is a contemporary debut novel with ridiculously funny action, razor sharp dialogue, and the most charismatic dynamic duo that you’ve ever met.

Stephanie’s favorite part of the novel is that despite Digby’s being such a strong and major character, the story is still Zoe’s. There were times when, much like Zoe has to, Stephanie had to fight in order to keep Digby from overwhelming the whole thing.

“Trouble Makes a Comeback” is the second novel in the “Trouble” series and was released in 2016. This is an utterly satisfying sequel that is packed with a love triangle that you never saw coming, razor sharp dialogue, and the most charismatic dynamic duo that you’ve ever met.

Now that the irresistible and infuriating Philip Digby has left town to follow a lead on his sister that vanished years ago, Zoe’s looking forward to a peaceful spring semester. She is hanging out with new friends, dating a cute quarterback, and enjoying just being “a normal”. Which is when Digby returns, obviously. He needs help from Zoe, and not only to track his sister down.

Zoe can either decide to keep on her current path toward popularity, perfect SAT scores and Princeton, or she can take this major detour with Digby and possibly figure out what that kiss he stole from her truly meant. Digby and his over the top schemes always lead some place unexpected, and Zoe’s starting to learn she may just like jumping into the unknown. When it comes to Digby, at least for Zoe, the decision may be made already.

“Trouble Never Sleeps” is the third novel in the “Trouble” series and was released in 2018. Happily ever after gets a total makeover in this swoony and non stop thrill ride of a finale to the “Trouble” trilogy.

Zoe and Digby have been skirting around one another for so very long at this point that you may believe they would lose their magic if they actually hooked up. But never fear, there is all of the steamy chemistry, sarcastic banter, and acerbic wit that you could possibly hope for.

Now that Digby’s returned to town, he has plunged Zoe (as well as their Scooby gang of nerd-tastic, genius Felix wealthy frenemy Sloane, and aw-shucks-handsome Henry) back into the deep end on the hunt for his kidnapped sister. He has got this lead, however it involves potentially committing treason, breaking into this secret government research facility, paying this drug dealer off with a Bentley.

The schemes may be over the top, however this “Breakfast Club” cast is irresistibly authentic while they cope with regular high school stuff from dating your best friend to social media shaming, all with this twist that nobody is going to see coming.