The Summer of Lost Secrets Books, Lockhart Novels Reading Order
After watching the Prime Video series The Summer of Lost Secrets, many viewers wonder how to explore the literary universe created by E. Lockhart. There are more than one novel set on the Sinclair Island and the reading order is not so obvious. Here is a complete guide to understand which books to read and in what sequence.
What are the novels in the Sinclair universe?
To date, there are three official novels related to the Sinclair story:
- The Summer of Lost Secrets (We Were Liars, 2014)
- Born liars (Family of Liars, 2022) – prequel
- We Fell Apart (coming out November 2025) – novel set in the same universe
The first is the most famous, the second tells events that happened years before, while the third (still unpublished) will be connected only thematically.
In what order should I read them?
Though Born liars it is set before, it is advisable to start from The Summer of Lost Secrets, because many of the prequel's revelations only make sense after meeting Cadence and her tragic summer.
Recommended order:
- The Summer of Lost Secrets: the story of Cadence, Johnny, Gat and Mirren
- Born liars: Johnny's mother Carrie Sinclair's past
- We Fell Apart: new chapter set in the same universe (coming soon)
What are the two already published novels about?
The Summer of Lost Secrets follows Cadence Sinclair, heir to a powerful American family. During a summer on her family's private island, she experiences an intense love and a tragedy that causes her to lose her memory. Returning to Beechwood, she must reconstruct her memories. The novel is known for its surprising ending.
Born liars It is set decades earlier and tells of another summer on the island, seen through the eyes of Carrie Sinclair, older sister and future mother of Johnny. After the death of her little sister Rosemary, Carrie faces mourning between drugs and secrets, living a summer with three new boys who upset the family balance.
What kind of story will We Fell Apart be?
The author announced We Fell Apart for November 2025. It will be set in the same world but will not follow the characters of the first two novels. It will be an original story, with new protagonists, but always linked to the main themes: complicated families, bereavements, lies and painful loves.
Where to find novels in Italian?
The first two novels are published in Italy by DeA Planeta BooksThe Italian editions are:
- The Summer of Lost Secrets (2014)
- Born liars (2023)
The third novel does not yet have an official release date for the Italian version, but it will be released in English at the end of 2025.
What to expect after reading the novels?
Those who have seen the TV series will find in the novels greater emotional nuances and psychological details not always explored on screen. Lockhart's books use intense, poetic writing, full of metaphors and sharp phrases. They are not simple adolescent dramas, but stories of inherited traumas and family lies.
If you enjoyed the series' unsettling, sophisticated atmosphere, the novels will give you much more.