Tiffany D. Jackson is a New York Times Bestselling author, and NAACP Image Award nominee.
She has received wide acclaim for reimagining classic stories or true crime cases and delivering them with jaw-dropping plot twists, that unveil the harsh realities of the Black experience.
As a fan favorite, her novels come widely recommended within the book community, so I compiled this guide to maximize your reading experience as you journey through her catalog.
*Note: This list excludes books co-written by Jackson.
1. Monday’s Not Coming
“This is the story of how my best friend disappeared. How nobody noticed she was gone except me. And how nobody cared until they found her . . . one year later.”
Typically, I’d recommend starting with an author’s first publication because it’s a great way to experience their debut as an author, but Monday’s Not Coming is the perfect representation of what to expect from Jackson’s novels.
In this story, Jackson reimagines a headline news story into a heart-wrenching tale about a young girl searching for her missing best friend.
The masterfully crafted nonlinear plot will leave you intensely heartbroken and still pondering how a teenage girl can vanish without anyone noticing.
2. Allegedly
“She went into crisis management mode…continuing to hide and protect her mother, because in Mary’s mind, she is the mother, and her mother is the child. And a mother always protects her child.”
In her debut novel, Jackson explores the juvenile criminal justice process when a child is accused of murder. Allegedly is dark, gritty, and rather disturbing but places second on the list because it delivers Jackson’s signature style of reworking a story from the headlines with a surprising plot twist you won’t see coming.
3. White Smoke
“Buddy growls, and I quickly grip his mouth to keep him quiet. But it’s too late. The house stills. The house heard us.”
Full Disclosure, while I do enjoy all of Jackson’s books, White Smoke is my personal least favorite. It was heavily marketed as a horror book for its October release date, which caused it to be overhyped by book bloggers and left me wanting more.
It’s a story about a Black girl who moves into a new neighborhood, only to find some spooky skeletons hiding behind the walls of her new house.
This book places third on the list, because if you think it gave all the spooky vibes you craved, great! But if you’re like me and think it just didn’t deliver in that department, you may still enjoy the dynamic character development and fast-moving plot. Plus, there’s still more to explore.
4. Let Me Hear A Rhyme
“…maybe it wasn’t so crazy after all. Maybe just thinking outside the box is how you get further than you ever could dream of.”
If you are a fan of 90s hip hop (as I’m sure you are, because who isn’t?) you will definitely enjoy this story about a deceased teenager who turns into a major rap star after his friends release his music posthumously pretending he’s still alive.
In this novel, Jackson digs into her Brooklyn roots and pens a page-turning thrilling mystery from the “It Was All A Dream” era.
5. Grown
“Our daughter was stalked, preyed upon, and assaulted by a grown man. This is when we need our village the most.”
You won’t have to read too far into Grown before it sounds all too familiar. It’s a riveting story about a young girl groomed by a legendary R&B artist.
This is a classic Jackson novel because it’s penned with her unique storytelling and nonlinear plots. She pulls us in from the beginning and takes us on a journey through the past to piece an account of traumatic events.
Grown is a page-turner you’ll be dying to finish.
6. The Weight of Blood
“When I asked him what happened . . . he just kept mumbling, “Maddy did it.”
The Weight of Blood is a modern retelling of the classic horror novel Carrie by Stephen King that centers Black characters and experiences.
Maddy is a biracial teenager in a Georgia high school that is hosting its first integrated prom. Something happened on prom night, and the Springfield residents all say that Maddy did it.
In this contemporary remake, Jackson tackles the legacy and history of America’s racism.
End your Jackson Journey with her latest blockbuster that will have you feeling a profound nostalgic remembrance and you’ll be all caught up for when her next New York Times Best Seller hits the shelves.