🎯 Where Should I Start?
ⓘ About Ann Bennett
During a career break, to have kids, she began writing. Her dad had been a prisoner of war on the Thailand-Burma Railway, and Ann got the idea for “Bamboo Heart” while researching his wartime experiences. The research took her to Southeast Asia, a place that she loves and has returned to several times. The idea for “The Orphan House” came from researching her great-grandpa, named Brice Bennett, who was the headmaster of a county school for pauper kids in Wargrave, Berkshire. “Bamboo Heart” won the award for fiction published in Asia, Asian Books Blog in the year 2015. Ann’s debut novel, called “A Daughter’s Quest”, was released in the year 2013. Her work is from the sagas and historical fiction genres.
All Book Series by Ann Bennett
Bamboo Road / The Homecoming
Latest in the series · book 3 of 3 · published 2017
The Orphan House / The Foundling's Daughter
Series opener · book 1 of 11 · published 2018
? Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ann Bennett?
During a career break, to have kids, she began writing. Her dad had been a prisoner of war on the Thailand-Burma Railway, and Ann got the idea for “Bamboo Heart” while researching his wartime experiences. The research took her to Southeast Asia, a place that she loves and has returned to several times.
Which Ann Bennett series should I start with?
The best place to start is the Echoes of Empire series, the earliest of Ann Bennett's multi-book series: it opens with Bamboo Heart / A Daughter's Quest (2013) and runs to 8 books across 2013–2025, ending with The Bookseller of Kathmandu (2025). Ann Bennett's other series stand alone, so they can be read in any order.
How many books has Ann Bennett written?
Ann Bennett has 26 books catalogued in this guide, published between 2013 and 2026. 14 of them belong to 4 named series — the largest being the Echoes of Empire series with 8 books — and 12 are standalone titles, collections or anthologies.
In what order should Ann Bennett's series be read?
Read each series in publication order — the numbered entries in each series follow the year each book first appeared. Ann Bennett's series do not depend on one another, so they can be started in any order; by start date they are Echoes of Empire (2013–2025, 8 books), Bamboo Trilogy (2013–2017, 3 books) and World War Two Orphanage (2024, 2 books), plus 1 more.
How are Ann Bennett's books organised into series?
This guide splits Ann Bennett's 26 books into 4 named series and 12 titles that stand alone or appear only in collections: Echoes of Empire (8 books, 2013–2025); Bamboo Trilogy (3 books, 2013–2017); World War Two Orphanage (2 books, 2024); Rose Park Chronicles (1 book, 2024).