society of villains series reading order — l.j. shen (bad bishop & twisted pawn)
May 16, 2026a mafia king arranged into a marriage with someone everyone thinks is a pink princess who can’t talk.
an assassin heir who’s never wanted anyone but her but can’t have her due to the mafia of it all. and a third book coming in september that i genuinely cannot wait for.
the society of villains series by l.j. shen is not one i expected to love as much as i do.
what makes this series worth it
each book follows a different couple in the same dark mafia world — so technically you can read them as standalones, but reading in order makes the world feel richer and the connections between characters hit harder. start at book one. trust the process.
and i will say this — twisted pawn is better than bad bishop. that is not a compliment i give easily. bad bishop sets the world and does it well. twisted pawn takes everything up a level.
darker, more delicious, more addictive. second chance romance in the best possible way — he’s never wanted anyone but her, and the mafia world around them is the only thing standing in the way.
reading order
most of the recs in the library are on kindle unlimited, which makes the spiral slightly easier to justify.
(i use it constantly, and it is very much part of the reader math.) try it here →
society of villains
L.J. Shen · 2 books
Bad Bishop
sold to a psychopath prince who thinks she’s a pawn… but she might be the one who brings him to his knees.
Twisted Pawn
she betrayed him twice… now the man she once loved is hunting her, and this time he plans to finish it
can you read them as standalones?
technically yes — each book follows a different couple and works independently. but reading in order gives you the full world, the character connections, and the context that makes each book hit harder. start at bad bishop. you won’t regret it.
my take
twisted pawn is better than bad bishop and i don’t say that lightly. let’s see if l.j. shen can continue the thrill with fallen rook.
if you liked the cat and mouse duet, read these next
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