JL
§Author· 21 books
Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Also known as Jen Barnes
High-stakes mystery, intricate puzzles, and psychological depth define the young adult fiction represented in the widely acclaimed series The Inheritance Games. The author Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born on October 19, 1984, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has written more than twenty novels that combine fast-paced thriller elements with complex character dynamics.
Career & Background
Barnes began her writing career at a young age, writing her first published novel when she was nineteen years old and selling her first five books while still in college. Parallel to her career as a novelist, she pursued an academic track in cognitive science and psychology, earning a bachelor's degree from Yale University in 2006, studying at Cambridge University as a Fulbright Scholar, and completing her Ph.D. at Yale University in 2012. Her scholarly work focuses on cognitive science, psychiatry, and the psychology of fandom and fiction. She later joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma as an Associate Professor with a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing. In addition to her young adult novels, she has written original television pilot scripts for networks such as USA and MTV.
Writing Style & Themes
Informed by her academic research into human cognition and narrative engagement, Barnes crafts thrillers and mystery novels built around intricate puzzles, unexpected plot twists, and secret societies. Her stories frequently examine power dynamics, family secrets, elite institutions, and moral dilemmas, placing brilliant young protagonists in high-stakes situations where they must solve complex intellectual riddles under intense pressure.
Major Works
- The Inheritance Games — The foundational novel in her mystery series follows Avery Grambs, an ordinary teenager who suddenly inherits billions from a deceased billionaire she never met, forcing her to solve cryptic puzzles while navigating hostile relatives.
- The Hawthorne Legacy — The second entry in her hit series continues Avery's investigation into the secrets of the Hawthorne family as she works through new layers of riddles and hidden history.
- The Brothers Hawthorne — A companion novel that focuses on brothers Grayson and Jameson Hawthorne as they take on separate high-stakes challenges across different corners of the globe.
- The Grandest Game — A expansion novel set in the Hawthorne universe centered on a high-stakes competition filled with dangerous challenges and long-standing rivalries.
§All Books
The Hawthorne Legacy
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2021
504 ratings
The Brothers Hawthorne
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2023
109 ratings
The Grandest Game
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2024
32 ratings
The Inheritance Games Collection
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2022
4 ratings
The Same Backward as Forward
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2025
3 ratings
Os Jogos da Herança
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
1 ratings
O Herdeiro Perdido
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2021
1 ratings
Paveldėtojų žaidimai
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
De erfenis
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Dziedzictwo Hawthorne'ów
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2021
بازی های میراث
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Trò Chơi Thừa Kế
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
The Inheritance Games
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Jogos de herança
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Una herencia en juego
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
De verloren erfgenaam
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2021
Ігри спадкоємців
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Inheritance Games
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
משחקי הירושה
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020
Hra o dědictví
Jennifer Lynn Barnes, 2020