Johansen began writing after her children left home for college. She first achieved success in the early 1980s writing category romances. In 1991, Johansen began writing suspense historical romance novels, starting with the publication of The Wind Dancer. In 1996 Johansen switched genres, turning to crime fiction, with which she has had great success. She had seventeen consecutive New York Times bestsellers as of November 2006.[1]

Johansen lives in Georgia and is married. Her son, Roy Johansen, is an Edgar Award-winning screenwriter and novelist. Her daughter, Tamara, serves as her research assistant.

Romance Novels

Contemporary romance

• Touch the Horizon (1984)
• Capture the Rainbow (1984)
• The Trustworthy Redhead (Louis Benoit) (1984)
• The Golden Valkyrie (1984)
• Til the End of Time (1986)
• Everlasting (1986)
• Always (1986)
• The Spellbinder (Louis Benoit) (1987)
• Last Bridge Home (1987)
• Strong, Hot Winds (1988)
• Blue Skies and Shining Promises (1988)
• Man From Half Moon Bay (1988)
• An Unexpected Song (1990)
• Tender Savage (Spin Off of One Touch of Topaz) (1990)
• Notorious (1990)
• A Tough Man to Tame (1991)
• Winter Bride (1992)
• Star Spangled Bride (1993)
• No One to Trust (2002)
• Dead Aim (2003)
• Fatal Tide (2003)
• Blind Alley (2004)
• Count Down (2005)

The Delaneys: The Shamrock Trinity

• 02. York, the Renegade (1986)

The Delaneys of Killaroo

• 02. Matilda, the Adventuress (1987)
• 04. This Fierce Splendor (1989)

The Delaneys; The untamed years I

• 02. Wild Silver (1988)

The Delaneys; The untamed years II

• 02. Satin Ice (1988)

Historical romance

• The Forever Dream (1985)
• The Wind Dancer (1991)
• Storm Winds (1991)
• Reap the Wind (1991; revised edition, 2002)
• The Golden Barbarian (1992)
• Last Bridge Home (1992)
• The Tiger Prince (1993)
• The Magnificent Rogue (1993)
• The Beloved Scoundrel (1994)
• Midnight Warrior (1994)
• Dark Rider (1995)
• Lion's Bride (1996)
• The Treasure (2008)

Crime fiction novels

Recurring Characters

• Reap the Wind (October 1991 — revised August 2002)

Featured characters:

Caitlin Vasaro

Alex Karazov

Jonathan Andreas

Chelsea Benedict

Kemal Nemid

Melis Nemid

Marisa Benedict

• The Face of Deception (October 1998)

Principal characters

First appearance of forensic sculptor Eve Duncan

First appearance of police detective Joe Quinn

First appearance of billionaire industrialist John Logan

• The Killing Game (September 1999)

Second appearance of Eve Duncan

Second appearance of Joe Quinn

Second appearance of John Logan

First appearance of canine search & rescue specialist Sarah Patrick

First appearance of Jane Macguire

First appearance of Sean Galen

• The Search (June 2000)

Second appearance of Sarah Patrick

Third appearance of John Logan

Third appearance by Eve Duncan

Third appearance by Joe Quinn

Second appearance by Sean Galen

Second appearance by Jane Macguire

• Body of Lies (March 2002)

Fourth appearance by Eve Duncan

Fourth appearance by Joe Quinn

Third appearance by Sean Galen (featured character).

Third appearance by Jane Macguire (featured character).

• Final Target (May 2001)

Jessica Riley

Melissa Riley

Michael Travis

Fourth appearance by Sean Galen

Second appearance by Jonathan Andreas

Second appearance by Chelsea Benedict

• No One to Trust (October 2002)

Elena Kyler

Fifth appearance by Sean Galen

First appearance by Judd Morgan

• Dead Aim (April 2003)

Alex Graham

Second appearance by Judd Morgan

Third appearance by Sarah Patrick

Third appearance by Jonathan Andreas

Third appearance by Chelsea Benedict

Second appearance by Melis Nemid

Fourth appearance by John Logan

• Fatal Tide (September 2003)

Third appearance by Melis Nemid

First appearance by Jed Kelby

Second appearance by Kemal Nemid

• Blind Alley (September 2004)

Fifth appearance by Eve Duncan

Fifth appearance by Joe Quinn

Fourth appearance by Jane Macguire

First appearance by Mark Trevor

• Countdown (May 2005)

Sixth appearance by Eve Duncan

Fifth appearance by Jane Macguire

Second appearance by Mark Trevor

Sixth appearance by Joe Quinn

• Killer Dreams (May 2006)

Second appearance by Jock Gavin

Second appearance by MacDuff

Sixth appearance by Jane Maguire

• Stalemate (December 2006)

Seventh appearance by Eve Duncan

Seventh appearance by Joe Quinn

Seventh appearance by Jane Macguire

First appearance by Luis Montalvo

Sixth appearance by Sean Galen

• Pandora's Daughter (October 2007)

First appearance by Megan Blair

First appearance by Renata

• Quicksand (April 2008)

Eighth appearance by Eve Duncan

Eighth appearance by Joe Quinn

Second appearance by Megan Blair

Second appearance by Luis Montalvo

Eighth appearance by Jane Maguire

• Dark Summer (October 2008)

Fourth appearance by Sarah Patrick

• Blood Game (2009)

Ninth appearance by Eve Duncan

Ninth appearance by Joe Quinn

Third appearance by Megan Blair

Third appearance by Luis Montalvo

Ninth appearance by Jane Maguire

Second appearance by Renata

First appearance by Seth Caleb

• Eight Days to Live (2010)

Tenth appearance by Eve Duncan

Tenth appearance by Joe Quinn

Tenth appearance by Jane Maguire

Second appearance by Seth Caleb

Third appearance by Jock Gavin

Third appearance by MacDuff

Non-series

• Long After Midnight (1997)
• And Then You Die (1998)
• Firestorm (2004)
• On The Run (2005)
• Deadlock (2009)

With Roy Johansen

• Silent Thunder (July 8, 2008)
• Storm Cycle (July 21, 2009)