Susan Wittig Albert Reading Order

2 books (2001–2025)

29 books (1992–2024)

The China Bayles series comprises 29 mystery novels following the same protagonist from 1992 through 2024, with new installments continuing to be released. Readers should begin with Thyme of Death and proceed in publication order to experience the character's development and the interconnected storylines that span across the series. The mysteries are grounded in the author's blend of literary fiction and historical elements, creating a richly detailed world that evolves throughout the ongoing collection.

Start with Thyme of Death, the first of 29 books in the China Bayles series.

#	Title
1	Thyme of Death 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Witches' Bane 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Hangman's Root 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Rosemary Remembered 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Rueful Death 1996Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Love Lies Bleeding 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Chile Death 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Lavender Lies 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Mistletoe Man 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Bloodroot 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Indigo Dying 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Dilly of a Death 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	Dead Man's Bones 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Bleeding Hearts 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	Spanish Dagger 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	Nightshade 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Wormwood 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	Holly Blues 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Mourning Gloria 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Cat's Claw 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	Widow's Tears 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	Death Come Quickly 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	Bittersweet 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Blood Orange 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Last Chance Olive Ranch 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Queen Anne's Lace 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
27	A Plain Vanilla Murder 2019Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
28	Hemlock 2021Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
29	Forget Me Never 2024Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

2 books (2003–2006)

The China Bayles Collections consists of two complete books published between 2003 and 2006, both featuring the protagonist from Susan Wittig Albert's longer-running mystery series. These volumes blend mystery, historical fiction, and literary elements with the author's signature garden-related themes. Read the books in publication order, beginning with An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries, followed by China Bayles' Book of Days.

Start with An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries and read in order.

#	Title
1	An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	China Bayles' Book of Days 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2019–2019)

The Crystal Cave is a three-book mystery series by Susan Wittig Albert featuring interconnected cases set against historical backdrops. Published in 2019 with all three installments complete, the series should be read in publication order beginning with NoBODY, followed by Out of BODY and SomeBODY Else. Albert's signature blend of mystery, historical detail, and literary fiction characterizes this concluded trilogy.

Start with NoBODY and read in order.

8 books (1992–2014)

Susan Wittig Albert's eight-book non-fiction series spans from 1992 to 2014 and should be read in publication order beginning with Work Of Her Own. The complete series includes explorations of women's writing, personal narratives, and reflections on creativity and place, concluding with Starting Points. These books blend literary criticism, memoir, and essays across themes of authorship, relationships, and the creative life.

Start with Work Of Her Own, the first of 8 books in the Non-Fiction series.

#	Title
1	Work Of Her Own 1992Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	World Literature 1993Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Writing from Life 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	With Courage and Common Sense 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	What Wildness Is This: Women Write about the Southwest 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Together, Alone: A Memoir of Marriage and Place 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	An Extraordinary Year of Ordinary Days 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Starting Points 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (2013–2023)

Susan Wittig Albert's four historical fiction mysteries, published between 2013 and 2023, are best read in publication order beginning with A Wilder Rose. Each novel stands alone as a complete story while exploring different periods and figures in American history. The series appears to be complete, offering readers independent narratives across different time periods and settings.

Start with A Wilder Rose, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	A Wilder Rose 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Loving Eleanor 2016Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The General's Women 2017Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Someone Always Nearby 2023Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

8 books (2004–2011)

Susan Wittig Albert's Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series consists of eight mystery novels published between 2004 and 2011, blending historical fiction with literary storytelling. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with The Tale of Hill Top Farm and concluding with The Tale of Castle Cottage. Each book in the sequence combines mystery and historical elements set in the world of the famous author and illustrator.

Start with The Tale of Hill Top Farm, the first of 8 books in the The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter series.

#	Title
1	The Tale of Hill Top Farm 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Tale of Holly How 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Tale of Hawthorn House 2007Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Tale of Briar Bank 2008Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Tale of Applebeck Orchard 2009Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Tale of Oat Cake Crag 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Tale of Castle Cottage 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

10 books (2010–2022)

The Darling Dahlias is a 10-book historical mystery series by Susan Wittig Albert, published between 2010 and 2022. Set during the Great Depression era, the series follows a group of amateur sleuths who uncover secrets in their small Alabama town while tending to their beloved garden club. The books are best read in publication order, beginning with The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree. The series appears to be complete as of 2022.

Start with The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree, the first of 10 books in the The Darling Dahlias series.

#	Title
1	The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree 2010Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies 2011Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose 2012Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star 2013Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush 2014Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O'Clock Lady 2015Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover 2018Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Darling Dahlias And The Voodoo Lily 2020Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	The Darling Dahlias and the Red Hot Poker 2022Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

3 books (2020–2020)

The Pecan Springs Enterprise Trilogy by Susan Wittig Albert comprises three complete mystery novels published in 2020. Read the series in publication order, beginning with Deadlines, followed by Fault Lines, and concluding with Firelines. The trilogy blends mystery, historical fiction, and literary storytelling set in the author's established Pecan Springs setting.

Start with Deadlines and read in order.

12 books (1994–2006)

The Victorian Mysteries series by Susan Wittig Albert consists of twelve historical mystery novels published between 1994 and 2006. The complete series should be read in publication order, beginning with Death at Bishop's Keep and concluding with Death on the Lizard. Each standalone mystery is set during the Victorian era and can be enjoyed independently, though reading them sequentially enhances the overall experience of the series.

Start with Death at Bishop's Keep, the first of 12 books in the Victorian Mysteries series.

#	Title
1	Death at Bishop's Keep 1994Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Death at Gallows Green 1995Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	Death at Daisy's Folly 1997Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Death at Devil's Bridge 1998Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	Death at Rottingdean 1999Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	Death at Whitechapel 2000Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	Death at Epsom Downs 2001Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	Death at Dartmoor 2002Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	Death at Glamis Castle 2003Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Death in Hyde Park 2004Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Death at Blenheim Palace 2005Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	Death on the Lizard 2006Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible