I'm a sucker for a good series, the longer the better. The only problem is that I often find myself getting stuck in the middle of them, usually forgetting who's who and what's what between installments. Sometimes, I've blanked so much that I just start the whole thing over! And I'm not a person who loves rereading. The struggle is real. Today's TTT prompt is right up my alley: Top Ten Book Series I Want to Catch Up On (Or Start). I could make a Top 100 list just using the first part of this topic, but I'll try to narrow it down to just ten mystery series I want to catch up on.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

(Book covers show the first installment in each series.)

1. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny

Books in Series: 21 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 13

Next Up: Kingdom of the Blind

This is one of my favorite mystery series of all time and I don't want it to ever end. I've been reading the books slowly (very slowly) in order to savor them. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache is one of the most likable and admirable detectives I've ever encountered. His colleagues, friends, and associates are a complex and colorful bunch, which makes for a lot of interesting tales. It's a great series. If you like mysteries, you have to give it a go.

2. Veronica Speedwell series by Deanna Raybourn

Books in Series: 10 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 6

Next Up: An Impossible Imposter

Veronica is no ordinary Victorian woman. She's a daring, outspoken lepidopterist who solves mysteries in her spare time. With the help of her hunky associate, she has all kinds of crazy adventures in the name of bringing about justice. These books are hilarious and fun.

3. Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths

Books in Series: 15 (series complete)

Books I've Read: 4

Next Up: A Dying Fall

Ruth is an archaeologist who helps the Norfolk police solve crimes.

4. Gilded Newport series by Alyssa Maxwell

Books in Series: 14 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 6

Next Up: Murder at Crossways

As a second cousin to Cornelius Vanderbilt (albeit one without his abundant wealth), 21-year old Emma Cross is in a unique position in society. She uses that status to her advantage as she writes a newspaper column about high-society happenings. What she really wants is to be an investigative reporter breaking important news. Luckily (or unluckily as the case may be), crime seems to have a way of finding her, putting her in the position of playing amateur sleuth both above and below stairs.

5. Amish Candy Shop Mysteries series by Amanda Flower

Books in Series: 11 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 7

Up Next: Blueberry Blunder

Bailey King leaves her dream job as an assistant chocolatier in New York City to help her Amish grandmother run her candy shop in a small Ohio town. As quaint as the village is, there's a whole lot going on under the surface. Bailey finds herself digging into a surprising number of murders among both the Amish and English residents.

6. Bakeshop Mysteries series by Ellie Alexander

Books in Series: 24 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 1

Next Up: A Batter of Life and Death

This is one of those series that I had to start over with. I reread Meet Your Baker a few months ago.

Set in Ashland, Oregon—a real town that is famous for its annual Shakespearean festival—this culinary mystery series stars the mother/daughter team that runs Torte, a popular (fictional) bakery. With the yearly festival chaos as well as the usual conflict that abounds in a small, insular town, baker Juliet Capshaw always has her hands full serving up baked goods and helping to solve the murder du jour.

7. Kate Hamilton series by Connie Berry

Books in Series: 6 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 4

Next Up: A Collection of Lies

American antiques dealer Kate Hamilton helps to solve her first murder while visiting Scotland. Later, she moves to the U.K. where she continues helping her detective boyfriend solve crimes.

8. Shana Merchant series by Tessa Wegert

Books in Series: 6 (series complete)

Books I've Read: 5

Next Up: The Coldest Case

This crime series features Shana Merchant, a former NYPD detective with a traumatic past. Trying to put her trauma behind her, she takes a job in New York's Thousand Islands area. There, she solves new cases while also dealing with the unresolved issues from her past.

Although this series is complete, Wegert is now writing a spin-off series that I'm excited to read.

9. Baker Street Mysteries series by Valerie Burns

Books in Series: 5 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: A Cup of Flour, A Pinch of Death

This fun cozy culinary series stars Maddy Montgomery, a fashionista social media star who's reeling from being left at the altar. When a great-aunt she never knew leaves Maddy a surprise inheritance, she sees it as the new start she desperately needs. It doesn't matter that she can barely boil water, she can totally run Aunt Octavia's popular bakery, right? It's not long before Maddy is in over her head trying to learn to bake, run a business, wrangle a giant mastiff, and...solve a string of murders?

10. Royal Spyness series by Rhys Bowen

Books in Series: 20 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: Royal Flush

I started this historical mystery series this year and have really been enjoying it (especially on audio). It stars Lady Victoria Gergiana Charlotte Eugenie—Georgie—a cousin of England's King George V. With her family's fortune waning, she leaves her Scottish castle for London, where she'll have to make her own way for the first time in her life. In addition to worrying about how to make ends meet, she's at the mercy of Her Majesty, the Queen, who often enlists Georgie's help with various inconvenient projects. Then, there are all the murders that seem to happen around her...

There you go, ten mystery series that I need to catch up on. Have you read any of them? What do you think? Which series do you need to catch up on? Which are you planning to start? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Today's TTT prompt is a fun one, but also one that requires way more creativity than I possess: Top Ten Literary/Bookish Candles I'd Make (Pick a book and assign it a fragrance or fragrance combo that would make a nice candle.). I love me a scented candle (although I tend to stick to basic scents like vanilla and cinnamon spice), so I'm excited to see what you all come up with. With apologies to Heather over at The Frozen Library, who suggested this week's topic, I'm going to go rogue and continue with my series of the 30 Books I (Most) Want to Read Before 2025 Ends. I posted Part One last week. 

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. To Slip the Bonds of Earth by Amanda Flower—I enjoy this author's Amish Candy Shop cozy mystery series, so I'm eager to read more books by her. This one is the first installment in a historical mystery series starring Katherine Wright, the younger sister of Orville and Wilbur. When her brothers' plans for a new flying machine are stolen and a murder is subsequently committed, she finds herself playing amateur sleuth to prove her brothers' innocence.

2. Murder by Memory by Olivia Waite—This book, the first in a series that's being billed as a "sci-fi ode to the cozy mystery," takes place on a luxurious passenger spaceship that offers every amenity, including new bodies on demand. Dorothy Gentleman, one of the ship's detectives, awakens in a new body just as a passenger is murdered. When she discovers that someone is deleting minds from the library, she jumps into action, determined to get to the bottom of the crimes before any other bodies—or brains—are destroyed.

3. The Enemy's Daughter by Anne Blankman—This middle-grade historical novel is about a young German girl who survives the sinking of the Lusitania only to find herself alone in enemy territory. Believing her to be a Dutch refugee, a kind Irish family takes her in. She's safe for now, but what will happen if her hosts discover her true identity?

4. The List of Suspicious Things by Jennie Godfrey—Miv's life is already going off the rails and now her father thinks they should move away from everyone and everything Miv has ever known because of a series of murders that have happened in their town. Not wanting to turn her life even more upside down, Miv enlists the help of her best friend to take note of every odd thing that happens in their neighborhood. Their sleuthing uncovers a whole Pandora's box of secrets, some that hit way too close to home.

5. The Garden Just Beyond by Lindsey Leavitt—This middle-grade novel revolves around the Gartners, a family with the magical ability to harvest crops that can change people's emotions. Meals at their estate are highly sought after. Maggie Gartner feels like an outlier in her talented family, especially when their magic is threatened by an outsider. Can Maggie help save the Gartners and their special business?

6. Murder in Greenwich Village by Liz Freeland—In this first-in-a-series mystery, it's 1913 and 20-year-old Louise Falk has traded her Pennsylvania upbringing for the bright lights of New York City. Solving a murder that happened in her Greenwich Village apartment proves she has an aptitude for investigation. Soon, she's moving all over the city to sniff out criminal activity.

7. The Forgotten Magic of Zoey Turner by Erin Stewart—A tale about overcoming grief and anxiety, this middle-grade novel is about a girl whose ability to see magic all around her dims when her beloved father dies. When she's given a pencil by a favorite author, the stories she writes come to life before her eyes. Is she fooling herself by believing that she can write her own happy ending?

8. The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights by Kitty Zeldis—In 1924, an ambitious dressmaker named Beatrice moves to New York City with her teenage ward, Alice, to open a dress shop. When Bea befriends Catherine, a woman who lives near the store, Alice feels so abandoned that she runs away. Her departure sets in motion a series of events that forces all of the women to confront the secrets in their pasts.

9. Sanctuary by Paola Mendoza and Abby Sher—Set in near-future America, this timely YA novel portrays a United States where every citizen has been implanted with a chip that tracks all of their movements. Undocumented immigrants have almost no chance of survival, but counterfeit trackers have allowed Vali and her family to stay on the down low so far. When her mom's chip malfunctions, attracting the attention of the Deportation Forces, they're forced to make a run for California, a sanctuary state. Can they outrun the police and finally find real freedom?

10. Pocket Bear by Katherine Applegate—I love Applegate's tender children's novels. I'm not exactly sure what the plot of her newest is, but it stars a bear who was created to be a symbol of comfort and hope that a World War I soldier could carry in his pocket. One hundred years later, Pocket Bear is the mayor of a home where used toys are refurbished and given another chance to be loved. Sounds like a sweet read.

There you go, ten more books I want to read before the end of the year. Have you read any of them? Which titles would you like to get to before 2025 waves goodbye? I'd love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog. 

I'm a little late to the party, but I didn't want to miss this week's Top Ten Tuesday (especially since these posts are about the only ones I actually do anymore). First, though, I want to say thank you to everyone for all the kind wishes regarding last week's colonoscopy. The preparation really was horrid, but the procedure itself was quick and easy. I did have ten pre-cancerous polyps removed, which is apparently a large number for someone my age (49), so the GI doctor recommended genetic counseling and yearly colonoscopies (oh, joy). Even though the colonoscopy experience was unpleasant, I'm glad I went through with it, especially since I have no family history of colon issues and I might have kept putting it off if my doctor hadn't been so adamant about someone of my advancing age getting one. 

Aaaannnyyyway, today's TTT prompt is a fun one: Top Ten Animal Companions (real or imaginary) in Books. Although I do have some favorite literary animals—Ivan from The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate, Manchee from Patrick Ness' Chaos Walking series, Wilbur from Charlotte's Web, etc.—I'm not sure I can come up with ten. Instead, I'm going to tweak the topic a tad and feature books on my TBR list with animals on their covers. Since I don't really seek out animal-related reads, this could have been a really difficult task. Thankfully, I enjoy cozy mysteries and they almost always include animals.

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. Dead Tired (The Expectant Detectives #2) by Kat Ailes—After solving a murder together, Alice has grown very close to the other members of her prenatal group. Now tired new moms, she and her friends decide to participate in an eco-protest as a way to get away and finally get some sleep. When one of the protesters is found dead, Alice & Co. once again find themselves investigating a murder.

Do I get extra credit since the author's name is Kat?? 

Also, fair warning: this series is cozy in vibe, but the books are R-rated for strong language and innuendo.

2. Murder is a Piece of Cake (Baker Street Mystery #2) by Valerie Burns—Maddy is just getting the hang of running her late great aunt's popular bakery when a rival bakery opens up in her small town. The owner has a reputation for crushing anyone who tries to get in his way. When he's found dead with one of Maddy's knives in his back, she finds herself accused of murder. She didn't do it, so who did?

3. Potions Are for Pushovers (Eleanor Wilde Mystery #2) by Tamara Berry—Pretend medium Eleanor Wilde has established herself as the town witch in the small English village where she has settled. Her potions business is doing well until one of her customers dies by poison. Eleanor may be a fake, but she's not a murderer. Plenty of people hated mean old Sarah Davenport, but who loathed her enough to kill her? Eleanor vows to find out.

4. Flight Risk (The Booking Agents #2) by Cherie Priest—Psychic travel agent Leda Foley and detective Grady Merritt are brought together again when the cases they are working on intersect. Can they work together to solve a puzzling mystery or two?

My vision isn't the greatest, so I just now realized the dog on the cover is carrying an unconventional type of bone. Yikes! Pretty grim for a cozy cover. 

5. A Very Woodsy Murder (Golden Motel #1) by Ellen Byron—Soured on life in the big city, tv writer Dee Stern leaves L.A. in the dust and heads for the hills. When she comes across a dilapidated motel in the woods, she impulsively decides to revive it, with her ex-husband as her business partner. The pair soon discovers that running a motel is a lot harder than it looks—and that's before a murder occurs on their property. Anxious to prove their innocence, Dee and her ex launch their own investigation into the killing. Whodunit?

6. An Irish Bookshop Murder (Mercy McCarthy Mystery #1) by Lucy Connelly—Sisters Mercy and Lizzie McCarthy are thrilled when they inherit a bookstore in a small Irish village from their grandfather. They've barely settled in when their neighbor drops dead. With his last breath, he accuses Mercy of murder, a charge overheard by a whole crowd of people. A shocked Mercy must find the real killer in order to clear her name. 

7. Tragedy in Tahoe (Rylie Sunderland Mysteries #1) by Rachele Baker—Veternarian Rylie Sunderland needs a fresh start. She agrees to take a summer job helping out at a Lake Tahoe inn that her friend owns. Her relaxing break is shattered when a dead body is found in a secret tunnel under the inn. Accused by the local police of the murder, Rylie launches her own investigation into the crime in an effort to prove her innocence.

8. An Appetite for Murder (Key West Food Critic Mystery #1) by Lucy Burdette—Hayley Snow is thrilled when she's offered a job as a food critic for a popular magazine. When she discovers her new boss is the woman her boyfriend cheated on her with? Not so much. Things go from bad to worse when she's murdered and Hayley becomes the police's prime suspect. Refusing to take the blame for a crime she didn't commit (at least not outside of her imagination), Hayley starts hunting down the real killer.

9. A Murder Most Fowl (Food Truck Mystery #1) by Carmela Dutra (available September 9, 2025)—When their late aunt passes away, twins Beth and Seth Lloyd inherit her chicken-themed food truck. In an effort to drum up business, they enter a fierce elimination-type cooking contest. When the competition gets a little too literal, leaving a contestant dead, the twins find themselves in the police's crosshairs. In order to prove their innocence, they need to find the guilty party on the double. Who killed the contestant and why?

10. Botched Butterscotch (An Amish Candy Shop Mystery #5) by Amanda Flower—Juliet Brody and Reverend Brook are getting married and the wedding is set to be the event of the year in their small town. Bailey King is not only making the cake, but she's also a bridesmaid. As she rushes around trying to perform all her duties, a wedding guest is murdered. Apparently, the deceased had dirt about the saintly reverend's past. Did the groom kill the man before he could squeal? Bailey can't believe the kindly man of good would do something so heinous, but someone did. Who? She's determined to find out.

There you go, ten cozy mysteries I want to read that have animals on their covers. Have you read any of them? Do you like cozies? Which are your favorites? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy Tuesday! It's actually still Monday, but I'm writing this post early since tomorrow, I get to TRAVEL down to the hospital for a colonoscopy. This is my first time getting one and the prep is already killing me. I've been on a liquid diet all day, so I'm starving and I've got a headache. I take my first dose of the prep drink in an hour. The next one will be at 3 a.m. since my procedure is at 9 tomorrow morning. Fun stuff. Since things are only going to get more unpleasant from here, I figured I should get my TTT post squared away now. Today's topic is a nice, easy one: Top Ten Books That Feature Travel. My head's feeling foggy, so I'm going to keep my list simple and go with books on my TBR list that feature a mode of transportation (even though I posted a similar list less than a year ago).

As always, Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl.

1. On Her Own Ground: The Life and Times of Madam C.J. Walker by A'Lelia Bundles—I'm reading this biography right now and it's super interesting. Born to formerly enslaved parents, Madam C.J. Walker survived a hardscrabble upbringing to become a wealthy, well-known businesswoman who used her money and influence to help the poor and champion civil rights for Black people. 

2. The Women by Kristin Hannah—As much as I love Hannah, I've been hesitating a tad on this novel. My uncle was killed in action in Vietnam, so the war is an especially sensitive topic for me. I'll read The Women at some point because I'm curious about the roles women played in the war and I do enjoy Hannah's books.

3. With a Vengeance by Riley Sager (available June 10, 2025)—A new Sager thriller is always cause for celebration. I'm already on a waiting list at the library for this novel that sounds like a mash-up of And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express. Yes, please!

4. The Woman With No Name by Audrey Blake—It's 1942 and Yvonne Rudellat is in desperate need of a new life focus. She gets it when she's offered the chance to become Britain's first female sabotage agent. No one expects much of her, but she's determined to do everything she can to take down the Nazi's evil regime.

5. What Happened Then by Erin Soderberg Downing (available September 2, 2025)—This middle-grade novel is about a pair of cousins who travel to a mysterious island where family secrets are hiding around every corner, just waiting to be dug into...

6. Last Stop Union Station by Sarah James (available July 15, 2025)—Jacqueline Love's Hollywood career is drying up fast. The only gig she can manage to land is aboard the Hollywood Victory Caravan, a train full of celebrities that is criss-crossing the U.S. to raise money for World War II efforts. When a passenger dies aboard the locomotive in a suspicious manner, Jacqueline's convinced it's murder. Stuck at Union Station in Chicago, she convinces a female police officer to help her investigate. It quickly becomes apparent that the women are in way, way over their heads.

7. Katherine, the Wright Sister by Tracey Enerson Wood—You've heard of Orville and Wilbur Wright, but did you know they had a sister who was invaluable in helping them achieve their many victories? This novel tells the story of one of the most overlooked women in history.

8. Blueberry Blunder by Amanda Flower—I love Flower's Amish Candy Shop cozy mystery series. It's set in Amish country, so most (all?) of the covers feature at least one buggy. In this installment—the 8th in the series—Bailey is in the middle of building a candy factory when a surly contractor with plentiful enemies is murdered. Whodunit?

9. The Medicine Woman of Galveston by Amanda Skenandore—In this historical novel, a disgraced female doctor is desperate to make ends meet so that her disabled son can get the care he needs. With little choice, she joins a traveling medical show headlined by a charismatic con man. She's poised to sneak away from the whole thing when an incoming storm stops her. The hurricane is predicted to be devastating. People will get hurt and she's a doctor. Can she trust herself to treat people again? Or is she too damaged to be any good to anyone?

There you go, ten books on my TBR list that feature modes of transportation. Have you read any of them? What are your favorite books that feature transportation or travel? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

P.S. I'm in the middle of drinking my first dose of the colonoscopy prep liquid and...wow, it's foul! What have I gotten myself into here? Blech.

I don't know how you feel about it, but I adore reading books in a series. Something about sinking into a setting and really getting to know a cast of characters over time really appeals to me. Since I'm in the middle of so many of them, I started keeping track of my series reading on a spreadsheet. According to its very scientific data, I'm in the middle of about FORTY series. Clearly, I have a problem and yet, according to the same spreadsheet, there are at least TWENTY new ones I want to start! It's an addiction, what can I say? I know not everyone likes to read books in a series, but I also know I'm not alone in loving them. Because I'm such a fan, I love this week's prompt—Top Ten Series I'd Like to Start/Catch Up On/Finish. Last year at this time, I made a list of Top Ten Series I Want to Start in 2022 (I even started two of them!) and in January of 2021, I crafted one about the Top Ten Mystery Series I Want to Finish/Catch Up On Before the End of the Year. (Spoiler alert: I failed miserably, so you'll see a lot of crossover with today's list). This time around, I'm going to highlight series in all genres (although they're still mostly mysteries) that I want to catch up on/finish.

Before we get to that, though, be sure to click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl and give our gracious hostess, Jana, some love. If you want to talk series-ly, make your own list and join in the fun. If you're not feeling the prompt, change it up to something more appealing. Then, click around the book blogosphere and enjoy the party that is TTT. It's a good ole time, I promise!

(Book covers show the first installment in each series. "Books in Series" includes only full-length books that have already been published or have announced publication dates.)

1. Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise Penny

Books in Series: 18 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 13

Next Up: Kingdom of the Blind

This is my favorite mystery series of all time and I don't ever want it to end! I've been reading the books slowly in order to savor them. The series features one of the most likable and admirable detectives I've ever encountered. If you love mysteries, definitely give this series a go.

2. Amish Candy Shop Mystery series by Amanda Flower

Books in Series: 8 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 5

Next Up: Lemon Drop Dead

This is a fun cozy mystery series set in Amish country. The main character leaves her career as a chocolatier in New York City to help her Amish grandmother run a candy store in rural Ohio. Murder and mayhem ensue, even among the peace-loving Amish.

3. Ruth Galloway Mystery series by Elly Griffiths

Books in Series: 15 (I believe the 15th installment will be the last book in the series, but don't quote me on that!)

Books I've Read: 4

Next Up: A Dying Fall

Featuring an intrepid British forensic archaeologist, this mystery series is always good for an interesting, engrossing read.

4. Bloody Jack series by L.A. Meyer

Books in Series: 12 (complete)

Books I've read: 10

Next Up: Boston Jacky

A swashbuckling YA pirate adventure series, this one is just all-around entertaining. I've especially enjoyed listening to the books on audio, with the wonderful Katherine Kellgren narrating. Unfortunately, Meyer died in 2014. Kellgren passed four years later. I hope they're collaborating in heaven to create amazing new series!

5. Casey Duncan/Rockton series by Kelley Armstrong

Books in Series: 8 (I think the series was actually complete at seven books and the 8th is, technically, a spin-off.)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: This Fallen Prey

Set in a secret, off-the-grid town hidden deep in the Yukon that has been set up especially for people who need to disappear from their lives, this series has a unique set-up. The star of the show is Casey Duncan, a talented young police detective, who's tasked with keeping the peace in this very unique village full of intriguing people. 

6. The American Wonders Collection by Regina Scott

Books in Series: 3 (complete)

Books I've Read: 2

Next Up: A View Most Glorious

This trilogy of historical romances (with a Christian bent) set in famous American locales is clean, uplifting and enjoyable.

7. Eleanor Wilde Mystery series by Tamara Berry

Books in Series: 4 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 1

Next Up: Potions Are For Pushovers

Featuring a fake psychic who solves mysteries, this cozy series is just a whole bunch of fun.

8. Amelia Peabody Mystery series by Elizabeth Peters

Books in Series: 20 (complete)

Books I've Read: 2 (I'm re-reading the series since I never finished it years ago when I started reading it.)

Next Up: The Mummy Case

Amelia Peabody is a no-nonsense British archaeologist who's happy to be a wealthy spinster with the freedom to explore ancient civilizations at her leisure. She never expects to find love or a string of shocking mysteries, but that's exactly what happens in this humorous cozy series.

9. Gilded Newport mystery series by Alyssa Maxwell

Books in Series: 10 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 3 

Next Up: Murder at Rough Point

Despite being only a poor relation of the Vanderbilt Family, Emma Cross is invited to all the best parties in Newport, which makes her perfectly positioned to write juicy stories for the society pages. When she is instrumental in solving a puzzling mystery, she becomes known for her skills as a successful amateur sleuth.

10. Thursday Murder Club Mystery series by Richard Osman

Books in Series: 4 (and counting)

Books I've Read: 1

Next Up: The Man Who Died Twice

A group of senior citizens in a British retirement home solve mysteries in this entertaining series of whodunits.

There you go, ten series I would like to catch up on/finish at some point. Who knows how long it will actually take me! Ha ha. How do you feel about reading books in a series? Love them? Hate them? Which ones are your favorites? Have you read any from my list? Based on this list, do you know of any others I would like? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog (I also reply to your comments here).