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series Reading Order

Amish-Country Mysteries Books in Order

11 Books
1999 – 2020 Published
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Reading order

Recommended Reading Order

For the best experience, you should read the Amish-Country Mysteries in publication order. The chronological timeline matches the order of publication exactly, allowing you to watch the relationships between the recurring characters evolve naturally over the years.

Here is the complete sequence of the novels:

  1. Blood of the Prodigal (1999)
  2. Broken English (2000)
  3. Clouds Without Rain (2001)
  4. Cast a Blue Shadow (2003)
  5. A Prayer for the Night (2006)
  6. Separate from the World (2008)
  7. Harmless as Doves (2011)
  8. The Names of Our Tears (2013)
  9. Whiskers of the Lion (2015)
  10. Stars for Lydia (2019)
  11. English Shade (2020)

Where Should You Start?

You should start with the first novel, Blood of the Prodigal. It introduces the core investigative trio: history professor Michael Branden, Sheriff Bruce Robertson, and Pastor Caleb Troyer. Their contrasting worldviews, professional dynamics, and mutual respect form the foundation of the series.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

Because the events in the series progress linearly in real-time, there is no separate chronological order. Reading the books out of order will spoil ongoing character relationships, character development, and lingering subplots from previous investigations.

Spin-Offs, Co-Authored Works, and Tie-Ins

There are no fiction spin-offs, side stories, or co-authored novels in the Amish-Country Mysteries universe. Outside of this series, the author, Paul L. Gaus, is a retired chemistry professor who has co-authored the academic textbook Basic Inorganic Chemistry. For his mystery novels, he writes solo, maintaining a singular focus on the mysteries of Holmes County.

Frequently Asked

QWhat is the best order to read the Amish-Country Mysteries?

The best way to read the series is in publication order, starting with Blood of the Prodigal. The chronological timeline follows the publication dates exactly, making it the most logical path.

QDo I need to read the Amish-Country Mysteries in order?

Yes. While each book has a self-contained mystery, the personal lives and relationships of the main characters—Professor Michael Branden, Sheriff Bruce Robertson, and Pastor Caleb Troyer—develop across the books.

QHow many books are in the Amish-Country Mysteries series?

The series consists of 11 books, beginning with Blood of the Prodigal (1999) and ending with English Shade (2020).

QWho is the main protagonist of the series?

The main protagonist is Michael Branden, a history professor at a college in Ohio who works alongside his friends, Sheriff Bruce Robertson and Pastor Caleb Troyer, to solve local crimes.

QAre there any spin-offs or companion stories?

No, there are no official fiction spin-offs or companion stories. P.L. Gaus's fiction output is entirely contained within the 11 main novels of this series.

QWhat was the original name of the series?

The series was originally published as the Ohio Amish Mysteries by the Ohio University Press before being revised, rebranded, and published by Plume as the Amish-Country Mysteries.