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series Reading Order

Button Box Mysteries Books in Order

4 Books
2011 – 2013 Published
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Reading order
01
Button Holed
Button Holed
2011
Amazon
02
Hot Button
Hot Button
2012
Amazon
03
Panic Button
Panic Button
2012
Amazon
04
Buttoned Up
Buttoned Up
2013
Amazon

Recommended Reading Order

The Button Box Mysteries are best enjoyed in order of publication. Because the personal lives of Josie Giancola, her ex-husband Kaz, and the local Chicago police officers evolve across the books, reading them in sequence ensures you follow the overarching character arcs and running subplots.

  1. Button Holed (2011) – Josie’s button shop is ransacked and a Hollywood starlet is found murdered, leaving Josie to decode clues with the help of Detective Nevin Riley.
  2. Hot Button (2012) – While hosting an international button collectors’ convention in Chicago, the guest of honor is murdered, and Josie must clear her ex-husband’s name.
  3. Panic Button (2012) – Josie acquires a cursed Victorian charm string of 1,000 buttons, which leads to a tragic strangling and a historical mystery.
  4. Buttoned Up (2013) – A local artist's death leads Josie into a web of secrets connected to rare vintage buttons.

Chronological Order vs. Publication Order

For the Button Box Mysteries, the publication order and chronological order are identical. There are no prequel novellas or spin-off short stories that take place out of order, making this a straightforward, easy-to-follow cozy mystery series.

About the Series & Protagonist

The series is set in Chicago, Illinois, centering around Josie Giancola, the owner of a boutique antique button shop called "The Button Box." Unlike generic cozy sleuths, Josie is an internationally recognized expert in button history and lore. The books blend authentic historical button collecting details with lighthearted whodunits, featuring quirky secondary characters, a touch of romance, and a lively Chicago backdrop.

What to Read Next

Since the Button Box Mysteries concluded as a complete four-book series, fans of Kylie Logan (pseudonym for author Connie Laux) can explore her other highly acclaimed cozy mystery series:

  • League of Literary Ladies Mysteries – Starting with Mayhem at the Meadowbrook, featuring a group of women on a B&B island who solve crimes.
  • Jazz Ramsey Mysteries – Beginning with The Scent of Fear, centering on a canine trainer who finds bodies during training sessions.
  • Chili Cook-Off Mysteries – A culinary cozy series starting with Don't Bring Chili to a Submarine.

Frequently Asked

QIn what order should I read the Button Box Mysteries?

You should read the series in publication order, starting with Button Holed, and continuing through Hot Button, Panic Button, and Buttoned Up.

QWho is the author of the Button Box Mysteries?

The series is written by Kylie Logan, which is one of the pseudonyms of the prolific mystery author Connie Laux (who also writes as Casey Daniels and Anastasia Hastings).

QAre there any spin-offs or sequels to the series?

No, the series is a self-contained four-book series that ended with Buttoned Up in 2013. However, Kylie Logan has written several other cozy mystery series including the Jazz Ramsey and League of Literary Ladies series.

QWhere are the Button Box Mysteries set?

The series is set in Chicago, Illinois, primarily around Josie's specialized antique shop, The Button Box.

QHow many books are in the Button Box Mysteries series?

There are exactly four books in the series, and no additional short stories or novellas have been published.