Where to Start with the Elizabeth MacPherson Series
For the best reading experience, you should start with the very first book, Sick of Shadows (1984). While each novel features a self-contained mystery that can technically be read as a standalone, the personal life, relationships, and academic career of Elizabeth MacPherson progress significantly from one book to the next. Reading them out of order will spoil major life events, including her romance, marriage, and the emotional challenges she faces in the later volumes.
Elizabeth MacPherson Books in Publication and Chronological Order
Unlike some long-running mystery series where prequels or spin-offs complicate the timeline, the Elizabeth MacPherson series is straightforward. The publication order perfectly mirrors the chronological order of Elizabeth's life. Here is the complete list of the novels in their recommended reading sequence:
- Sick of Shadows (1984): In the series debut, Elizabeth is a forensic anthropology student who travels to Georgia for the wedding of her cousin, Virginia Campbell. The family gathering takes a dark and satirical turn when family secrets boil over and a murder occurs, forcing Elizabeth to step in.
- Lovely in Her Bones (1985): Elizabeth joins an archaeological dig in North Carolina to help determine if the obscure "Zone Six" Native American tribe has a valid legal claim to their ancestral land. When a murder halts the project, Elizabeth uses forensic science and local folklore to unearth the truth.
- Highland Laddie Gone (1986): Set at the annual Glencoe Mountain Games in Virginia, this book explores Appalachian-Scottish heritage. Elizabeth's weekend of bagpipes and kilts is disrupted by the murder of Colin Campbell, a universally disliked man, turning the festival into a crime scene.
- Paying the Piper (1988): Elizabeth travels across the Atlantic to participate in an archaeological excavation on a remote Scottish island. The study of prehistoric burial rites becomes all too real when a team member dies, and the archaeologists realize a killer is trapped on the island with them.
- The Windsor Knot (1990): Elizabeth and her Scottish marine biologist fiancé, Cameron Dawson, rush their wedding plans so she can accompany him to a royal garden party hosted by Queen Elizabeth II. However, their plans are complicated by a neighborhood murder and a bizarre faked death.
- Missing Susan (1991): Now a newlywed living in Edinburgh, Elizabeth joins a historic "Murder Tour" of infamous crime sites in England. The tour takes a real-world deadly turn when one of the tour members is murdered, forcing Elizabeth to investigate her fellow travelers.
- MacPherson's Lament (1992): Elizabeth travels to Danville, Virginia, to rescue her brother Bill, a novice lawyer who faces fraud charges. Bill was hired by eight elderly daughters of Confederate veterans to sell their historic mansion, but the deal spiraled into a multi-layered scam involving Civil War secrets.
- If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him... (1995): Elizabeth is emotionally shattered and distracted by the sudden disappearance of her husband, Cameron, who went missing during a marine research expedition. While she copes with grief, her brother Bill and his law partner, Amy Powell Hill, defend women accused of murdering their husbands.
- The PMS Outlaws (2000): In the series finale, Elizabeth has checked herself into the Cherry Hill Psychiatric Hospital to recover from severe depression following the presumed death of Cameron. Meanwhile, her brother Bill and A.P. Hill set up a new office in an old mansion while tracking down the "PMS Outlaws"—a duo of women robbing exploitative men.
The Evolution of Elizabeth and Her Co-Stars
One of the strongest elements of Sharyn McCrumb's series is the character growth. Elizabeth starts as an inquisitive college student and matures into a professional forensic anthropologist. Her relationship with Cameron Dawson serves as a major emotional anchor, evolving from a long-distance romance into marriage, followed by a tragic disappearance at sea that deeply affects the tone of the final books.
Equally important are the comedic and legal subplots featuring Elizabeth's brother, Bill MacPherson, and his law partner, Amy Powell Hill (A.P. Hill). Operating their law practice out of Danville, Virginia, this duo provides a satirical, witty counterpoint to Elizabeth's scientific sleuthing. A.P. Hill, a fiery feminist who claims descent from the Confederate general of the same name, frequently drags the reluctant Bill into eccentric and high-stakes legal cases.
What to Know Before You Start
Readers should expect a unique blend of cozy mystery, academic forensic science, and sharp social satire. Sharyn McCrumb uses the series to examine and gently mock modern obsessions—such as historical reenactments, genealogy, tourism, and beauty standards—while maintaining a deep respect for Appalachian culture and folklore. While the early books have a light, comedic tone, the series becomes more poignant and emotionally complex in its final third as Elizabeth deals with personal grief.