How to Read the Spice Shop Mysteries in Order
The Spice Shop Mysteries, written by cozy mystery author Gail Oust, follows the adventures of Piper Prescott, a feisty New England divorcee who relocates to the fictional small town of Brandywine Creek, Georgia. Armed with a love for culinary arts, a sharp tongue, and a newly opened gourmet spice shop named Spice It Up!, Piper constantly finds herself mixed up in local murder investigations.
Because the series features ongoing character development, recurring town dynamics, and developing romantic subplots, the best way to read these books is in order of publication. Conveniently, the chronological timeline matches the publication order exactly.
Publication and Chronological Reading Order
Here is the recommended reading path for the Spice Shop Mysteries:
- Rosemary and Crime (2013)
- Kill 'Em with Cayenne (2014)
- Cinnamon Toasted (2015)
- Curried Away (2016)
- Ginger Snapped (2017)
Important Caveat: Gail Oust vs. Leslie Budewitz
If you are searching for these books, it is crucial to avoid a common mix-up. There are two completely separate, unrelated cozy mystery series with nearly identical names, both launched around the same time:
- Spice Shop Mysteries by Gail Oust: Set in Brandywine Creek, Georgia. Features protagonist Piper Prescott, owner of the Spice It Up! shop. This series ran for five books from 2013 to 2017.
- A Spice Shop Mystery Series by Leslie Budewitz: Set in Seattle's historic Pike Place Market. Features protagonist Pepper Reece, owner of The Spice Shop. This series began in 2015 with Assault and Pepper and is still ongoing.
If you are looking for Southern hospitality, barbecue festivals, and Georgia charm, make sure to pick up Gail Oust's books starting with Rosemary and Crime.
Book-by-Book Breakdown of Gail Oust's Series
1. Rosemary and Crime (2013)
In the series debut, Piper Prescott is ready to celebrate the grand opening of Spice It Up!. She hires a popular local chef to conduct a cooking demonstration, but the event turns disastrous when the chef is found stabbed to death in her shop. Because Piper discovered the body, touched the murder weapon, and was recently seen arguing with the victim, she becomes the prime suspect. To clear her name and save her business, she teams up with her best friend, Reba Mae Johnson, to find the real killer, much to the chagrin of Brandywine Creek's handsome Police Chief, Wyatt McBride.
2. Kill 'Em with Cayenne (2014)
Set during the annual Brandywine Creek Barbecue Festival, this installment finds the town caught up in a fierce cook-off rivalry between local legends Becca Dapkins and Maybelle Humphries. When Becca is found dead—bludgeoned by a heavy beef brisket—and Maybelle becomes the chief suspect, Piper cannot resist stepping in to investigate. This book also introduces Doug Winters, a local veterinarian who becomes a recurring romantic interest for Piper.
3. Cinnamon Toasted (2015)
Oktoberfest has arrived in Brandywine Creek, bringing beer, bratwurst, and a baffling murder. Piper’s former mother-in-law, Melly, who is secretly a high-tech computer expert, becomes the prime suspect when a local man is found dead at the bottom of her basement stairs. To protect Melly, Piper must untangle a web of high-tech secrets and small-town grudges before the killer strikes again.
4. Curried Away (2016)
Piper's shop plays host to an exotic Indian cooking demonstration, hosted by her veterinarian boyfriend, Doug Winters. But the pleasant aromas are cut short when Sandy Granger, the director of a local community theater production of Steel Magnolias, is found strangled with a silk scarf at the historic opera house. Because Sandy was widely disliked by the cast, half the town becomes suspects—including Piper's best friend Reba Mae. Piper must dig behind the theater curtains to unmask the true culprit.
5. Ginger Snapped (2017)
In the fifth book, the town is rocked when Shirley Randolph, the local "Realtor of the Year" who had been actively pursuing Police Chief Wyatt McBride, is found murdered on Wyatt's own property. With the town's gossip mill running wild and Wyatt's badge and freedom on the line, Piper takes it upon herself to clear the chief's name, uncovering dark secrets in the local real estate market while defending her own spice shop from sabotage.
What to Know Before You Start
Gail Oust’s series strikes a perfect balance between standard cozy tropes and a distinctive Southern flavor. Before you begin, keep these details in mind:
- Standalone Mysteries: Each book features a self-contained murder mystery that is fully resolved by the end of the novel. You can technically read them out of order without losing track of the main plot, but doing so will spoil the romantic development and business growth.
- The Romance Triangle: Piper's personal life features a slow-burn romance dynamic. She dates veterinarian Doug Winters, but there is persistent, flirtatious chemistry between her and Police Chief Wyatt McBride. Following this relationship progression is one of the highlights of reading in order.
- Southern Setting: Brandywine Creek, Georgia, is practically a character itself. The setting is filled with humor, small-town gossip, sweet tea, and community celebrations (like Oktoberfest and the Barbecue Festival).
- Recipes Included: True to the culinary cozy genre, Gail Oust includes mouth-watering, spice-themed recipes at the end of each book, allowing readers to recreate some of the dishes featured in the stories.