Abby Collette Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Abby Collette

If you are new to Abby Collette's cozy mystery universe, the best place to start is with the Ice Cream Parlor Mystery series, beginning with the first novel, A Deadly Inside Scoop. This series is her most popular and provides the perfect introduction to her signature style: heartwarming family dynamics, small-town charm, a diverse cast of characters, and clever, food-themed mysteries.

Alternatively, if you prefer a blend of literary settings and culinary delights, you can start with the Books & Biscuits Mystery series, starting with Body and Soul Food. Both series are written under her pen name, Abby Collette, and are traditionally published, polished, and exceptionally cozy. While they can technically be read as standalones, it is highly recommended to read them in publication order to fully enjoy the development of the characters' personal lives, careers, and relationships.

Ice Cream Parlor Mystery Series in Order

Set in the picturesque, real-life village of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, this series follows Bronwyn "Win" Crewse, a recent MBA graduate who returns home to manage her family's newly renovated ice cream parlor. Just as the shop is preparing for its grand opening, a dead body is discovered, and Win must balance churning delicious frozen treats with solving local crimes. The books should be read in their order of publication:

• A Deadly Inside Scoop (2020) – Win Crewse returns to Chagrin Falls to run the family ice cream shop, only to find a body in the snow on opening day.
• A Game of Cones (2021) – Win is tasked with catering a major local event, but when a local developer is murdered, she must search for the killer before her business is iced out.
• A Killer Sundae (2022) – As Chagrin Falls prepares for its annual harvest festival, Win must investigate a murder linked to a decades-old town mystery.

Books & Biscuits Mystery Series in Order

This series moves to a cozy soul food café and bookstore. It features fraternal twins, Koby and Kepler Moore, who run the dual establishment and find themselves solving mysteries in their close-knit community. This series is celebrated for its warm depiction of sibling relationships and mouthwatering culinary descriptions:

• Body and Soul Food (2021) – Fraternal twins Koby and Kepler open their dream bookstore and soul food café, but when a regular customer is poisoned, they must clear their family's name.
• Soul of a Killer (2022) – The twins find themselves investigating a historic cold case after old secrets are dug up in their town.

Writing as Abby L. Vandiver: Indie Cozy Series

Before achieving mainstream success under the name Abby Collette, the author self-published a variety of cozy mystery series under her legal name, Abby L. Vandiver. These series showcase her evolution as a mystery writer and offer supernatural elements, archaeology, and southern settings.

Romaine Wilder Mystery Series

This humorous cozy series features Romaine Wilder, a medical examiner who moves from the big city back to her quirky hometown in East Texas, where she assists her aunt—the local coroner—with unusual investigations:

1. Secrets, Lies, & Crawfish Pies (2018)
2. Love, Hopes, & Marriage Tropes (2019)
3. Potions, Tells, & Deadly Spells (2019)

Logan Dickerson Cozy Mystery Series

Logan Dickerson is a second-generation archaeologist who travels to various locations, finding historical mysteries and modern-day murders wherever her digs lead her. The recommended order is:

1. Bed & Breakfast Bedlam (2015)
2. Coastal Cottage Calamity (2015)
3. Maya Mound Mayhem (2015)
4. Food Fair Frenzy (2016)
5. Garden Gazebo Gallivant (2016)
6. South Seas Shenanigans (2016)

Tiny House Mystery Series

A fun, short series exploring the cozy trend of tiny houses, featuring murder mysteries set during tiny house festivals:

• A Tiny Collierville Murder (2018)
• A Merry Branson Murder (2018)

Normal Junction Mystery Series

A cozy mystery series with light paranormal and fantasy elements, centering on the unusual events in the town of Normal Junction:

• Witch's Wheel (2017)
• Angel Angst (2017)

Cade Bentley: Women's Fiction

In addition to cozy mysteries, the author writes realistic women's fiction under the pseudonym Cade Bentley. Under this pen name, she explores deeper emotional themes, family reconciliation, and cultural history. Her major release under this name is:

• Where Wild Peaches Grow (2022) – A touching novel set in Natchez, Mississippi, detailing the complicated relationship between two estranged sisters who reunite to confront their family's past.

Edited Anthologies and Contributions

Abby L. Vandiver is also a prominent advocate for diversity in the mystery genre. She edited the critically acclaimed anthology Midnight Hour: A Chilling Anthology of Cozy Crime (2021), which features short stories by twenty authors of color. The collection was nominated for the prestigious Anthony Award for Best Anthology in 2022, proving to be a must-read for fans of diverse, suspenseful storytelling.

What to Know Before You Start

Abby Collette's cozy mysteries are loved for their lack of graphic violence, strong sense of community, and focus on family bonds. Whether you are diving into the chilly streets of Chagrin Falls or the warm café in the Books & Biscuits series, expect a lighthearted tone mixed with genuine puzzles. While her Abby L. Vandiver self-published books are harder to find in physical bookstores, they are widely available digitally and offer a fantastic backlog for fans of her traditional Abby Collette novels.