Ann Charles Books in Order

Where to Start Ann Charles’s Books

For readers new to Ann Charles, the absolute best starting point is Nearly Departed in Deadwood, the first book in her flagship Deadwood Mystery series. This award-winning novel introduces Violet "Spooky" Parker, a feisty single mom and real estate agent trying to survive in the haunted, quirky town of Deadwood, South Dakota. Starting here gives you the perfect introduction to Charles’s signature blend of humor, supernatural elements, suspense, and romance.

While her different series are set in distinct locations and feature different protagonists, many of them exist within a shared universe that fans affectionately call the "Land of Ann." Reading the series in their internal chronological order ensures you catch every character crossover, family connection, and subtle easter egg.

The Deadwood Mystery Series

This is Ann Charles’s most popular and long-running series. It follows Violet Parker as she balances raising two kids, selling haunted real estate, and dodging ghosts, demons, and local sheriff deputies. Because the characters age and major plot threads carry over from book to book, you should read these in order.

Alongside the main novels, Charles has written several companion short stories and novellas known as the Deadwood Shorts. While they are optional, they fill in crucial gaps and backstory between the major novels. Below is the recommended reading path integrating both novels and shorts:

• Nearly Departed in Deadwood (Book 1, 2011)
• Optical Delusions in Deadwood (Book 2, 2011)
• Seeing Trouble (Deadwood Shorts 1.5, 2012) – Chronologically set between Books 2 and 3.
• Dead Case in Deadwood (Book 3, 2012)
• Better Off Dead in Deadwood (Book 4, 2013)
• Boot Points (Deadwood Shorts 4.5, 2013) – Best read immediately after Book 4.
• An Ex to Grind in Deadwood (Book 5, 2014)
• Meanwhile, Back in Deadwood (Book 6, 2015)
• Cold Flame (Deadwood Shorts 6.5, 2016) – Focuses on Zoe Parker and fireman Reid Martin.
• A Wild Fright in Deadwood (Book 7, 2016)
• Rattling the Heat in Deadwood (Book 8, 2017)
• Tequila & Time (Deadwood Shorts 8.5, 2017)
• Gone Haunting in Deadwood (Book 9, 2018)
• Don't Let It Snow in Deadwood (Book 10, 2018)
• Fatal Traditions (Deadwood Shorts 10.5, 2019) – Features Violet saving her aunt from a Hungarian devil.
• Devil Days in Deadwood (Book 11, 2020)
• Never Say Sever in Deadwood (Book 12, 2021)
• TimeReaping in Deadwood (Book 13, 2023)
• Cops & Clobbers in Deadwood (Book 14, 2024)

Deadwood Undertaker Series (Historical Prequel)

Co-authored with Sam Lucky, the Deadwood Undertaker series is a historical paranormal Western set in the late 1870s. It features the same historic town of Deadwood, South Dakota, but explores the supernatural origins of the area long before Violet Parker's time. The series follows characters who are ancestors or early counterparts to characters in the modern-day series.

Depending on where you look, the numbering of these books can vary. On platforms like Goodreads, the holiday story Catawampus Christmas Carol is categorized as Book 3.5. However, standard library and publication records frequently count it as Book 4. The recommended reading order is:

1. Life at the Coffin Joint (Book 1, 2019)
2. A Long Way from Ordinary (Book 2, 2020)
3. Can't Ride Around It (Book 3, 2020)
4. Catawampus Christmas Carol (Book 4 or 3.5, 2020)
5. The Backside of Hades (Book 5, 2022)
6. Hip Deep in Bad Company (Book 6, 2024)

Jackrabbit Junction Mystery Series

Leaving the haunted hills of South Dakota behind, the Jackrabbit Junction series takes readers to the dusty deserts of Arizona. This series features Claire Morgan and her wild, troublemaking sisters. While it is more comedic and focused on treasure hunts, crazy family dynamics, and romantic suspense, it features subtle connections to the Deadwood universe. Characters such as Detective Cooper and Ol' Man Harvey from the Deadwood series make crossover appearances in Jackrabbit Junction.

The recommended reading order is:

• Dance of the Winnebagos (Book 1, 2011)
• Jackrabbit Junction Jitters (Book 2, 2012)
• The Great Jackalope Stampede (Book 3, 2014)
• The Rowdy Coyote Rumble (Book 4, 2016)
• The Wild Turkey Tango (Book 4.5, 2016)
• In Cahoots with the Prickly Pear Posse (Book 5, 2019)
• Jackrabbit Jingle Balls (Book 5.5, 2021)
• Twisty Tortoise Tussles (Book 6, 2022)
• Charge of the Lawless Lizards (Book 7, anticipated Summer 2026)

Dig Site Mystery Series

The Dig Site Mystery series connects directly to the Deadwood series through family ties. The main protagonist is Quint Parker, who happens to be the brother of Deadwood’s Violet Parker. Quint is a photojournalist who finds himself dragged into archaeological mysteries, ancient Mayan curses, and jungle-set danger alongside archaeologist Dr. Angélica García.

Because Quint is Violet's brother, reading this series gives Deadwood fans a deeper look into the Parker family lore. The books should be read in this order:

1. Look What the Wind Blew in (Book 1, 2015)
2. Make No Bones About It (Book 2, 2017)

AC Silly Circus Co. Mystery Series

This lighthearted, paranormal romantic mystery spinoff centers on the eccentric, shapeshifter-filled environment of the AC Silly Circus. It stars Madam Electra, a psychic with secrets to hide, and Bruno Maska, the circus's stoic head security officer. While it doesn't cross over directly with the plots of Deadwood or Jackrabbit Junction, it features the same trademark humor and supernatural antics.

Read the novellas in this order:

• Feral-LY Funny Freakshow (Book 1, 2017)
• A Bunch of Monkey Malarkey (Book 2, 2018)

Practical Reader Advice and Continuity

If you want the ultimate, chronological "Land of Ann" experience, you can weave the series together. Because publication dates often align with the internal timeline, reading in publication order is a great way to experience the universe as the author created it. However, if you prefer sticking to one storyline at a time, you can safely read the main Deadwood Mystery series first, dip into the historical Deadwood Undertaker series for background lore, and then explore the Arizona desert in Jackrabbit Junction and the Mayan jungles in the Dig Site mysteries.