Where to Start with Anna Nicholas
Anna Nicholas has crafted two distinct pathways into her sun-soaked literary world: her humorous travel memoirs and her cozy crime mysteries. Because these two categories appeal to different reading tastes, your ideal starting point depends on what you are looking for.
If you prefer real-life adventure, humor, and travel writing, start with A Lizard in My Luggage (2007). This book kicks off her chronological journey of moving her family from a hectic life in London to the rural Soller Valley of Mallorca. If you are a fan of mystery and crime fiction, you should start with The Devil's Horn (2019), which introduces her feisty detective Isabel Flores Montserrat.
Mallorca Travel Memoirs: Chronological & Publication Order
Nicholas’s memoirs are a love letter to Mallorca, documenting over two decades of island life. They are best read in order of publication, as they follow the real-life chronological progression of her family settling down, building a home, and adapting to the local culture, animals, and eccentric neighbors.
- A Lizard in My Luggage (2007): The journey begins as Anna, her husband Alan, and their young son Ollie decide to swap their busy London PR lives for a ruined farmhouse in Mallorca's Soller Valley.
- Cat on a Hot Tiled Roof (2008): The family navigates the highs and lows of rural renovation, local bureaucracy, and integrating into their new Spanish community.
- Goats From a Small Island (2009): Nicholas captures the quirky side of Mallorcan life, dealing with local characters, agricultural adventures, and the challenges of managing unexpected livestock.
- Donkeys On My Doorstep (2010): The family's adventures expand to include a pair of lovable donkeys, set against the backdrop of Mallorca's stunning Tramuntana mountains.
- A Bull on the Beach (2012): A collection of lighthearted stories exploring Mallorca's hidden corners, local fiestas, and the minor crises of expat life.
- A Chorus of Cockerels (2016): This installment focuses on local traditions, hikes across the island, and the colorful animal kingdom surrounding their home.
- Peacocks in Paradise (2021): The seventh memoir brings readers up to date with the family's mature life on the island, reflecting on how much Mallorca has changed and how deeply they have put down roots.
Isabel Flores Mallorcan Mysteries: Recommended Reading Order
For her fiction debut, Nicholas created the Isabel Flores Mallorcan Mystery series. The books follow Isabel "Bel" Flores Montserrat, a 34-year-old former police detective who runs her mother’s holiday rentals agency in the quiet mountain village of Sant Marti. Accompanied by her trusty pet ferret, Furo, and chief of police Tolo Cabot, Isabel finds herself repeatedly pulled back into solving local crimes.
While each book features a self-contained crime, it is highly recommended to read this series in order. The personal relationships, Isabel's background, and the recurring village subplots develop continuously across the books.
- The Devil's Horn (2019): The debut mystery introduces Isabel and her ferret Furo. When a young girl disappears and a body is found, Isabel is forced to use her old police skills to solve the crime.
- Haunted Magpie (2020): Isabel investigates a series of bizarre thefts and the suspicious disappearance of a local resident, diving deep into the history and secrets of the island.
- Fallen Butterfly (2022): The third entry plunges Isabel into a dark investigation involving the murder of a foreign luxury homeowner and the complex web of real estate politics on the island.
- Aunt Maria's Last Aria (2024): In this fourth mystery, set during a sweltering summer, a famous local opera singer, Maria Rossello Morales ("Tia Maria"), dies in a suspicious fall from her balcony. Initially ruled a suicide, Isabel suspects foul play while simultaneously investigating suspicious deaths of elderly village homeowners.
Standalones and Non-Fiction
Outside of her Mallorca-focused writing, Anna Nicholas published one standalone memoir detailing her earlier career:
- Strictly Off the Record (2010): This memoir takes a step back to the 1980s, recounting Nicholas's time working as an international adjudicator for the Guinness Book of Records under founder Norris McWhirter. It is a lighthearted, humorous look at her global travels to verify bizarre world records, entirely separate from her life in Spain. It can be read at any point.
What to Know Before You Start
Nicholas’s writing style is heavily influenced by her background in travel journalism and PR. Readers should expect descriptive prose, light humor, and a deep appreciation for local Mallorcan culture, cuisine, and geography. If you plan to read both the memoirs and the mysteries, keep in mind that the settings overlap; the fictional village of Sant Marti draws heavily on the real-world Soller Valley described in her memoirs, providing a delightful sense of familiarity.