Bailey Cattrell Books in Order

The Many Faces of Bailey Cattrell

For readers diving into the cozy mystery genre, the name Bailey Cattrell is synonymous with everyday magic, small-town charm, and botanical mysteries. However, to fully explore her library, you must get to know her other literary identities. Writing as Bailey Cates, she is the New York Times bestselling mind behind the Magical Bakery Mysteries. Writing as Cricket McRae, she penned the popular Home Crafting Mysteries. She also wrote a darker, standalone contemporary western under the name K.C. McRae. No matter which name is on the cover, her books deliver warm communities, intriguing puzzles, and a touch of the extraordinary.

Recommended Starting Points: Where to Begin?

Because her series are written under different names and focus on entirely distinct settings and characters, you can start with whichever cozy vibe appeals to you most:

• For Witchy, Culinary Cozy Mysteries: Start with Brownies and Broomsticks (written as Bailey Cates). This is her longest-running and most popular series, following a kitchen witch in Savannah, Georgia.
• For Botanical and Aromatherapy Mysteries: Start with Daisies for Innocence (written as Bailey Cattrell). This series features a protagonist with a supernatural sense of smell who crafts custom fragrances.
• For Traditional, Craft-Based Cozies: Start with Lye in Wait (written as Cricket McRae). This series focuses on soapmaking, canning, and local community dynamics.
• For a Gritty Standalone Mystery: Pick up Shotgun Moon (written as K.C. McRae), which trades cozy elements for a darker, atmospheric Western mystery.

Magical Bakery Mysteries (Written as Bailey Cates)

This series stars Katie Lightfoot, a talented baker who moves to historic Savannah, Georgia, to help her aunt and uncle run the Honeybee Bakery. Katie quickly discovers that she is a kitchen witch, capable of infusing her baked goods with spells for healing, confidence, and protection. Alongside her coven and her adorable terrier, she finds herself regularly assisting local police with murder investigations. It is highly recommended to read this series in order of publication to follow Katie's magical development and personal relationships.

1. Brownies and Broomsticks (2012) – Katie Lightfoot moves to Savannah and opens the Honeybee Bakery, but is quickly forced to clear her uncle's name when a customer is murdered.
2. Bewitched, Bothered, and Biscotti (2012) – Katie is officially initiated into a local spell-casting coven just as she is pulled into a mystery involving a murdered firefighter.
3. Charms and Chocolate Chips (2013) – Katie investigates the murder of a historical society member while dealing with romantic complications and magical lessons.
4. Some Enchanted Éclair (2014) – A jazz musician is found dead behind the bakery, and Katie must sift through Savannah's music scene to find the killer.
5. Magic and Macaroons (2015) – A body is discovered on a local golf course, leading Katie to investigate a curse and clear a friend's name.
6. Spells and Scones (2016) – When a magical wedding planner is found murdered, Katie must find the culprit before the big day is ruined.
7. Potions and Pastries (2017) – An herbalist is poisoned, prompting Katie to investigate the competitive local potion and apothecary community.
8. Cookies and Clairvoyance (2019) – During a local festival, a psychic is murdered at a historic hotel, exposing secrets in the spiritualist community.
9. Witches and Wedding Cakes (2020) – Katie's wedding plans are put on hold when a murder case threatens to derail the ceremony.
10. Spirits and Sourdough (2022) – A ghost hunter is found dead, drawing Katie into a mystery involving Savannah's supernatural history.
11. Rituals and Rolling Pins (2026) – The upcoming eleventh installment, continuing Katie's spellbinding adventures in the Honeybee Bakery.

Enchanted Garden Mysteries (Written as Bailey Cattrell)

Set in the fictional town of Poppyville, California, this trilogy features Elliana Allbright, a custom perfumer who runs a shop called Scents & Nonsense. Elliana possesses a unique, supernatural sense of smell that allows her to perceive emotional states and hidden truths through scents. With the help of an enchanted botanical garden behind her shop, she solves crimes and unmasks local villains. These books should be read in chronological publication order.

1. Daisies for Innocence (2016) – Elliana returns to her hometown to establish her perfume shop and must investigate the suspicious death of a local wealthy resident.
2. Nightshade for Warning (2017) – When a botanical researcher is found dead, Elliana must use her understanding of herbal properties to track down a poisoner.
3. Marigolds for Malice (2018) – During a local harvest celebration, a prominent citizen is killed, forcing Elliana to decipher the scent of deceit in Poppyville.

Home Crafting Mysteries (Written as Cricket McRae)

Before launching her magical series, the author wrote under the pseudonym Cricket McRae. This series stars Sophie Mae Reynolds, an independent soapmaker in Colorado who uses her extensive knowledge of herbs, essential oils, and domestic crafts to solve local homicides. The series is celebrated for its warm homesteading tips and recipes at the end of each book.

1. Lye in Wait (2007) – Sophie Mae Reynolds finds a dead body in her soapmaking workshop, kicking off her career as an amateur sleuth.
2. Heaven Preserve Us (2008) – Sophie Mae gets involved in a mystery centered around a preservation workshop and a deadly batch of preserves.
3. Spin a Wicked Web (2009) – A murder in the local spinning guild forces Sophie Mae to untangle a complex web of fibers and lies.
4. Something Borrowed, Something Bleu (2010) – A cheese-making retreat in the mountains turns deadly, and Sophie Mae must identify the bad wheel in the group.
5. Wined and Died (2011) – Sophie Mae visits a vineyard, only to find a vintage mystery that threatens local winemakers.
6. Deadly Row to Hoe (2012) – Sophie Mae's focus on organic community gardening is disrupted by a lethal dispute over land and history.

Standalone Western Mystery (Written as K.C. McRae)

For readers looking for a change of pace, the author published a single contemporary mystery under the pen name K.C. McRae. This book features a more traditional, atmospheric, and darker tone compared to her cozy mystery series.

• Shotgun Moon (2013) – Set in Montana, this novel follows a local community dealing with a series of murders, family secrets, and the rugged, unforgiving western landscape.

Reader Advice and Continuity

While the mysteries in each book are self-contained and resolved by the final chapter, reading the series in publication order is highly recommended. The main characters experience long-term character arcs, including business growth, romantic relationships, marriages, and changes in their magical or professional abilities. Reading them out of order will spoil these developments.