Bette Lee Crosby Books in Order

Where to Start with Bette Lee Crosby

Bette Lee Crosby is celebrated for her heartwarming, emotionally resonant Southern fiction. If you are new to her work, the best place to start is with Spare Change, the multi-award-winning debut novel of the Wyattsville series. This book perfectly introduces her signature blend of small-town charm, gritty realism, and memorable, flawed characters. Alternatively, if you prefer stories with a light touch of magical realism and focus on healing, the opening novel of the Memory House series is another excellent starting point.

While Crosby’s series books are designed so that they can be enjoyed as standalones, reading them in order allows you to fully experience the character development and community ties that make her storytelling so beloved.

The Wyattsville Series

Set in a tight-knit Southern community, this series focuses on family dynamics, resilience, and the power of second chances. It follows the lives of small-town characters, beginning with Olivia Westerly, a widow who forms an unlikely bond with an orphaned boy.

We recommend reading the Wyattsville books in their publication order:

1. Spare Change (2011)
2. Jubilee's Journey (2013)
3. A Home in Hopeful (2014) – A companion short story and prequel detailing the origins of the town and introducing the character Canasta Jones.
4. Passing through Perfect (2014)
5. The Regrets of Cyrus Dodd (2016)
6. Beyond the Carousel (2016)

The Memory House Series

The Memory House books are set around the Burnsville, Virginia Memory House Bed and Breakfast. This series incorporates elements of magical realism through the character of Ophelia Browne, an elderly woman who possesses a magical gift to sense the memories embedded within physical objects, helping guests find closure.

This series should be read in chronological order to follow the character arcs:

1. Memory House (2015)
2. The Loft (2015)
3. What the Heart Remembers (2015)
4. Baby Girl (2016)
5. Silver Threads (2016)

The Serendipity Series

The Serendipity books explore unexpected twists of fate and the deep connections that form between strangers. It begins with Crosby's breakout hit, The Twelfth Child, which tells the story of an elderly woman named Abigail Lannigan and her life-changing friendship with a young neighbor.

The recommended reading order is:

1. The Twelfth Child (2007)
2. Previously Loved Treasures (2014)
3. Wishing for Wonderful (2014)

The Magnolia Grove Series

A shorter, two-book contemporary series that focuses on fresh starts, sisterhood, and personal transformation in a Southern town setting.

The publication and reading order is:

1. The Summer of New Beginnings (2018)
2. A Year of Extraordinary Moments (2018)

Standalone Novels and Other Works

In addition to her main series, Bette Lee Crosby has written several standalone historical and contemporary fiction novels, as well as non-fiction. Her standalones are perfect for readers looking for complete, self-contained emotional journeys.

Standalone Novels

• Cracks in the Sidewalk (2009)
• Cupid's Christmas (2012)
• What Matters Most (2013)
• Blueberry Hill (2014)
• Emily, Gone (2019) – A multi-award-winning novel about a missing child and three mothers.
• A Million Little Lies (2020)
• When I Last Saw You (2021)
• The Fault Between Us (2021)
• Beyond Betrayal (2023)

Short Stories and Novellas

• Leilani's Gift (2019)

Bluff Mystery Series

• Rocky Bluff (2019)

Non-Fiction

• Life in the Land of IS (2012)
• Stories (2016)

What to Know Before You Start

Bette Lee Crosby’s writing style captures the spirit of Southern hospitality, but she does not shy away from heavy topics such as grief, kidnapping, and poverty. Her stories are ultimately uplifting, focusing on redemption, chosen families, and hope. While the series share the same atmospheric writing and Southern settings, they take place in different fictional towns and do not feature major character crossovers, meaning you can jump from Wyattsville to Magnolia Grove without losing any context.