Where to Start with Debbie Young
For readers looking to dive into Debbie Young's heartwarming brand of "feel-good crime," there are three excellent starting points depending on your favorite cozy subgenre:
- For Classic Cotswold Village Mysteries: Start with Best Murder in Show, the first book in the Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries. This series is the perfect entry point for fans of traditional small-town English settings and gentle humor.
- For Quirky Boarding School Comedies: Start with Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's, the opener of the Gemma Lamb series, which offers a nostalgic yet lighthearted look at school staffrooms and secrets.
- For Cozy Shop Sleuthing: Start with Death at the Old Curiosity Shop, kicking off the Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mysteries, which blends antique hunting with village detective work.
Sophie Sayers Village Mysteries
This is Debbie Young's flagship series, following the adventures of aspiring writer Sophie Sayers as she moves to the idyllic (but surprisingly dangerous) Cotswold village of Wendlebury Barrow. The series is best read in publication order, as each book covers a specific season or major village event, and Sophie's relationships develop chronologically.
Note that when Boldwood Books acquired the rights to Young's backlist, several titles were renamed. Both original and current titles are noted below:
- Best Murder in Show (2017)
- Murder at the Vicarage (2017) – Originally self-published as Trick or Murder?
- Murder in the Manger (2017)
- Murder by the Book (2018) – Originally self-published as Murder at the Well
- Springtime for Murder (2018)
- Murder at the Mill (2020) – Originally self-published as Murder Your Darlings
- Murder Lost and Found (2021)
- Murder in the Highlands (2023)
- Driven to Murder (2024)
Wendlebury Barrow Spin-offs and Novellas
If you want to spend more time in Sophie Sayers' village, Young has published "quick read" comedy-mystery novelettes under the banner Tales from Wendlebury Barrow. These can be read as standalone stories at any point, but are best enjoyed after you have read the first few novels in the main series:
- The Natter of Knitters (2020)
- The Clutch of Eggs (2020)
Gemma Lamb Cozy Mysteries (Staffroom at St Bride's)
This series centers on English teacher Gemma Lamb, who escapes a bad relationship by taking a job at St Bride's, a eccentric girls' boarding school in the Cotswolds. The series was originally self-published under the series title Staffroom at St Bride's before being republished and expanded by Boldwood Books as the Gemma Lamb Cozy Mystery series. We recommend reading them in order to follow Gemma's career and romance:
- Dastardly Deeds at St Bride's (2022) – Originally published in 2019 as Secrets at St Bride's
- Sinister Stranger at St Bride's (2022) – Originally published in 2020 as Stranger at St Bride's
- Wicked Whispers at St Bride's (2022)
- Artful Antics at St Bride's (2023)
Cotswold Curiosity Shop Mysteries
Debbie Young's newest series introduces Alice Carroll and her bric-a-brac shop in the quiet village of Little Pride. These traditional cozy mysteries focus on community secrets and local sleuthing:
- Death at the Old Curiosity Shop (2024)
- Death at the Village Chess Club (2025)
- Death at the Village Christmas Fair (2025)
- Death at the Village Garden Party (2026)
Short Story Collections & Non-Fiction
In addition to her novels, Debbie Young is a prolific short story writer and a leading advocate for independent publishing. Her other works include:
Short Story Collections
- Quick Change: Tiny Tales of Transformation (2014)
- Stocking Fillers: Twelve Short Stories for Christmas (2014)
- Instead of a Christmas Card: Two Short Stories for December (2015)
- Marry in Haste: 15 Short Stories of Dating, Love and Marriage (2016)
Non-Fiction & Memoirs
- Sell Your Books! (2012)
- Opening Up To Indie Authors (2014)
- All Part of the Charm: A Modern Memoir of English Village Life (2016)
- Young By Name: Whimsical Columns from the Tetbury Advertiser (2016)
- How To Get Your Self-Published Book Into Bookstores (2017)