Diane Kelly Books in Order

Where to Start Reading Diane Kelly

With multiple long-running series and dozens of titles, diving into Diane Kelly's cozy mystery catalog can feel daunting. Fortunately, because her series operate in distinct locations with unique casts of characters, readers have several great options for starting points.

For the classic Diane Kelly experience, the best place to begin is with her debut novel, Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure, which kicks off her iconic Tara Holloway series. This book introduces her trademark blend of professional technical details (in this case, forensic tax audits) with laugh-out-loud humor and romance. If you prefer canine companions to spreadsheets, start with Paw Enforcement, the first book in her police K-9 cozy series. For fans of home renovation, Dead as a Door Knocker serves as the perfect introduction to her House-Flipper mysteries.

Publication Order vs. Chronological Order

For almost all of Diane Kelly's works, publication order is identical to the chronological order. Because her books follow character development, career milestones, and romantic progressions, it is highly recommended to read each individual series in the order they were published.

However, there are a few minor chronological nuances to keep in mind, particularly regarding her short stories and holiday novellas:

• In the Tara Holloway series, the novella Death, Taxes, and a Sequined Clutch (often called Book 3.5) should be read between books 3 and 4.
• The holiday novella Death, Taxes, and Mistletoe Mayhem (Book 6.5) fits chronologically between books 6 and 7.
• The late-series novella Death, Taxes, and Pecan Pie (Book 11.5) serves as a direct lead-in to the series finale, Death, Taxes, and a Shotgun Wedding (Book 12). While published last in some formats, it should ideally be read right before the wedding.
• In the Paw Enforcement series, the novella Love Unleashed is numbered as Book 5.5 and can be read between books 5 and 6, though it features a different main protagonist and stands on its own.

Tara Holloway Series (Death and Taxes)

This 12-book series (plus three novellas) follows Dallas-based IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent Tara Holloway. Armed with financial savvy and a sharp sense of humor, Tara tracks down white-collar criminals, tax evaders, and fraudsters while navigating her own messy love life. Here is the recommended reading order:

1. Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure (2011)
2. Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte (2012)
3. Death, Taxes, and Extra-Hold Hairspray (2012)
4. Death, Taxes, and a Sequined Clutch (Novella, 2012)
5. Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria (2013)
6. Death, Taxes, and Hot-Pink Leg Warmers (2013)
7. Death, Taxes, and Green Tea Ice Cream (2013)
8. Death, Taxes, and Mistletoe Mayhem (Novella, 2013)
9. Death, Taxes, and Silver Spurs (2014)
10. Death, Taxes, and Cheap Sunglasses (2015)
11. Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli (2015)
12. Death, Taxes, and a Satin Garter (2016)
13. Death, Taxes, and Sweet Potato Fries (2017)
14. Death, Taxes, and Pecan Pie (Novella, 2017)
15. Death, Taxes, and a Shotgun Wedding (2017)

Paw Enforcement Series

Set in Fort Worth, Texas, this series features Fort Worth police officer Megan Luz and her oversized, lovable K-9 partner, Brigit. It features plenty of police procedural elements, humor, and dog perspective moments. Read them in this order:

1. Paw Enforcement (2014)
2. Paw and Order (2014)
3. Laying Down the Paw (2015)
4. Upholding the Paw (2015)
5. Against the Paw (2016)
6. Above the Paw (2016)
7. Love Unleashed (Novella, 2017)
8. Enforcing the Paw (2017)
9. The Long Paw of the Law (2018)
10. Paw of the Jungle (2019)
11. Bending the Paw (2020)

House-Flipper Mystery Series

This series moves to Nashville, Tennessee, and follows Whitney Whitaker, a talented carpenter and property manager who renovates dilapidated houses alongside her cousin Buck and her observant cat, Sawdust. Naturally, their fixer-uppers frequently hide deadly secrets. The reading order is:

1. Dead as a Door Knocker (2019)
2. Dead in the Doorway (2020)
3. Murder With a View (2021)
4. Batten Down the Belfry (2022)
5. Primer and Punishment (2023)
6. Four-Alarm Homicide (2024)

Southern Homebrew Mystery Series

Set in Chattanooga, Tennessee, this series centers on Hattie Hayes, a modern moonshiner running the family "Moonshine Shack" business. Supported by her grandfather Ben and her cat Smoky, Hattie finds herself clearing her name and solving murders in the local area. Read them in order:

1. The Moonshine Shack Murder (2021)
2. The Proof Is in the Poison (2022)
3. Fiddling with Fate (2023)

Mountain Lodge Mystery Series

Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, this series features Misty Murphy, a woman in her 50s who buys a run-down lodge to start fresh. Alongside local handyman Rocky Crowder, Misty solves crimes that occur on the property. The reading order is:

1. Getaway With Murder (2021)
2. A Trip with Trouble (2022)
3. Snow Place for Murder (2023)

Busted Series

The Busted series changes up the formula by featuring different female motorcycle police officers in small towns across the country, starting with Marnie Muckleroy in Jacksburg, Texas. Read the trilogy in this order:

1. Busted (2019)
2. Another Big Bust (2020)
3. Busting Out (2020)

Collaborations, Standalones, and Samplers

Beyond her main solo series, Diane Kelly has participated in several publishing projects that readers should know about:

• Trouble in Tumbleweed Mysteries: This is a collaborative multi-author series set in the fictional town of Tumbleweed, Texas. Diane Kelly kicked off the series with the first book, The Trouble with Digging Too Deep (2022). The other books in the series are written by authors Melissa Bourbon, Christie Craig, and Lawrence Kelter. While they share a setting, they can generally be read as standalones.
• Cozy Case Files: Many bibliographies list a long list of Cozy Case Files volumes (Volumes 1 through 20+). These are actually free digital samplers published by St. Martin's Paperbacks containing first-chapter excerpts from various cozy mystery authors. Diane Kelly has excerpts featured in many of these volumes, but they are not standalone stories or books written entirely by her.
• Standalones and Novellas: Kelly wrote the standalone contemporary romance novella Love, Luck, and Little Green Men in 2013. She also contributed the short story "Five Gold Smuggling Rings" (2013) to the collaborative 12 Days of Killer Fiction series, and published independent romance stories like Wrong Address, Right Guy (2019) and A Sappy Love Story (2016).

What to Know Before You Start

Diane Kelly's cozy mysteries are known for featuring strong, independent, and professional women in roles not traditionally featured in cozy mysteries, such as tax agents, motorcycle cops, and moonshiners. Her law training and background as a tax attorney give the procedural elements in her books an authentic foundation, while keeping the tone light, breezy, and humorous. Almost every series also features a prominent animal sidekick (such as Brigit the K-9, Sawdust the cat, or Smoky the cat) who adds extra warmth and humor to the stories.