Order of Jaine Austen Books
The Jaine Austen Mysteries is a series of cozy mystery novels by American novelist Laura Levine. Obviously named after the historical author Jane Austen, Jaine Austen is a freelance writer and part-time amateur sleuth. She lives in Los Angeles, but unlike the stereotypical Los Angelean, is carrying a few extra pounds. She has a cat named Prozac. The author is obviously very familiar with being a freelance writer, as before she became a novelist, Levine worked as a reporter, sitcom writer and a copywriter. (more…)
Order of Laura Levine Books
Laura Levine is an American author of cozy mystery novels (specifically, her Jaine Austen series). Although she has not been a novelist for long, Laura has been a writer for a very long time. She has worked on many sitcoms (including classics) like The Bob Newhart Show, Three’s Company, Laverne & Shirley, The Love Boat, The Jeffersons and Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman. Her claim to fame is having created the Count Chocula and Frankberry General Mills cereals. Her favourite authors are Agatha Christie, Joe Keenan and Anne Tyler. Laura enjoys reading, swimming, gardening and walking (mostly to the refrigerator, she jokes). (more…)
Order of Matthew Shardlake Books
Matthew Shardlake is the featured character in a series of historical mystery novels by British novelist C.J. Sansom. Shardlake is a hunchbacked lawyer who works on commission from Thomas Cromwell (who he is a long-time supporter of), and then others later on. (more…)
Order of C.J. Sansom Books
C.J. Sansom is a British author of historical fiction and mystery novels. Sansom got his Ph.D in history from the University of Birmingham. He worked as a lawyer in Sussex before deciding to move to writing full-time. He is best known for his Matthew Shardlake series. (more…)
Order of Texas Rangers Books
Texas Rangers is a series of western novels by American author Elmer Kelton. The series follows Rusty Shannon, who joins the Texas Rangers following a tragedy, and Andy Pickard, a man rescued by Rusty from a Comache war party. (more…)
Order of Texas Tradition Books
Texas Tradition is a series of western novels by American novelist Elmer Kelton. The first novel in series in chronological order, The Good Old Boys was adapted into a television movie starring Tommy Lee Jones. Kelton would say that the novel was “probably the closest I have ever come to writing from sheer inspiration.” Each novel is an individual story and the series does not follow a lone featured character. (more…)
Order of Elmer Kelton Books
Elmer Kelton (1926-2009) was an American author of western fiction in addition to being a journalist. He was voted as the greatest western writer of all-time by the Western Writers of America. Elmer wrote the Texas Tradition and Texas Rangers series. Elmer’s novels were set in Texas – the state he called home. He received his Bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Texas at Austin and then served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Elmer was an eight-time winner of the Spur Award as well as a three-time winner of the Western Heritage Award. In the midst of writing a novel, Kelton passed away of natural causes in 2009. (more…)
Order of Anita Shreve Books
Anita Shreve was an American author of women’s fiction, historical fiction, literary fiction, romantic fiction, psychological thrillers, family saga and non-fiction. She considers Edith Wharton and Eugene O’Neill her influences, having read them during high school. Anita was working as a high school teacher when she decided to quit her job and start writing. She has also taught creative writing at Amherst College and worked as a journalist in Nairobi, Kenya. Anita lives in Massachusetts, was married to a man she met when she was 13 and had two children and three stepchildren. (more…)
Order of Museum Mysteries Books
The Museum Mysteries series is a cozy mystery series by American author Sheila Connolly. The series features Nell Pratt, a development director for the Pennsylvania Antiquarian Society. When Nell finds the body of an employee in the stacks, the police determine it as an accident, but Nell becomes an amateur sleuth and decides to do her own personal investigation. Nell does not stick to one museum and instead works different several museums and works various jobs. (more…)
Order of Orchard Mysteries Books
The Orchard Mysteries is a series of cozy mystery novels by American novelist Sheila Connolly. The series is set in Granford, Massachusetts in the western part of the state. The main character is Meg Corey. Out of a job after being downsized, Meg inherits her mother’s estate, which includes an old colonial home and to Meg’s surprise, an apple orchard. Due to the market being so bad, she realizes she can’t sell the house, so she decides to stay and look after the orchard in order to save it from developers. (more…)