My Book Series List for 2026

I'm a big cozy mystery reader and where there are cozy mysteries there are lots of series!  I'm trying to make progress and get caught up on 10 different series and when that happens, I roll in a new one. In 2025 I focused on reading one from each series and this year my plan is to get at least one series completed.  Here are the 10 series I'm working on for 2026.

1.  Crouching Buzzard, Leaping Loon by Donna Andrews - I love the later books in this series and have enjoyed the beginning books. This is the next one and I'm hoping I like it better than the previous book where Meg got on my nerves a bit.

2.  Murder in the Paperback Parlor by Ellery Adams - I'm still not sure what I thought of the first book in the series so I'm going to give it another chance with the second book before I make a final decision regarding finishing the series.

3.  A Gala Event by Sheila Connelly - I'm not loving this series anymore but I only have a couple left so I feel like I should finish it.  I'm hoping that I enjoy this one.

4.  The Book Stops Here by Kate Carlisle - The next one in the bookbinder series and another one I only have a few left on.

5.  Mrs. Jeffries on the Trail by Emily Brightwell - I really loved the previous book in the series and am really looking forward to this one.

6.  A Fatal Waltz by Tasha Alexander - I have enjoyed this historical mystery series so far and am looking forward to reading this new one.

7.  Give Up the Ghost by Juliet Blackwell - This is a fun series involving a general contractor who accidentally specializes in haunted places.  I'm looking forward to this one.

8.  Panic Button by Kylie Logan - This is the series I'm most likely to finish this year as there is only this book and one more left.  So far, it's been a fun read and it's amazing just how much stuff there is to know about buttons.

9.  Marshmallow Malice by Amanda Flower - This fun series set in an Amish candy shop is a good one and one I'm looking forward to getting back to reading!

10. Queen of Hearts by Rhys Bowen - I really enjoy this series involving 34th in line to the throne Georgie and have especially enjoyed the most recent books.  This is one of the few in the middle that I missed for whatever reason and I'm looking forward to picking it up.

Are you a series reader?  What series are you hoping to read in 2026?

Top Ten Tuesday - Most Anticipating Books Releasing in the First Half of 2026

Today I'm linking up with Top Ten Tuesday hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl which is all about lists.  Since lists are one of my favorite things this is one of my favorite linkups!  Today's topic is the Books I'm Most Anticipating Releasing in the First Half of 2026.

1.  Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jessie Q. Sutanto - I have loved every book I've read by this author and this one looks really fun.

2.  Too Close to Home by Seraphina Nova Glass - I read another thriller by this author last year and loved it so of course I had to snap up an eARC of this one and can't wait to read it.

3.  Agnes Aubert's Mystical Cat Shelter by Heather Fawcett - I'm 50/50 with this author.  I adored The Grace of Wild Things but was a little meh on the first Emily Wilde (though I'm in the overwhelming minority there) but this one sounds wonderful so fingers crossed!

4.  The Curious Case of the Poisoned Professor by Lucy Connelly - I love this author's series set in Scotland so this one set in Wales sounds just as fun.

5.  Daughter of Egypt by Marie Benedict - I enjoy what I've read by this author and this one involves archeology and ancient Egypt which are some of my favorite things.

6.  The Faraway Inn by Sarah Beth Durst - I have loved the previous two books in the series and this looks like a lot of fun.  Plus, I love the main character.

7.  A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn - I really enjoy this historical mystery series and am looking forward to seeing how Veronica and Stoker are doing and what they're up to.

8.  Where the Truth Lies by Katherine Greene - I enjoyed another thriller by this author last year so I'm excited to pick this one up.  I'll probably go the audio route with it.

9.  The Final Target by Nora Roberts - I always enjoy and look forward to Roberts' romantic suspense reads.

10. The Shippers by Katherine Center - I loved the book I read last year by this author and this one looks like a lot of fun!

What are you looking forward to for the first half of 2026?

My 2026 Reading Priority List

 

The last few years I've made a list of 10 books - 5 books off my shelf, 5 books from the library - that I'm really wanting to read.  This year I decided to really focus on my favorites - be it authors, tropes, genres, or whatever other category comes to mind.  Here are my 10 priority reads for 2026.

Library:

1.  The Frozen People by Elly Griffiths - I've really enjoyed other books by this author (especially series involving the post-War magicians) and this involves a cold case unit which is my favorite type of mystery.

2.  Under the Stars by Beatriz Williams - I typically enjoy this author and I love the premise of this one which involves a mother-daughter relationship and family secrets - and an old forgotten chest.

3.  The Librarians by Sherry Thomas - I love this author and this book is supposed to involve quirky librarians.  

4.  The Lost Book of First Loves by RaeAnne Thayne - I love this author and this one involves DNA tests, secret sisters, and some time recovering in a family cabin.

5.  Code Name: Lise by Larry Loftis - I've really enjoyed another biography written by this author and this one has been on my TBR for ages.

My Shelves:

1.  Year One by Nora Roberts - Roberts is one of my most reliable comfort read authors.  I've avoided this series because it always looked a bit too fantasy for me but I've been reading more fantasy lately so I decided to give this one a try.

2.  We'll Prescribe You a Cat by Syou Ishida - I have thoroughly enjoyed all the Japanese cozy fiction I have read and I adore this premise.

3.  The Secret of Terror Castle by Robert Arthur - This is the first in the Classic Three Investigators series which sounds kind of like a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys style series.  It was mentioned quite a lot in one of the Secret Staircase books by Gigi Pandian and it sounded like such a fun read that I bought it.

4.  Hope Springs on Main Street by Olivia Miles - I read the previous two books in this series years ago and enjoyed it.  I was really interested in this character and thrilled when I saw she was getting her own book - which I of course bought, put on my shelf, and never read.

5.  Bitter Spirits by Jenn Bennett - Roaring 20s and ghosts - plus someone whose reading tastes align pretty strongly with mine really loved it.   It sounds like a fun read.

What are you planning to read in 2026?

This Week in Reading - January 11

 

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

Bryony and Roses by T. Kingfisher - I have no idea how this one showed up on my TBR but it did and when I saw it on Thriftbooks I figured I'd give it a shot. (Purchased)

The Official Disney Parks Dessert Cookbook - I'm slowly collecting all the Disney related cookbooks I can find.  It makes figuring out what I'm going to make for dinner a little more fun. (Purchased)

Whose Body in the Library by Eva Gates - I love this series so of course I had to pick up the next book in the series. (Publisher)

The Lake House by Lori Foster - I really enjoyed the first book in this series that came out last year so I'm hoping this one has the same warm cozy feelings. (Publisher)

The Women in White by Sarah Pekkanen - On the opposite end of the reading spectrum is this one!  I really enjoy this author's thrillers and this one sounds really interesting. (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  A Very Novel Murder by Ellie Alexander and Season of Wonder by RaeAnne Thayne

Slow Read:  Still reading Brought to Book by Anthea Fraser but I should finish it up this week.

Listening:  Murder in the Crypt by Irina Shapiro

Watching:  We are still watching Death in Paradise and mixed in Why Didn't They Ask Evans? BritBox which I'm really enjoying.

I bought the cutest book counter from Etsy and it finally arrived yesterday.  I'm really looking forward to using it!

It's only about 6 inches tall and has a bunch of optional accessories and extra dice.  You can change the bottom die to change the length of time that you're tracking.  It's 3D printed so there's a little bit of dust but I just love it.  I got it from this shop on Etsy

Have a great week and happy reading!

Reading Recap for 2025

 

Total Books: 201

Format:  

Audio:  64

Print:  69

Ebook:  68

I was a bit surprised with how even the three formats were.

Genre:

Mystery:  127

Fiction:  43

Romance:  20

Nonfiction:  11

I knew I was primarily a mystery reader but wow!  I'm a little surprised by how much of a mystery reader I am.

Armchair Travel for 2025

Domestic Travel:

California: 15

Connecticut: 2

Wisconsin 3

Ohio: 4

Minnesota: 2

Virigina: 5

Texas: 2

Arizona 2

Tennessee: 3

Maine: 4

North Carolina: 4

Massachusetts: 11

Florida: 3

New York: 5

Washington: 2

Alabama: 2

Michigan, Louisiana, New Jersey, Nevada, Oregon, Illinois, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Hawaii, Georgia, Idaho, Washington, DC, Rhode Island, Maryland, Kentucky, Alaska and the US Virgin Islands - 1 time

I'm a little surprised that I never made it to Colorado or Mississippi but hopefully I will visit there in 2026.

International Travel:

England - 54

Korea - 1

Ireland - 3

France - 6

Canada - 2

Denmark - 1

Myanmar - 1

Scotland - 3

Italy - 2

Japan - 3

St. Vincent Grenadines - 1

Sweden - 1

Iceland - 1

Egypt - 2

Costa Rica - 1

Portugal - 1

And 1 trip across the Atlantic Ocean on a 1930s era ocean liner

How was your reading in 2025? Where did your reading take you?

Friday Fives - Five (Plus 3) Best Mysteries I Read in 2025

I'm in a list making kind of mood so I thought I'd start making random five lists.  Sometimes they'll be bookish other weeks not so much. This week I'm listing the 5 best mysteries I read in 2025 - though really it's 8 because I couldn't narrow it down.  This is not counting rereads (which means it excludes Agatha Christie books I read this year).

1.  Nothing Ever Happens Here by Seraphina Nova Glass - I really enjoyed this one.  It was a bit procedural, a bit psychological thriller and super fast paced while not giving me nightmares.  I'm so excited to read more from this author.

2.  Mother-Daughter Murder Night by Nina Simon - While this is actual family it had a very found family vibe with a twist of characters figuring out what they want in life - throw in a murder mystery and it was a fantastic read.

3.  Hardcastle's Quartet by Graham Isom - This was an overdue review book that I absolutely loved.  It's a police procedural set during World War I.  The mystery was intriguing, I loved the pace of the investigation, and I really enjoyed getting to know the characters.

4.  Death in the Countryside by Maria Malone - This was the first (I hope) in a series about a police officer living in a small village with her working dog.  I loved the mystery and the characters and just thoroughly enjoyed the reading experience.

5.  The Woman in the Library by Sulari Gentill - I picked up the audio book on a whim even though I had seen some really mixed reviews on it.  I'm not sure if it was because of the audio or my mood or what but I was pulled into this mystery immediately and loved every minute.  The end had me on the edge of my seat.

6.  We Solve Murders by Richard Osman - I have loved every interview I've seen of this author and while I didn't love The Thursday Murder Club (which may have been a mood thing - I need to reread it) this one really appealed to me.  It was so fun!  I loved the characters and the mystery and just the general adventure of it all.  The audio is fantastic.

7.  A Grave Deception by Connie Berry - This series lives somewhere between cozy and more straight forward mystery and I have enjoyed every single book in it.  The premise of this one was completely up my alley and it was just a delight.

8.  The Crow Trap by Ann Cleeves - This was my first book by this author and the first book in the Vera Stanhope series and it won't be my last of either.  This was a fantastic mystery with lots of twists and turns and I can't wait to read more from this series (and watch the show).

What were some of your favorite mysteries that you read in 2025?

Books from the Backlog - This Fallen Prey

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!

Goodreads:  The Fallen Prey by Kelley Armstrong

Blurb:  In This Fallen Prey, the next installment of New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong's thriller series, Casey Duncan is about to face her toughest job as police detective in Rockton yet. When Casey first arrived at the off-the-grid town, an isolated community built as a haven for people running from their pasts, she had no idea what to expect, with no cell phones, no internet, no mail, and no way of getting in or out without the town councils approval. She certainly didn't expect to be the homicide detective on two separate cases or to begin a romantic relationship with her boss. But the very last thing she expected was for the council to drop a dangerous criminal into their midst without a plan to keep him imprisoned and to keep others safe. Of course, Oliver Brady claims he's being set up. But the longer Brady stays in town, the more things start to go wrong. When evidence comes to light that someone inside Rockton might be working as his accomplice, helping him to escape, Casey races to figure out who exactly Brady is and what crimes he's truly responsible for committing. In the next page-turning entry in Kelley Armstrong's gripping series, life in Rockton is about to get even more dangerous.

Why It Needs to Come Off the Shelf:  This is the third book in the Rockton series.  I've really enjoyed the first two and really need to continue with the series.