Category Archives: Series

Maddie James. The Legend of Blackbeard’s Chalice Series.

  • The Curse. Edgewater, FL: Resplendence Publishing, 2007.
  • The Cult. Edgewater, FL: Resplendence Publishing, 2008.
  • The Quest. Edgewater, FL: Resplendence Publishing, 2010.

Maddie James builds this series on the fierce history of the pirate Edward Teach (Blackbeard) and the continuing interest in pirate lore.  The novels move back and forth between the 1700s and the present and feature bits of history, mayhem, the supernatural, and star-crossed lovers.

Comments Off on Maddie James. The Legend of Blackbeard’s Chalice Series.

Filed under Coast, Historical, James, Maddie, Novels in Series, Romance/Relationship, Series

Maggie Bishop. The Appalachian Adventure Series.

Maggie Bishop’s action-packed novels are all set in the North Carolina mountains and feature an unforgettable cast of characters.  In her contemporary novels, you’ll find mystery, nature, camping, hiking, skiing, and always a little romance.  The novels are centered around four cousins – Wes, Lucky, Tucker, and Grady.  Bishop’s first two novels feature Wes and Lucky and take place in and around Boone and Appalachian State University while her later two novels take place in Banner Elk and Lees-McRae College.

Comments Off on Maggie Bishop. The Appalachian Adventure Series.

Filed under 2000-2009, 2010-2019, Bishop, Maggie, Mountains, Mystery, Novels in Series, Romance/Relationship, Series, Watauga

Kerry Madden. The Maggie Valley Trilogy.

Set in the mountains of North Carolina during the early 1960s, the books in the Maggie Valley trilogy follow the Weems family as they go through life in a small valley town in Haywood County.  Jessie and Tom Weems have ten children, with unique talents and personalities.  The books are narrated by Livy Two, their second oldest daughter who is twelve years old and full of moxie.  Livy Two writes her own songs, plays the guitar, and generally takes after her father.  Mountain music and song lyrics are included in many of the chapters, creatively explaining how Livy Two sees the relationships between family members and describing their way of life.  The Weems family is also joined by the cantankerous Grandma Horace and an affable pet dog, Uncle Hazard.  While nothing ever seems to be easy for the Weems family, their ties stay strong as they experience financial problems, health problems, and a major accident.  The novels explore the relationships among all the Weems children, but pay particular attention to three of the Weems daughters – Livy Two, Louise, and Jitters – as they come into their own.

1 Comment

Filed under Children & Young Adults, Haywood, Madden, Kerry, Mountains, Novels in Series, Series

Inglis Fletcher. The Carolina Series.

This is the series that gave many people, including a lot of native North Carolinians, their ideas about the early history of North Carolina.  Ms. Fletcher was a diligent researcher whose novels include many factual details, even as she spun romantic tales of exploration, colonization, and the struggle for independence from England.  The period of exploration and early colonization are covered in Roanoke Hundred, Bennett’s Welcome, and Rogue’s Harbor.  The early eighteenth century is the setting for Men of Albemarle, Lusty Wind for Carolina, and Cormorant’s Brood.  The run-up to the American Revolution is treated in Raleigh’s Eden, The Wind in the Forest, and The Scotswoman, while the war itself is the background for Toil of the Brave and Wicked Lady. Queen’s Gift is set in the period immediately after the colonies have gained their independence.  Although more recent historical novels display a less romanticized view of the past, Ms. Fletcher’s novels remain a good choice for readers seeking an entertaining and educational presentation of the early eras of our state’s history.

2 Comments

Filed under Coast, Fletcher, Inglis, Historical, Novels in Series, Series

Michael Phillips. Carolina Cousins Series.

In the Carolina Cousins books, the follow-up series to the Shenandoah Sisters books, cousins and best friends Katie and Mayme are still together, but the early years of Reconstruction are hard for the girls. They face both the normal difficulties of growing up and the many troubles of their time. Throughout the series, the girls face adversity–often related to race–and new characters who arrive at Rosewood become part of the family. The themes of friendship, forgiveness, determination, and faith run throughout the books.

4 Comments

Filed under Historical, Mystery, Novels in Series, Novels Set in Fictional Places, Phillips, Michael, Religious/Inspirational, Romance/Relationship, Series

Janet and Ron Benrey. The Glory, North Carolina Novels.

Glory is a delightful little North Carolina town. The main street is still intact, there is a lovely bed-and-breakfast, church is important, and the people are nice. Despite all of this, the town has more than its share of secrets and murders. In each volume in this cozy mystery series, a murder happens and an innocent person comes under suspicion. As the murder investigation unfolds, some uncomfortable secrets from the past emerge, but in the end a deserving soul finds romance and justice is done.

Comments Off on Janet and Ron Benrey. The Glory, North Carolina Novels.

Filed under Benrey, Janet and Ron, Coast, Mystery, Novels in Series, Novels Set in Fictional Places, Pasquotank, Religious/Inspirational, Romance/Relationship, Series

Elia W. Peattie. The Azalea Novels.

These novels follow the life of a young girl, Azalea. When Azalea’s mother dies, the traveling show that Azalea’s mother belonged to leaves Azalea with a mountain family. Over the course of the novels, Azalea becomes part of the McBirney family and learns about the good and the bad in the mountain community. In the final book in the series, Azalea, now a young woman, is presented with an opportunity to leave her mountain home.

Comments Off on Elia W. Peattie. The Azalea Novels.

Filed under Children & Young Adults, Mountains, Novels in Series, Novels to Read Online, Peattie, Elia W., Series

Ellen Elizabeth Hunter. The Murder in Wilmington Series.

It should come as no surprise that old houses hold secrets, but readers need to be prepared for a mix of old crimes and new ones in this series featuring historic preservationist and old house restorer Ashley Wilkes.  Ashley and her sister Melanie are part of Wilmington’s social elite.  As such they attend seasonal events around town, from the Azalea Festival to the Cape Fear Crime Festival to the Olde Wilmington Candlelight Tour, and also many posh parties related to these events.  No matter how nice the event, murders have a way of happening when Ashley is present.  Each novel is a happy mix of fun and danger, featuring Ashley and the interesting characters in her family and circle of friends.   The books also contain a good dose of Wilmington history and lore, and many readers will recognize places and businesses mentioned in the novels.

2 Comments

Filed under 2000-2009, Coast, Hunter, Ellen Elizabeth, Mystery, New Hanover, Novels in Series, Series

Susan Whitfield. The Logan Hunter Mysteries.

UPDATE NOV. 17, 2015: Susan Whitfield’s books are now published by Studebaker Press.

These mysteries follow Logan Hunter, an agent for the State Bureau of Investigation, as she begins her career and moves around the state attempting to solve crimes. The action in the first book takes place at the beach and Hunter is still an intern, trying to complete her required field hours. By the second book, she is a full-fledged agent assigned to find a serial killer in the mountains. The third sees her interrupted by a terrible crime in Ivanhoe, NC while planning her wedding.

5 Comments

Filed under Novels in Series, Series, Whitfield, Susan

J.B. Stanley. The Collectible Mysteries.

  • A Killer Collection. New York: Penguin, 2006.
  • A Fatal Appraisal. New York : Berkley Prime Crime, 2006.
  • A Deadly Dealer. New York: Berkley Prime Crime, 2007.

Molly Appleby left her teaching career and decided to pursue her real passion: collecting. She is now a writer for Collector’s Weekly magazine and, although she lives in Hillsborough, she travels around North Carolina and the rest of the south reporting on various collecting events. It should be a fairly sedate life, but somehow she always seems to get tangled up in murder and mayhem. The author’s extensive knowledge of antiques is evident throughout these cozy mysteries and she also provides the reader with different antiques and collecting tips in each book.

Comments Off on J.B. Stanley. The Collectible Mysteries.

Filed under Mystery, Novels in Series, Orange, Series, Stanley, J.B.