Susan Wittig Albert is a New York Times (NYT) bestselling author. She is best known for the China Bayles Mysteries, set in a small town in the Texas Hill Country. She also writes the Darling Dahlias, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter and, with her husband Bill, the Victorian mysteries published as Robin Paige. Below you will find her books in order, series by series, her latest releases and our review.
Who Is Susan Wittig Albert? Biography and Writing Career
Susan Wittig Albert was born in Illinois in 1940 and grew up on a small farm near Danville. She graduated from Danville High School. She earned her first degree at the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. in English at the University of California, Berkeley.
Her first career was academic. She taught English at the University of Texas at Austin and worked as a university administrator at Sophie Newcomb College in New Orleans. Later she became the first female vice president for academic affairs at Southwest Texas State University, today Texas State University.
At midlife she left the university to write full time. Her writing career had started early: as a teenager she sold short stories to magazines for young readers. In the 1980s she wrote Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys books under house pseudonyms. Her first mystery novel, Thyme of Death, came out in 1992. It was nominated for two national mystery awards, the 1992 Agatha Award and the 1993 Anthony Award.
In more than three decades she has written or co-written over 130 books: mysteries, historical and biographical fiction, memoir and nonfiction. Her books have sold over six million copies. Her official website, susanalbert.com, uses the shorter name Susan Albert. She founded the Story Circle Network for women writers in 1997, and she is a member of the Texas Literary Hall of Fame.
Where Does Susan Wittig Albert Live?
She lives in Central Texas, in the Hill Country near Austin. More than 35 years ago she and her husband Bill left their careers and homesteaded 31 acres of woods and meadows. They call the place Meadow Knoll. She is a keen gardener, and the herbs and wildlife on the land feed straight into her books.
Susan Wittig Albert Bibliography: Books in Order of Publication
Each series stands on its own. Read them separately, in order of publication, because the characters grow from book to book.
China Bayles Herbal Mysteries
China Bayles was a criminal defense attorney in Houston. She walked away from the law to open Thyme and Seasons, an herb shop in Pecan Springs, Texas. Her best friend, Ruby Wilcox, runs the Crystal Cave, a New Age shop next door. Every book is built around one herb. China is the town’s herbalist, and she uses what she knows about the law to solve the murder. Here is the full China Bayles series in order. It is one of the longest-running series in the cozy genre: 29 novels from 1992 to 2024. For many years Berkley published the books in paperback.
- Thyme of Death (1992)
- Witches’ Bane (1993)
- Hangman’s Root (1994)
- Rosemary Remembered (1995)
- Rueful Death (1996)
- Love Lies Bleeding (1997)
- Chile Death (1998)
- Lavender Lies (1999)
- Mistletoe Man (2000)
- Bloodroot (2001)
- Indigo Dying (2003)
- Dilly of a Death (2004)
- Dead Man’s Bones (2005)
- Bleeding Hearts (2006)
- Spanish Dagger (2007)
- Nightshade (2008)
- Wormwood (2009)
- Holly Blues (2010)
- Mourning Gloria (2011)
- Cat’s Claw (2012)
- Widow’s Tears (2013)
- Death Come Quickly (2014)
- Bittersweet (2015)
- Blood Orange (2016)
- The Last Chance Olive Ranch (2017)
- Queen Anne’s Lace (2018)
- A Plain Vanilla Murder (2019)
- Hemlock (2021)
- Forget Me Never (2024)
Pecan Springs Enterprise Trilogy and the Crystal Cave Trilogy
Two short spin-off series are set in the same town. The Crystal Cave trilogy follows Ruby Wilcox: NoBODY, SomeBODY Else and Out of BODY (2019). The Pecan Springs Enterprise trilogy is set at the local newspaper: Deadlines, Fault Lines and Firelines (2020).
The Darling Dahlias
The Darling Dahlias are a garden club in the small town of Darling, Alabama, in the 1930s. The ladies grow flowers, share recipes and solve crimes during the Great Depression. Each title pairs the club’s name with a plant.
- The Darling Dahlias and the Cucumber Tree (2010)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Naked Ladies (2011)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Confederate Rose (2012)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Texas Star (2013)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush (2014)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Eleven O’Clock Lady (2015)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Unlucky Clover (2018)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Poinsettia Puzzle (2018)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Voodoo Lily (2020)
- The Darling Dahlias and the Red Hot Poker (2022)
The Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter
In this series Beatrix Potter herself is the sleuth. She has just bought Hill Top Farm in the Lake District village of Near Sawrey, and the village animals help her solve its small mysteries.
- The Tale of Hill Top Farm (2004)
- The Tale of Holly How (2005)
- The Tale of Cuckoo Brow Wood (2007)
- The Tale of Hawthorn House (2007)
- The Tale of Briar Bank (2008)
- The Tale of Applebeck Orchard (2009)
- The Tale of Oat Cake Crag (2010)
- The Tale of Castle Cottage (2011)
Victorian Mysteries as Robin Paige
Susan and Bill Albert wrote twelve Victorian-Edwardian mysteries together under the pen name Robin Paige. Kate and Charles Sheridan meet real historical figures of the period. The series runs from Death at Bishop’s Keep (1994) to Death on the Lizard (2006).
Novels, Memoir and Nonfiction
Her biographical novels tell the stories of real women. A Wilder Rose (2013) is about Rose Wilder Lane and the writing of the Little House books. Loving Eleanor (2016) follows Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok, and The General’s Women (2017) is about Eisenhower and Kay Summersby. Someone Always Nearby (2023) tells the story of Georgia O’Keeffe and Maria Chabot. Her memoirs include Together, Alone: A Memoir of Marriage and Place (2009) and An Extraordinary Year of Ordinary Days (2010).
What Are Susan Wittig Albert’s Latest Books?
The newest China Bayles mystery is Forget Me Never, book 29, published in 2024. The book before it, Hemlock, came out in 2021. Her latest novel is Someone Always Nearby (2023). The latest Darling Dahlias book is The Darling Dahlias and the Red Hot Poker (2022).
No new title has been announced yet, and fans are still waiting for another Darling Dahlias book. She is publishing through her own imprint, Persevero Press, founded in 2013. She also writes a newsletter on Substack, Thyme, Place & Story, about gardening, growing older, reading, writing and climate change. Her older blogs, LifeScapes and BookScapes, moved there in 2023.
Where to Start With the China Bayles Books
Start with Thyme of Death. It explains why China left the law and introduces Ruby and Mike McQuaid, who stay with her through the whole series. If you like herbs and a strong sense of place, you will enjoy Pecan Springs. If you prefer historical settings, begin with the Darling Dahlias or The Tale of Hill Top Farm.
Books by Susan Wittig Albert Reviewed on This Site
Our Thyme of Death review covers the first China Bayles mystery. Expect a friend’s suspicious death, a fight over a local airport and the herb shop that started it all.
Frequently Asked Questions About Susan Wittig Albert
Is Susan Wittig Albert still writing books?
Yes. Her latest China Bayles novel came out in 2024, and she writes regularly on her Substack. There is no new book announced yet.
How old is Susan Wittig Albert?
She was born on January 2, 1940, so she is 86 years old in 2026.
What books has Susan Wittig Albert written?
She is a prolific writer with over 130 books. Her main series are China Bayles (29 books) and the Darling Dahlias (10). She also wrote the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter (8) and the Robin Paige Victorian mysteries (12). She has also written biographical novels, memoirs and books about writing.
Is Death Come Quickly a China Bayles mystery?
Yes. Death Come Quickly (2014) is book 22 of the China Bayles series. It comes after Widow’s Tears and before Bittersweet.
Where can I find a complete list of Susan Wittig Albert’s books?
This page has her full bibliography of mysteries, in order. Her official website, susanalbert.com, lists every book. You can also find her books on Amazon and in most bookstores.
Which authors are similar to Susan Wittig Albert?
If you like her books, try Krista Davis for food and entertaining, or Jenn McKinlay for small-town cozy mysteries with a strong heroine.