The China Bayles Mysteries are a cozy mystery series by Susan Wittig Albert. Herbalist China Bayles runs an herb shop in Pecan Springs, Texas. She solves murders with her best friend Ruby. The series has 29 books so far, from 1992 to 2024. Below you will find the full reading order, the newest book and where to start.
What Is the China Bayles Series About?
China Bayles was a hot-shot Houston criminal attorney. She abandoned her career, left the big city and moved to the Hill Country for a quieter life. There she opened Thyme and Seasons, an herb shop in Pecan Springs, and found more rewarding work among her plants. The big-city lawyer is still in there, though. When a body turns up, she thinks like a criminal defense lawyer and asks the questions the police forget.
Her best friend, Ruby Wilcox, runs the Crystal Cave, a New Age shop next door to the herbal shop. The two women investigate together, and their friendship is the heart of the book series. Mike McQuaid, an ex-cop who teaches criminal justice, is the man in China’s life. China and McQuaid later marry, and his son Brian and China’s niece Caitie grow up in the books. Sheila, known as Smart Cookie, is a friend too.
Main Characters and Setting of the Series
This Texas town is fictional. It sits in the Hill Country, halfway between Austin and San Antonio. It has a college, a small newspaper, a town square and plenty of gossip. The town feels real because the author lives in the same landscape and grows herbs herself.
- China – the herbalist and former lawyer who tells the story.
- Ruby – China’s tall, colorful best friend and business partner.
- McQuaid – her partner, later her husband, a former police detective.
- Police Chief Sheila Dawson – the head of the local police.
- Brian and Caitie – the children in the family.
Themes and Tone: From Rosemary and Indigo to Mistletoe, Bloodroot and Nightshade
Every book is built around one plant, and the title names it. Bloodroot is Sanguinaria, wormwood is an Artemisia, and nightshade belongs to the Solanaceae family. Her knowledge of herbs drives the plot. You learn about growing and using herbs, their history and folklore, and the poisons used in crime. Herbal medicine and gardening tips are part of the story, and some books include recipes.
The tone is warm but not sugary. The books deal with family, grief, aging and the choices women make. The mysteries are fair puzzles, and she often has to solve a mystery that rests on a clue from the past. Readers who like a smart, grown-up heroine will feel at home.
Who Is the Author of the China Bayles Herbal Mysteries?
The series is by Susan Wittig Albert, a New York Times bestselling author from Texas. She was an English professor and a university administrator before she left academia to write. She lives in the Texas Hill Country, where she gardens and writes. She also writes the Darling Dahlias, the Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter and, with her husband Bill, the Robin Paige mysteries.
China Bayles Book List: All Books in the Series in Order
Here are all 29 novels in publication order. This is also the correct reading order.
Book 1 to Book 9: Thyme of Death, Witches’ Bane, Rosemary Remembered, Rueful Death, Love Lies Bleeding, Chile Death, Lavender Lies, Mistletoe Man
- Book 1: Thyme of Death (1992)
- Book 2: Witches’ Bane (1993)
- Book 3: Hangman’s Root (1994)
- Book 4: Rosemary Remembered (1995)
- Book 5: Rueful Death (1996)
- Book 6: Love Lies Bleeding (1997)
- Book 7: Chile Death (1998)
- Book 8: Lavender Lies (1999)
- Book 9: Mistletoe Man (2000)
Book 10 to Book 17: Bloodroot, Indigo Dying, Dilly of a Death, Dead Man’s Bones, Bleeding Hearts, Spanish Dagger, Nightshade, Wormwood
- Book 10: Bloodroot (2001)
- Book 11: Indigo Dying (2003)
- Book 12: Dilly of a Death (2004)
- Book 13: Dead Man’s Bones (2005)
- Book 14: Bleeding Hearts (2006)
- Book 15: Spanish Dagger (2007)
- Book 16: Nightshade (2008)
- Book 17: Wormwood (2009)
Book 18 to Book 29: Holly Blues, Mourning Gloria, Death Come Quickly, The Last Chance Olive Ranch, A Plain Vanilla Murder, Forget Me Never
- Book 18: Holly Blues (2010)
- Book 19: Mourning Gloria (2011)
- Book 20: Cat’s Claw (2012)
- Book 21: Widow’s Tears (2013)
- Book 22: Death Come Quickly (2014)
- Book 23: Bittersweet (2015)
- Book 24: Blood Orange (2016)
- Book 25: The Last Chance Olive Ranch (2017)
- Book 26: Queen Anne’s Lace (2018)
- Book 27: A Plain Vanilla Murder (2019)
- Book 28: Hemlock (2021)
- Book 29: Forget Me Never (2024)
A few books take China out of her shop. In Chile Death, a judge dies at a chili cookoff. In Indigo Dying, the trouble starts at a dye shop called Colors to Dye For. In Wormwood, China and Ruby travel to a Shaker village in Kentucky.
How Many Books Are in the China Bayles Series?
There are 29 novels. The first, Thyme of Death, came out in 1992, and book 29 came out in 2024. That makes it one of the longest-running series in the cozy genre. Besides the 29 novels, there are two companion books and a few short stories, listed below.
What Is the Latest Book? Forget Me Never and Hemlock
The latest novel is Forget Me Never, the 29th, published in 2024. The book before it, Hemlock, came out in 2021, after a two-year gap. No book 30 has been announced yet.
Is Susan Wittig Albert Still Writing the Series?
Yes, in a new form. She now publishes new stories on her Substack, Thyme, Place & Story. One of them is an episodic mystery, A Bitter Taste of Garlic. She has not announced a new printed novel, so for now the Substack is the place for fresh China and Ruby adventures.
Companion Books: China Bayles’ Book of Days, An Unthymely Death and Spin-Offs
- China Bayles’ Book of Days (2006) – 365 days of herb lore, recipes and crafts, told in China’s voice.
- An Unthymely Death and Other Garden Mysteries (2003) – a collection of China Bayles short stories.
- “The Collage to Kill For” – a China Bayles short story in the anthology Murder Most Crafty.
- The Crystal Cave trilogy (2019) – NoBODY, SomeBODY Else and Out of BODY, with Ruby in the lead.
- The Pecan Springs Enterprise trilogy (2020) – Deadlines, Fault Lines and Firelines, set at the town newspaper, with reporter Jessica Nelson.
Where to Start: Thyme of Death
Start with book one. Each mystery is solved by the last chapter, but the characters change a lot over 29 books. Her move from the law to herbs, her friendship with Ruby and her relationship with McQuaid all begin in the first novel. Our Thyme of Death review tells you what to expect from the opener.
China Bayles Books Reviewed on This Site
Cozy Mystery Series Similar to China Bayles
If you love a smart heroine, a small town and a shop full of clues, try these:
- The Darling Dahlias – Susan Wittig Albert’s garden club mysteries, set in 1930s Alabama.
- Domestic Diva Mysteries – Krista Davis’s event planner solves murders in Old Town Alexandria.
- Hannah Swensen Mysteries – Joanne Fluke’s baker, with recipes in every book. See our Chocolate Chip Cookie Murder review.
- Library Lover’s Mysteries – by Jenn McKinlay, set in a seaside library.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need to read the books in order?
No, each book works as a standalone mystery. Still, reading in order is better, because her family and friendships move forward in every book.
Where is Pecan Springs, Texas?
It is a fictional town in the Texas Hill Country, near Austin.
What does China do for a living?
She owns Thyme and Seasons, an herb shop. Before that she was a criminal defense lawyer in Houston.
Where can I find a list of all the books?
This page has the complete list in order, from the first book to the newest. The author’s website, susanalbert.com, also lists every book.
Is there a TV show?
No. The books have never been adapted for television or film.