Barbara Burnett Smith books

Barbara Burnett Smith was an American mystery author known for the Purple Sage and Kitzi Camden cozy mystery series set in small-town Texas.

Anthologies

Title Published Buy on Amazon
‘Tis The Season For Murder 1998 Buy

Kitzi Camden Mystery Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Bead on Trouble 2005 Buy
Beads of Doubt 2007 Buy

Purple Sage Mystery Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Writers of the Purple Sage 1994 Buy
Celebration in Purple Sage 1996 Buy
Dust Devils Of The Purple Sage 1997 Buy
Mistletoe from Purple Sage 1997 Buy
Skeletons in Purple Sage 2002 Buy

Standalone Novels

Title Published Buy on Amazon
Mauve & Murder 2000 Buy

Barbara Burnett Smith wrote cozy mysteries set in Texas, starting with the Purple Sage series in 1994. The series is set in the fictional small town of Purple Sage, Texas, where protagonist Jolie Wyatt, a writer and radio personality, finds herself entangled in local murders. Writers of the Purple Sage (1994) launched the series, followed by four more entries through Skeletons in Purple Sage (2002). The books capture the rhythms of small-town Texas life while mixing in murder plots.

Smith also wrote the Kitzi Camden Mystery series, beginning with Bead on Trouble (2005) and Beads of Doubt (2007), which combined mystery with the beading and jewelry-making craft community. Her standalone novel Mauve & Murder (2000) and a contribution to the holiday anthology ‘Tis The Season For Murder (1998) round out her published work. Smith passed away in 2005, leaving the Kitzi Camden series unfinished.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Barbara Burnett Smith written?

Barbara Burnett Smith has written nine books across four series.

What was Barbara Burnett Smith's first book?

Barbara Burnett Smith’s first book is Writers of the Purple Sage, published in 1994.

What are Barbara Burnett Smith's mystery series about?

Smith wrote two cozy mystery series set in Texas. The Purple Sage mysteries follow a writer in a small Texas town, while the Kitzi Camden mysteries are set in the world of bead crafting. Both series feature amateur sleuths in close-knit communities.

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