Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Dog with Two Tales | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 2 | Dogcatcher in the Rye | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 3 | Dark Side of the Moo | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 4 | A Streak of Bad Cluck | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 5 | Till the Cat Lady Sings | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 6 | Alpaca Lies | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 7 | Twas the Bite Before Christmas | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 8 | Swine and Punishment | 2020 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 9 | Don’t Rock the Goat | 2021 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 10 | Swan with the Wind | 2021 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 11 | How to Get a Neigh with Murder | 2021 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 12 | Tweet Revenge | 2022 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 13 | For Love or Bunny | 2022 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 14 | Between a Squawk and a Hard Place | 2022 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 15 | Double Dog Dare | 2022 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 16 | Deerly Departed | 2022 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 17 | Think Outside the Fox | 2023 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 18 | Mouse of Ill Repute | 2023 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 19 | Bee All and End All | 2024 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 20 | Sheep with One Eye Open | 2024 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 21 | Roo the Day | 2024 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 22 | Till Death Zoo Us Part | 2025 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 23 | Hit the Road, Quack | 2025 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 24 | One Horse Open Slay | 2025 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
| 25 | Beg, Burrow or Steal | 2026 | Ellen Riggs | Buy |
The Bought-the-Farm Mystery series is Ellen Riggs’ longest-running work, with 25 books published from 2020 through 2026. Each title features an animal-themed pun — from Dogcatcher in the Rye and Dark Side of the Moo to Think Outside the Fox and Hit the Road, Quack — that signals the lighthearted tone. The series follows a protagonist who inherits a farm and discovers that rural life comes with more danger than she expected.
Farm animals play integral roles in each mystery, with different creatures featured in each installment. The series has maintained a dedicated readership through its combination of clever humor, engaging mysteries, and the appeal of a setting populated by dogs, cats, horses, sheep, and more exotic animals.