Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ozark Legacy | 1975 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 2 | In Love’s Own Time | 1977 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 3 | Forbidden Fires | 1980 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 4 | Seventrees | 1981 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 5 | Still the Mighty Waters | 1983 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 6 | Our lives, our fortunes | 1984 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 7 | Glory | 1985 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 8 | Season of Desire | 1986 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 9 | Crown Sable | 1987 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 10 | Cinnamon Wharf | 1988 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 11 | Guests of the Emperor | 1989 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
| 12 | The Herron Heritage | 1992 | Jill Churchill | Buy |
Before Jill Churchill became known for her cozy mystery series, she wrote twelve standalone novels between 1975 and 1992. These earlier books, published under her real name Janice Young Brooks, are primarily historical fiction and romance. Titles like Ozark Legacy, Forbidden Fires, and Our Lives, Our Fortunes suggest stories rooted in American history and family sagas.
The standalone novels show a different side of the author who would later create the beloved Jane Jeffry and Grace and Favor mystery series. Guests of the Emperor (1989) and Cinnamon Wharf (1988) are among the most well-known of these earlier works. Readers familiar with Churchill’s mystery writing may enjoy exploring her earlier historical fiction.