Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aunt Matilda’s Ghost | 1978 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 2 | Raven Rock | 1986 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 3 | Cry at Dusk | 1987 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 4 | Deadly Promise | 1988 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 5 | The Widow’s Woods | 1991 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 6 | Final Curtain | 1992 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 7 | Minerva Cries Murder | 1993 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 8 | The War in Sallie’s Station | 2003 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 9 | The Christmas Cottage | 2007 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
| 10 | How Still We See Thee Lie | 2013 | Mignon F. Ballard | Buy |
Before launching her two mystery series, Mignon F. Ballard wrote a number of standalone novels that ranged from gothic suspense to small-town mystery. Her earliest books, like Raven Rock and Cry at Dusk, lean toward darker, more atmospheric storytelling. Later standalones, including The War in Sallie’s Station and The Christmas Cottage, are warmer in tone.
These ten novels span from 1978 to 2013 and show how Ballard’s writing developed over the years. Several of them feature Southern settings and strong female protagonists, themes that would carry over into her series work. Readers who enjoy her Augusta Goodnight or Miss Dimple books may want to go back and try some of these earlier titles.