Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Writers of the Purple Sage | 1994 | Barbara Burnett Smith | Buy |
| 2 | Celebration in Purple Sage | 1996 | Barbara Burnett Smith | Buy |
| 3 | Dust Devils Of The Purple Sage | 1997 | Barbara Burnett Smith | Buy |
| 4 | Mistletoe from Purple Sage | 1997 | Barbara Burnett Smith | Buy |
| 5 | Skeletons in Purple Sage | 2002 | Barbara Burnett Smith | Buy |
The Purple Sage Mystery series is set in the fictional small town of Purple Sage, Texas. Writers of the Purple Sage (1994) introduces Jolie Wyatt, a writer who discovers that small-town life has a darker side when murders start happening around her. The series blends amateur sleuthing with the social dynamics of a tight-knit rural community.
Over five books, from Writers of the Purple Sage through Skeletons in Purple Sage (2002), Smith developed the town and its characters alongside the mystery plots. Celebration in Purple Sage (1996) and Mistletoe from Purple Sage (1997) tie their mysteries to holidays and local events, while Dust Devils of the Purple Sage (1997) brings environmental themes into the mix. The series has a warm, regional flavor typical of the best Texas-set cozy mysteries.