Kansas book series in reading order

by Wendi Silvano

Kim Vogel Sawyer writes Christian fiction, including Christian romance and Christian historical novels, with Mennonites and Kansas among the recurring subjects. The catalogue counts 62 books, opening with A Seeking Heart (2002) and reaching Where We Belong (2026). Heart of the Prairie, Mountain Lakes, Katy Lambright, Kansas Weddings, the Sommerfield Trilogy and the Zimmerman Restoration Trilogy are among the series.

Beverly Jenkins

60 books• 11 series

Beverly Jenkins writes historical and contemporary romance with a focus on 19th-century African American life. Born in Detroit in 1951, Jenkins was nominated for an NAACP Image Award in 2013, and in 1999 the African American Literature Book Club named her among the top 50 favourite African American writers of the 20th century. The catalogue holds 60 books from Night Song (1994) to Calling All Blessings (2025), including the Blessings, Old West, Le Veq Family and Grayson Family series. Recorded subjects include mail order brides, Kansas, and city and town life.

Kansas, Swedish Americans and women pioneers appear among the subjects for Linda K. Hubalek, whose 52 catalogued books run from Butter in the Well (1992) to Honor My Word (2021). Other subjects include frontier and pioneer life, immigrants, diary fiction and cooking. Titles include Egg Gravy (1993), Planting Dreams (1997), Cultivating Hope (1998), Harvesting Faith (1999) and Trail of Thread (2012). Hubalek's series are Brides with Grit, Grooms with Honor, Mismatched Mail-Order Brides, Planting Dreams, Rancher's Word, Butter in the Well, Trail of Thread and Kansas Quilter. The median book runs to 136 pages.

Tracie Peterson, born 1959, writes Christian fiction, mostly historical novels carrying romance and faith themes. Peterson used the pen name Janelle Jamison early on and has written joint novels with other Christian authors; Bethany House publishes many of the titles. Several Peterson series feature Harvey Girls, the waitstaff of the Fred Harvey Company. The catalogue lists 153 books from A Kingdom Divided (1991) to Devoted to Love (2026), across series such as Heirs of Montana, Westward Chronicles, Ribbons West, Yukon Quest, Shannon Saga and Desert Roses. Peterson lives in Montana and runs Peterson Ink with husband Jim.

Nancy Mehl writes Christian mystery and suspense, with Mennonite communities and Kansas settings among the subjects. Graven Images (2001) opens the catalogue, and the Ivy Towers and Curl Up and Dye mysteries come early. Kaely Quinn Profiler, the Quantico Files, Ryland & St. Clair and Defenders of Justice turn to suspense. Thirty-six titles are catalogued, reaching Fatal Finale in 2026.

Lori Copeland, born June 12, 1941, is an American novelist with more than 95 books, who wrote romance before moving to Christian fiction. The catalogue records 101 books from 1983, the year of A Tempting Stranger and Playing for Keeps, to Barefoot Hearts (2020). Series include Heavenly Daze, Men of the Saddle, Amish of Apple Grove, Sisters of Mercy Flats, Morning Shade Mysteries and Belles of Timber Creek. Westerns, historical romance, widows and Texas appear in the subjects.

Carla Cassidy, born Carla Bracale in Kansas, is an American romance novelist who has published since 1988. The first novels carried the maiden name Carla Bracale, later ones the married name Cassidy, and one fantasy novel appeared under the name Carla Cook. The catalogue lists 184 books, from Falling for You (1988, as Carla Bracale) to The Final Victim (2026). Series include Cowboys of Holiday Ranch, Wild West Bodyguards, Scarecrow Murders, Mustang, Montana, Lawmen of Black Rock, Cherokee Corners, Men of Wolf Creek and Kings of Coyote Creek. Subjects include romantic suspense, cowboys, bodyguards and serial murderers.

Nancy Pickard

26 books• 3 series

Nancy Pickard, born September 19, 1945, in Kansas City, Missouri, is an American crime novelist. Pickard has won five Macavity Awards, four Agatha Awards, an Anthony Award and a Shamus Award, the only author to take all four. Pickard served on the Mystery Writers of America board, holds a journalism degree from the University of Missouri, and began writing at 35. The Scent of Rain and Lightning became a film in 2017. The catalogue lists 26 books, among them Generous Death (1984), Say No to Murder (1985) and Marriage Is Murder (1987), with Jenny Cain and Marie Lightfoot as series.

James Reasoner writes westerns and frontier fiction, and the 193 catalogued books run from Texas Wind (1980) to Blood on the Border (2026). Civil War history, Texas and military fiction also appear among the subjects. Reasoner's series include Stagecoach Station, Abilene, Cody's Law, Wind River, Outlaw Ranger, Tales From Deadwood and the Walker, Texas Ranger tie-ins. Lee Goldberg, William Rabkin and Livia Reasoner are each co-credited on 1 book.

David Robbins is a Western writer, according to subject records that name Skye Fargo and Canyon O'Grady as fictitious characters and cite frontier and pioneer life, Colorado and Texas. Series listed under the name include Wilderness, Canyon O'Grady, White Apache, Mountain Majesty, Davy Crockett, Preacher's Law and Blood Feud, alongside Omega Sub and Battlefield Mars. Endworld is also among the linked names. Stalked (2020) is the most recent title in the listing.

Wendi Silvano writes early readers and picture books, averaging 32 pages a volume. Turkey Trouble is the one recorded series, running to Turkey's Fall Fumble (2026) with Turkey's Leprechaun Trap scheduled for 2027. The wider catalogue holds 113 titles dated 2000 onward, opening with Pancakes for Breakfast and taking in the Duck and Goose books of 2004 to 2006. Holidays supply much of the subject matter: Valentine's Day, Santa Claus and turkeys all appear in the record.

Nancy Holder, born August 29, 1953, is an American writer whose novels include many tie-ins to the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as fiction linked to Angel and Smallville. The catalogue starts with Wings and Other Poems (1972) and lists 1983 and 1984 titles published as Laurel Chandler and as Nancy L. Jones. Series include Angel: Season 1, Beauty & the Beast, Possessions, Domino Lady and Gambler's Star. Vampires, witches and Sabrina, the teenage witch are among the subjects, and Christopher Golden, Jeffrey Mariotte and Yvonne Navarro are among the co-credited writers.

Frank Roderus spent about ten years as a newspaper reporter before turning to full-time novel writing. Roderus has produced over 300 books under several pseudonyms, most of them westerns. The catalogue lists 59 books under the Roderus name from Journey to Utah (1977) to Ginger: Orphan Filly (2016), including The Keystone Kid (1978), The 33 Brand (1979) and The Rawhide War (1981). Subject tags include western stories, clergy, Kansas, kidnapping, horse racing and ranch life, and series include Heller Thriller, Harrison Wilke Trilogy and Billy Ray.

Joel Goldman writes thrillers and legal mysteries, with lawyers, murder investigation, serial murders and Kansas among the recorded subjects. The catalogue holds 13 books from Motion to Kill (2002) to All Gone (2018). Goldman's four series are Lou Mason Mystery, Jack Davis Mystery, Alex Stone Mystery and Ireland & Carter Thrillers, and Lou Mason is the listed character. The Last Witness (2003), Cold Truth (2004), The Dead Man (2009), No Way Out (2010) and Final Judgment (2012) are other titles. The list is marked likely complete.