Cackleberry Club Books in Order
Laura Childs' cozy mystery series centers on three women who run a tearoom and bookshop while solving murders in their spare time. The Cackleberry Club members stumble into investigations involving local characters and antique secrets. Childs combines recipes, book talk, and small-town intrigue throughout.
Eggs in Purgatory
Suzanne, Toni, and Petra lost their husbands but found independence—and in each other, a life raft of support, inspiration, fresh baked goods, and their own business. But when the Cackleberry Club café opened its doors in the town of Kindred, who'd have guessed that the cozy oasis would become the scene of a crime? Suzanne's lawyer is found in his car out back of the Cackleberry with egg on his face and blood on the dash. The murder not only reveals a scandal in her late husband's past, but a stranger fleeing a messianic sect is begging Suzanne for help. Now, discovering a link between a dead man with secrets and a runaway cultist may be putting Suzanne's own life on the line.
Published: 2008
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Eggs Benedict Arnold
When Suzanne stops by the local funeral home to deliver a pie to funeral director Ozzie Driesden, she discovers him not working at the embalming table but lying on the embalming table. She barely has time to recognize his corpse before she's drugged with chloroform. After being attacked, Suzanne finds that Ozzie was murdered. With her friend Missy a suspect, Suzanne reluctantly agrees to investigate. Various theories abound—was it a vagrant spotted in the area, a rival in the funeral trade, the dead man's business partner—or his girlfriend and her egotistical ex? With more suspects than breakfast specials, the Cackleberry Club scrambles to crack the case before one of their own ends up six feet under.
Published: 2009
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Bedeviled Eggs
Getting ready for Halloween, the ladies at the Cackleberry Club Café are busy carving jack-o'-lanterns, stocking up on candy, and baking pumpkin bread. But someone's jumped the gun on the tricks. As mayoral candidate Chuck Peebler leaves the café, he gets struck with a crossbow arrow and is killed instantly. When another murder occurs on the historical society's Quilt Trail, there's no disguising it—a murderer is running loose in the town of Kindred. Now Suzanne's on the beat to sniff out one bad egg. When Sheriff Doogie starts scrambling for clues, Suzanne discovers Deputy Wilbur Halpern shot in the nearby woods. As the feisty widow cooks up leads, she receives threats to back off her amateur sleuthing.
Published: 2010
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Stake & Eggs
When a snowmobile crashes into the woods behind the Cackleberry Club café, Suzanne finds her town's most-hated banker beheaded by a wire staked in the snow. Now some of her best customers are prime suspects with a bushel of motives, and the murder investigation is snowballing. An elusive young runaway may be the Cackleberry Club's only way to crack the case—provided Suzanne can keep her head long enough to track down the cold-blooded killer. A homeless teen, a spouse with secrets, and candidates for the now-open bank-manager position all provide clues in this chilling mystery.
Published: 2012
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Eggs in a Casket
While Petra handles the breakfast rush at the Cackleberry Club, Suzanne and Toni head to Memorial Cemetery to help prepare for its 150th anniversary celebration. But as they search the winding paths for the historical society tent, they discover something out of place: the body of ex-prison warden Lester Drummond lying facedown in someone else's freshly dug grave. Suzanne knew him as the creepy guy who made unwanted advances on her friend Missy Langston. But now it appears the man was hiding secrets—and at least one of them was worth killing for. With the town peppered with suspects and the local authorities in over their heads, it's up to the Cackleberry Club to unscramble the clues and sniff out a bad egg.
Published: 2014
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Scorched Eggs
While getting her hair colored at Root 66, Suzanne is stunned to witness the County Services office next door suddenly go up in flames. Sadly, the fire claims the life of longtime civil service worker—and friend to the Cackleberry Club—Hannah Venable. When it's discovered that an accelerant was used to fan the flames, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to smoke out the culprit. When Suzanne finds a possible connection between the fire and the nearby Prairie Star Casino, she comes to realize that the arsonist wanted something very big and bad kept secret. There's a lot going on including a deadly fire, a retro wedding, a county fair, and even dinner theatre.
Published: 2014
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Egg Drop Dead
Good personal relationships with suppliers are one of the secrets to the Cackleberry Club's success. Suzanne goes out to Mike Mullen's dairy farm to pick up some wheels of cheese, looking forward to a nice visit with the mild-mannered farmer. But when she arrives, Mike's nowhere to be found. The moaning of his cows leads her to look in the barn, where she discovers a bloodcurdling sight—the farmer's dead body. Apparently not everyone was as fond of Mike Mullen as the Cackleberry Club. Churning with grief and outrage, Suzanne, Petra, and Toni vow to find the farmer's murderer—but as they get closer to the truth, the desperate killer plans to put the squeeze on them.
Published: 2016
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Eggs on Ice
The Christmas season at the Cackleberry Club café is marred by murder. Scrooge-like lawyer Allan Sharp is playing Ebenezer Scrooge in a dress rehearsal of A Christmas Carol when someone in the costume of the ghost of Christmas Past embraces him as he sits at a desk on stage. When Allan remains slumped over the desk, those watching the performance, including Suzanne, realize something's wrong—Allan has been stabbed to death. Suzanne chases the ghost backstage, but the culprit escapes. She later learns that many people had cause to wish Sharp dead, from the play's director to the town's mayor. Amateur sleuth Suzanne can't resist assisting Sheriff Doogie in the hunt for the killer.
Published: 2018
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Egg Shooters
A murder in the local hospital is raising everyone's temperature. Suzanne Dietz, co-owner of the Cackleberry Club Café, is visiting her fiancé, Dr. Sam Hazelet, when a masked gunman bursts into the emergency room. He shoots two people and would probably have done more damage had Suzanne not brained him with a thermos full of chili. Still, the gunman manages to escape. A security guard is dead, a desk clerk is wounded, and the killer has escaped with a duffel bag full of drugs. Now the ladies of the Cackleberry Club are determined to find the killer before he finds them. There have also been truck hijackings and a pharmacy robbery, giving Suzanne plenty to investigate.
Published: 2021
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Cackleberry Club Books in Order: Complete Series Reading Guide
Last updated: December 2025
Series Overview
The Cackleberry Club Series has 9 books spanning from 2008 to 2021.
Laura Childs's heartwarming series follows three widows—Suzanne, Petra, and Toni—who channel their grief into opening the Cackleberry Club café in the small Midwestern town of Kindred. The cozy establishment serves breakfast, sells yarn and books, and somehow keeps attracting murder.
What makes this series special for readers 50+: The three protagonists are all women who've lost their husbands and rebuilt their lives through friendship, entrepreneurship, and determination. Their bond shows that life after loss can still be full of purpose and adventure.
Reading Order Complexity Level: SIMPLE - Read in publication order
Quick Answer: The Complete Reading Order
1. Eggs in Purgatory (2008)
2. Eggs Benedict Arnold (2009)
3. Bedeviled Eggs (2010)
4. Stake & Eggs (2012)
5. Eggs in a Casket (2014)
6. Scorched Eggs (2014)
7. Egg Drop Dead (2016)
8. Eggs on Ice (2018)
9. Egg Shooters (2021)
Note: This series concluded in 2021 with Egg Shooters.
Why Reading Order Matters
Relationship Development: Suzanne's relationship with Dr. Sam Hazelet develops across the series, culminating in their engagement.
Friendship Bonds: The dynamic between Suzanne, Petra, and Toni deepens with each book.
Town of Kindred: Your familiarity with the quirky residents of Kindred grows naturally through the series.
Meet the Main Characters
Suzanne Dietz - The de facto leader of the trio, handles the front of house and gets most involved in the mysteries.
Petra Hobart - The baker extraordinaire who creates the café's delicious egg dishes and treats.
Toni Garrett - Handles the craft corner and adds comic relief with her colorful personality.
Dr. Sam Hazelet - Local doctor and Suzanne's love interest.
Sheriff Doogie - Local law enforcement who tolerates Suzanne's amateur sleuthing.
The Cackleberry Club Café
The café itself is a character in the series:
- Breakfast service featuring creative egg dishes
- Book Nook selling used books
- Knitting Nest with yarn and craft supplies
- Small-town gathering place where gossip flows freely
Series Themes
- Female friendship - Three widows supporting each other
- Second acts - Rebuilding life after loss
- Small-town community - Everyone knows everyone in Kindred
- Comfort food - Egg-centric recipes throughout
- Cozy mysteries - Amateur sleuths with heart
What to Expect
- Midwest charm - Small-town values and community spirit
- Egg-themed titles - Every book features an egg pun
- Recipes - Plenty of breakfast recipes to try
- Cozy tone - Warm, comforting reads
- Strong female friendships - The heart of every story
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this series complete?
A: Yes, the series concluded with Egg Shooters in 2021. All 9 books tell a complete story.
Q: How is this different from Laura Childs' other series?
A: The Midwestern setting and multiple protagonist format distinguish this from her Southern-set Tea Shop and Scrapbooking series.
Q: Are the mysteries intense?
A: These are cozy mysteries—no graphic violence. The emphasis is on community, friendship, and puzzle-solving.
Q: Are there recipes?
A: Yes! Each book includes recipes, many featuring eggs.
Start Your Reading Journey
Ready to visit the Cackleberry Club? Start with Eggs in Purgatory and meet Suzanne, Petra, and Toni.