Sarah Graves Books in Order: From Eastport Home Repair to Chocolate Mysteries
Sarah Graves is best known for combining traditional mystery plotting with unusual settings and everyday problems. Her signature Home Repair Is Homicide series follows Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree, a former Wall Street financial executive who leaves New York for Eastport, Maine, where repairing an old house becomes almost as dangerous as solving the murders that keep turning up around her.
Graves later returned to Jake and her friend Ellie White in the Death by Chocolate mysteries, moving the action from home renovation to the Chocolate Moose bakery. She also created a separate mystery series around Lizzie Snow, a former Boston homicide detective working in the remote North Woods of Maine.
Home Repair Is Homicide Books in Order
The Home Repair Is Homicide series is Sarah Graves’s original and longest-running mystery series. It contains 16 novels, with Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree at the center of each investigation.
Jake is a former Wall Street professional who starts over in Eastport, Maine, where she buys an old house in need of extensive repair. The renovation work gives the series its distinctive personality, while the murders, disappearances, suspicious accidents, and secrets of Eastport provide the mystery plots.
1. The Dead Cat Bounce
The Dead Cat Bounce introduces Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and the small Maine community that becomes the setting for the series. Jake has left her former life in New York behind and is trying to restore an old house in Eastport when murder interferes with her plans.
The title itself comes from Wall Street terminology, reflecting Jake’s former career while setting up one of the series’ recurring contrasts: her sophisticated financial background versus the practical problems of renovating an old Maine house. It is the essential starting point because it establishes Jake, her family, her friends, and the Eastport setting.
2. Triple Witch
Jake is settling into her new life, but Eastport’s troubles are far from over. Triple Witch continues the mixture of home renovation, local relationships, and murder investigation that defines the early books.
The second novel also gives readers more time with Jake’s evolving relationships and the community around her, making it a natural continuation after The Dead Cat Bounce.
3. Wicked Fix
In Wicked Fix, Jake’s experience with home improvement once again proves useful when a seemingly ordinary situation turns into a murder investigation.
The novel continues developing Eastport as more than just a backdrop. Its residents, local history, and small-town relationships increasingly become part of the mystery itself.
4. Repair to Her Grave
Repair to Her Grave brings the series’ central joke into particularly dark territory: home repair and homicide are becoming increasingly difficult to separate.
Jake continues working on her old house while becoming involved in another investigation. The book deepens the series’ combination of domestic detail, community secrets, and amateur sleuthing.
5. Wreck the Halls
The holiday season does not make Eastport any safer. Wreck the Halls places Jake in another mystery while maintaining the seasonal atmosphere and renovation theme that have become familiar parts of the series.
It is also an example of how Graves uses the calendar and local events to give individual books their own atmosphere rather than making every mystery feel interchangeable.
6. Unhinged
Unhinged continues Jake’s life in Eastport as her past and present collide with another dangerous mystery.
By this point, Jake is no longer simply a newcomer trying to fit into a strange town. Her relationships and local knowledge have become important parts of how she approaches the crimes around her.
7. Mallets Aforethought
The title Mallets Aforethought captures one of the series’ favorite combinations: tools, construction, and murder.
Jake’s knowledge of renovation and old houses again becomes relevant as she finds herself drawn into a mystery that cannot simply be left to the police. The book continues the established Eastport cast while giving Jake another reason to put her practical skills to use.
8. Tool and Die
Tool and Die takes the series further into the world of tools and home improvement, but the real focus remains the mystery surrounding Jake.
As the series progresses, Jake’s renovation expertise has become one of her defining characteristics. Graves uses that unusual skill set to distinguish Jake from many conventional amateur detectives.
9. Nail Biter
Nail Biter continues Jake’s investigations in Eastport while bringing another dangerous problem into her increasingly complicated life.
The novel maintains the balance between a traditional murder mystery and the practical details of repairing an old home that make the series distinctive.
10. Trap Door
Trap Door is the tenth Home Repair Is Homicide mystery.
By this stage, readers are deeply familiar with Jake, Eastport, and the unusual combination of construction problems and criminal investigations. The novel continues that established world while giving readers another self-contained mystery to solve.
11. The Book of Old Houses
Old houses are at the heart of Jake’s life, so The Book of Old Houses naturally draws attention to the history hidden inside buildings and the stories attached to them.
The mystery allows Graves to explore one of the series’ recurring ideas: an old house can preserve secrets long after the people who created them are gone.
12. A Face at the Window
A Face at the Window brings Jake back into another investigation where what appears ordinary can hide something much darker.
The continuing Eastport setting remains important, but the book also benefits from the accumulated history of the characters who have surrounded Jake throughout the series.
13. Crawlspace
The title Crawlspace returns the series directly to one of the least glamorous but most useful parts of an old house.
Jake’s renovation knowledge once again intersects with murder, making the book a particularly fitting example of the formula that has carried the series through more than a decade of mysteries.
14. Knockdown
Knockdown is the fourteenth Home Repair Is Homicide novel and continues Jake’s investigations in Eastport.
At this point, the series has developed a substantial supporting cast and a strong sense of place. The result is a mystery that works both as an individual case and as another chapter in Jake’s continuing life in Maine.
15. Dead Level
Dead Level continues the Eastport mysteries with another case that brings Jake’s practical knowledge and amateur detective instincts into play.
The title again reflects the series’ fondness for construction terminology, while the story remains grounded in the relationships and community Jake has built over the previous novels.
16. A Bat in the Belfry
A Bat in the Belfry is the sixteenth and currently final book in the original Home Repair Is Homicide sequence.
It was published in 2013 and closes the main run of Jake Tiptree’s home-repair mysteries before Graves returned to the character in the Death by Chocolate books.
Death by Chocolate Mysteries in Order
The Death by Chocolate books are a spin-off from Home Repair Is Homicide. Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White move into a new chapter of their lives involving the Chocolate Moose bakery in Eastport.
Despite the lighter-sounding titles, these are still murder mysteries. The series combines cozy food-centered settings, recipes and baking with suspicious deaths and investigations. The current series contains nine books, with Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers published in April 2026.
1. Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
Jake and Ellie become involved with the Chocolate Moose bakery, where delicious desserts provide the setting for a murder investigation.
The first book establishes the new direction of Jake’s life while retaining the Eastport characters and atmosphere readers know from Home Repair Is Homicide. It is the natural continuation for anyone who has finished the original 16-book series.
2. Death by Chocolate Malted Milkshake
A wedding celebration in Eastport turns into a murder investigation when a man is poisoned.
The bakery and its treats remain central to the story, allowing Graves to mix the familiar cozy-mystery ingredients of food, community gossip, suspects, and hidden motives.
3. Death by Chocolate Frosted Doughnut
The Chocolate Moose provides another sweet setting for a decidedly less sweet mystery.
Jake and Ellie must sort through suspects and clues while Graves continues developing the bakery-centered side of their lives. The book combines the series’ coastal Maine setting with the food-focused atmosphere that distinguishes it from the original Home Repair books.
4. Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle
Death by Chocolate Snickerdoodle continues the Jake and Ellie mysteries with another case connected to the Chocolate Moose and their community.
The cozy bakery setting remains in place, but the murder investigation gives the story its darker edge.
5. Death by Chocolate Chip Cupcake
The fifth book keeps the series’ now-familiar recipe of Eastport, baking, friendship, and murder.
Jake and Ellie once again find themselves dealing with a mystery that disrupts the seemingly comfortable world surrounding the Chocolate Moose.
6. Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie
Death by Chocolate Marshmallow Pie continues the bakery mysteries while expanding the ongoing relationships among Jake, Ellie, and the wider Eastport community.
The food-centered setting gives Graves room for humor and warmth without removing the suspense at the heart of the investigation.
7. Death by Chocolate Raspberry Scone
The seventh installment continues Jake and Ellie’s adventures at the Chocolate Moose.
By this point, the series has developed its own identity within Graves’s bibliography, combining the recurring Eastport setting with food, friendship, family, and murder mysteries.
8. Death by Chocolate Pumpkin Muffin
The eighth Death by Chocolate mystery returns readers to the Chocolate Moose and the familiar combination of baking and crime.
The book was published in 2025, with a paperback edition following in 2026.
9. Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers
Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers is the ninth Death by Chocolate mystery and the latest Sarah Graves novel as of September 2026.
Published in April 2026, the story returns to Jake, Ellie, and the Chocolate Moose in Eastport, where the town’s favorite bakery becomes the setting for another deadly mystery.
Lizzie Snow Mysteries in Order
The Lizzie Snow books are separate from the Jake Tiptree stories. They follow Lizzie Snow, a former Boston homicide detective who moves to the remote Great North Woods of Maine and begins working in the small community of Bearkill.
Unlike the 16-book Home Repair series and the ongoing Death by Chocolate books, Lizzie Snow currently consists of only two novels. Penguin Random House lists both books as the Lizzie Snow series.
1. Winter at the Door
Winter at the Door introduces Lizzie Snow after her move from Boston to Bearkill, Maine.
The remote setting is a major part of the story. Lizzie is a trained homicide detective, but her new environment presents a very different kind of law-enforcement challenge from the city she left behind.
2. The Girls She Left Behind
Lizzie’s second investigation takes place against the backdrop of a dangerous forest fire and the disappearance of a teenage girl.
The mystery also gives the series more room to develop Bearkill and Lizzie’s place within the community. Penguin Random House describes the novel as the return of Lizzie Snow, now working as a sheriff’s deputy in Maine’s Great North Woods.
Should You Read Sarah Graves Books in Order?
You do not need to read every Sarah Graves novel in one giant chronological sequence.
The better approach is to read each series separately. Start with The Dead Cat Bounce for the original Home Repair Is Homicide mysteries, then continue through A Bat in the Belfry. If you want more Jake Tiptree stories, move next to Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake and continue through Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers.
The Lizzie Snow books can be read independently of Jake’s stories because Lizzie is a different protagonist in a different series.
Are Home Repair Is Homicide and Death by Chocolate Connected?
Yes. Death by Chocolate is a spin-off of Home Repair Is Homicide, with Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White returning as central characters.
That means readers who want the fullest version of Jake’s story should finish the 16 Home Repair books before starting Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake. The Death by Chocolate books then continue Jake’s world in a new setting centered around the Chocolate Moose bakery.
Sarah Graves Books at a Glance
| Series | Number of Books | Main Character | Starting Book |
| Home Repair Is Homicide | 16 | Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree | The Dead Cat Bounce |
| Death by Chocolate | 9 | Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree & Ellie White | Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake |
| Lizzie Snow | 2 | Lizzie Snow | Winter at the Door |
Together, the three series currently account for 27 novels in the main Sarah Graves bibliography, according to current series listings.
Where Should You Start With Sarah Graves?
Start with The Dead Cat Bounce for the complete Jake Tiptree journey
If you want to experience the character from the beginning, The Dead Cat Bounce is the obvious starting point. It introduces Jake, Eastport, her old house, and the central idea behind the longest-running series.
Start with Death by Chocolate for a lighter cozy-mystery atmosphere
If the combination of baking, food, small-town relationships, and murder appeals to you more than home renovation, Death by Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake gives you a direct entry into the spin-off series.
Start with Winter at the Door for police-centered suspense
Readers who prefer a professional investigator rather than an amateur sleuth can begin with Winter at the Door. Lizzie Snow’s background as a former Boston homicide detective gives this series a somewhat different crime-fiction setup.
About Sarah Graves
Sarah Graves is the pen name of American mystery novelist Mary Squibb. She is particularly associated with Eastport, Maine, where she lives with her husband near the Great North Woods. Penguin Random House identifies her as the bestselling author of the Home Repair Is Homicide series and the two Lizzie Snow novels.
Her fiction is notable for its strong sense of place. Eastport and rural Maine are not simply backgrounds for the mysteries; they influence the characters, the atmosphere, and the kinds of problems Graves’s detectives encounter.
Frequently Asked Questions About Sarah Graves Books
How many Sarah Graves books are there?
Current bibliographic listings identify 27 books across her three main series: 16 Home Repair Is Homicide mysteries, 9 Death by Chocolate mysteries, and 2 Lizzie Snow mysteries.
What is the first Sarah Graves book?
The Dead Cat Bounce is Sarah Graves’s first book and the first Home Repair Is Homicide mystery. It was originally published in 1997.
What is the newest Sarah Graves book?
The newest Sarah Graves book currently listed is Death by Chocolate Ladyfingers, published on April 28, 2026. It is the ninth Death by Chocolate mystery.
Is Death by Chocolate a sequel to Home Repair Is Homicide?
It is a spin-off rather than simply another numbered Home Repair Is Homicide book. It brings Jacobia “Jake” Tiptree and Ellie White into a new series centered on the Chocolate Moose bakery.
Is there a third Home Repair Is Homicide series?
No. The three principal Sarah Graves series currently listed are Home Repair Is Homicide, Death by Chocolate, and Lizzie Snow.
Are the Sarah Graves books cozy mysteries?
Most of Graves’s books fall within mystery and amateur-sleuth or cozy-mystery territory, particularly the Home Repair Is Homicide and Death by Chocolate books. The Lizzie Snow books have a somewhat more police-centered crime-thriller setup because Lizzie is a former Boston homicide detective.
Final Thoughts
Sarah Graves has created two very different sides of Maine mystery fiction. The Home Repair Is Homicide books turn an old house and its renovation problems into the setting for a long-running amateur-sleuth series, while Death by Chocolate gives Jake and Ellie a new home among pastries, bakery customers, and increasingly complicated murders.
For the fullest Jacobia Tiptree reading experience, follow the 16 Home Repair Is Homicide books first and then continue into the nine Death by Chocolate mysteries. If you prefer a professional investigator and a darker North Woods setting, the two Lizzie Snow novels offer a separate starting point.
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