Diane Kelly Books in Order: Every Mystery Series, from Tara Holloway to House-Flipper

Kelly has built several different mystery worlds, so you don’t have to start with her earliest book if another premise sounds more appealing.

• For a witty crime investigation: Start with the Tara Holloway series, also known as the Death and Taxes books.
• For mysteries involving a police officer and her canine partner: Try Paw Enforcement.
• For renovation projects with murder mixed in: Begin the House-Flipper Mysteries.
• For a mountain getaway that turns suspicious: Read the Mountain Lodge Mysteries.
• For small-town Southern mysteries: Choose Southern Homebrew.
• For a shorter, lighter read: Look at her novellas, short stories, and fun-sized mysteries.

Most of these series are best enjoyed in publication order because the recurring characters, relationships, and personal storylines develop over time. The good news is that you can choose one series and follow it without reading every other Diane Kelly book first.

1. Tara Holloway Books in Order

The Tara Holloway series launched Diane Kelly’s fiction career. Tara is a special agent in the U.S. Treasury Department’s Criminal Investigations Division, investigating financial crimes while dealing with complicated relationships and plenty of comic situations. The series combines criminal investigations with romantic mystery.

The shorter titles are included in the sequence below so readers who want the fuller Tara Holloway experience know where they fit.

1. Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure (2011)
2. Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte (2012)
3. Death, Taxes, and Extra-Hold Hairspray (2012)
4. Death, Taxes, and a Sequined Clutch (2012, short story)
5. Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria (2013)
6. Death, Taxes, and Hot-Pink Leg Warmers (2013)
7. Death, Taxes, and Green Tea Ice Cream (2013)
8. Death, Taxes, and Mistletoe Mayhem (2013, short story)
9. Death, Taxes, and Silver Spurs (2014)
10. Death, Taxes, and Cheap Sunglasses (2015)
11. Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli (2015)
12. Death, Taxes, and a Satin Garter (2016)
13. Death, Taxes, and Sweet Potato Fries (2017)
14. Death, Taxes, and a Shotgun Wedding (2017)
15. Death, Taxes, and Pecan Pie (2017, short story)

Where should you start?

Begin with Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure. It introduces Tara’s investigative work, her determination to catch white-collar criminals, and the personal complications that make her cases more than simple financial puzzles.

The short stories add extra moments to the series, but the main novels are the best place to begin if you want the central character arc.

2. Paw Enforcement Books in Order

Paw Enforcement follows Megan Luz, a police officer whose new partner is a dog named Brigit. The pairing gives Kelly room for both crime-solving and humor, as Brigit’s canine abilities become an important part of the investigations.

Here is the recommended sequence, including the shorter companion stories.

1. Paw Enforcement (2014)
2. Paw and Order (2014)
3. Upholding the Paw (2015, short story)
4. Laying Down the Paw (2015)
5. Against the Paw (2016)
6. Above the Paw (2016)
7. Enforcing the Paw (2017)
8. Love Unleashed (2017, short story)
9. The Long Paw of the Law (2018)
10. Paw of the Jungle (2019)
11. Bending the Paw (2020)
12. Pawfully Wedded (2024)

What makes this series different?

Megan and Brigit bring a different energy to Kelly’s mysteries. Instead of focusing on financial investigations or property renovations, these books put a police officer and her canine partner at the center of the action. Readers who enjoy animal characters alongside a proper mystery will likely find this a particularly appealing starting point.

3. House-Flipper Mysteries in Order

The House-Flipper Mysteries follow Whitney Whitaker, a carpenter and property flipper who renovates neglected houses with her cousin Buck. Renovation work becomes complicated when suspicious deaths and other crimes appear in the middle of their projects.

This series is a good match for readers who like cozy mysteries with a strong setting, a practical heroine, and a recurring cast.

1. Dead as a Door Knocker (2019)
2. Dead in the Doorway (2020)
3. Murder With a View (2021)
4. Batten Down the Belfry (2022)
5. Primer and Punishment (2023)
6. Four-Alarm Homicide (2024)
7. Dead Post Society (2025)
8. The Barn Identity (2026)

Why read the House-Flipper books in order?

The renovation projects and murder investigations provide a new hook in each installment, while Whitney’s work and relationships give the series its continuity. Starting with Dead as a Door Knocker lets you meet the characters before their lives become increasingly tangled with property deals and crime scenes.

The Barn Identity, published in 2026, is the latest installment in this series as of October 2026.

4. Busted Books in Order

The Busted series is another option for readers looking for a shorter run of mysteries. Its three titles play on the language of busts and getting caught, fitting Kelly’s fondness for humorous crime fiction.

1. Busted (2019)
2. Another Big Bust (2020)
3. Busting Out (2020)

Read these in publication order. With only three books, it is an easy series to complete if you want something shorter than the longer Tara Holloway or Paw Enforcement collections.

5. Mountain Lodge Mysteries in Order

The Mountain Lodge Mysteries move the action to a getaway setting. As the titles suggest, the books mix travel, suspicious events, and cozy crime, giving readers a change of scenery from law-enforcement work and house renovations.

1. Getaway With Murder (2021)
2. A Trip with Trouble (2022)
3. Snow Place for Murder (2023)

The setting is part of the appeal here: a trip that should offer a break from everyday life instead becomes a mystery to solve. Start with Getaway With Murder to follow the series from the beginning.

6. Southern Homebrew Mysteries in Order

This series brings the mysteries into a Southern small-town setting, with moonshine, local relationships, and trouble that doesn’t stay hidden for long. The titles offer a clear taste of the series’ regional flavor.

1. The Moonshine Shack Murder (2021)
2. The Proof Is in the Poison (2022)
3. Fiddling with Fate (2023)

These books are best read in order if you want to follow the recurring characters and their relationships. Readers who enjoy a small-town atmosphere and a touch of Southern character should put this series on their list.

7. Diane Kelly’s Standalone and Shorter Works

Not every Diane Kelly story belongs to one of her major recurring series. She has also published standalone fiction, short stories, and shorter mysteries that can be read without completing a long sequence first.

Love, Luck, and Little Green Men (2013)

This is a standalone novel rather than an entry in Tara Holloway, Paw Enforcement, or the House-Flipper series. It is an option for readers who want to try a different Diane Kelly story world.

Five Gold Smuggling Rings (2013)

This Christmas-themed short story is associated with the 12 Days of Christmas short-story listing. It is a shorter read for fans who want a seasonal mystery.

A Sappy Love Story (2016)

A short story that sits outside the main numbered novel sequences. It is a useful title to know about if you are collecting Kelly’s shorter fiction.

Wrong Address, Right Guy (2019)

Another shorter work rather than a full-length entry in one of the main mystery series.

Don’t Toy With Me (2024)

A short work listed separately from Kelly’s main novel series. Readers collecting her complete bibliography may want to include it alongside her other shorter fiction.

Too Much Boos (2026)

A fun-sized Halloween mystery announced on Kelly’s official website in August 2026. It is a timely choice for readers looking for a brief seasonal read rather than a full-length novel.

Because short stories and digital novellas can be listed differently across bibliographies, these works are best treated as supplementary reading rather than part of one master series order.

8. Other Books and Anthology Contributions

Diane Kelly has also contributed stories to the Cozy Case Files mystery sampler anthologies and other shared collections. These books contain stories by multiple authors, so they should not be confused with full-length Diane Kelly novels or with a single continuous series.

If your goal is to read her main fiction, you can prioritize the six principal series above and explore the anthology stories afterward. If you are building a comprehensive bibliography, check the individual anthology contents to confirm which volume includes her story; a listing of a collection does not necessarily mean Kelly wrote the entire book.

Diane Kelly Books: Which Series Is Longest?

The number of books differs significantly by series, which can help you decide where to begin.

These counts reflect the entries listed in each series guide, including shorter companion stories where noted. They are not a count of every anthology appearance or every separately published piece of short fiction.

About Diane Kelly

Diane Kelly is an American mystery author whose professional background includes work as a tax advisor and a state assistant attorney general. Her experience with financial and legal matters provides a natural foundation for mysteries involving fraud, investigations, and law enforcement.

Her fiction is known for combining crime-solving with humor, lively protagonists, and recurring characters whose personal lives continue alongside their cases. From Tara Holloway’s financial investigations to Megan and Brigit’s police work and Whitney Whitaker’s renovation projects, Kelly offers several different entry points for cozy mystery readers.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the first Diane Kelly book?

Her debut novel is Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure (2011), the first Tara Holloway book, also known as the Death and Taxes series.

Do I have to read all Diane Kelly series in order?

No. Each series has its own recurring characters and storyline, so you can read one series without completing the others. Within a series, publication order is the safest choice.

What is the correct order of the House-Flipper Mysteries?

Start with Dead as a Door Knocker (2019), followed by Dead in the Doorway, Murder With a View, Batten Down the Belfry, Primer and Punishment, Four-Alarm Homicide, Dead Post Society, and The Barn Identity (2026).

How many Paw Enforcement books are there?

The Paw Enforcement sequence has 12 listed entries when the shorter works Upholding the Paw and Love Unleashed are included. The full-length novels begin with Paw Enforcement and continue through Pawfully Wedded.

What is the Tara Holloway series also called?

It is often referred to as the Death and Taxes series, after the distinctive titles of its books and Tara’s work investigating financial crimes.

What is Diane Kelly’s newest House-Flipper book?

The Barn Identity, published in 2026, is the eighth House-Flipper Mystery and the latest installment listed in the series as of October 2026.

Are there any new Diane Kelly books coming out?

Yes. The Muscle Car Murder is listed by FictionDB as a forthcoming Fix-It Sisters title for April 2027. Release dates can change, so check the latest publisher or author announcement before treating that date as final.

Final Note

Diane Kelly is a good author to explore if you enjoy mysteries with personality as well as a crime to solve. For the longest-running character journey, begin with Tara Holloway. For a canine partner, try Paw Enforcement. For renovation drama and murder, choose the House-Flipper Mysteries. Pick the premise that sounds most fun, then follow that series in publication order.

Written by

Emon Anam

Hi, I’m Emon. I’m the voice and heart behind Whimsy Read. After nine years in the world of banking, I followed my passion for storytelling into the world of SEO and content strategy. Now, I blend that analytical eye with a deep love for literature to bring you book reviews that are thoughtful, honest, and always focused on the stories that stay with you. When I’m not reading or writing, you’ll find me enjoying joyful chaos with my wife and three kids, getting lost in a new series, or revisiting my old loves: theater, music, and gaming. At the end of the day, I believe great books are meant to be shared, and I’m so glad you’re here to share them with me.