Kate Collins Books in Order: Flower Shop Mysteries and More
Kate Collins has a knack for turning ordinary places into crime scenes. A flower shop, a garden center, or a familiar neighborhood can become the center of a murder investigation, especially when the people involved have secrets they would rather keep buried.
Her books are particularly appealing to readers who like amateur sleuths, small-town settings, witty dialogue, and mysteries that balance suspense with humor. Alongside her two cozy mystery series, Collins has written shorter companion stories, children’s books, and historical romances under the pen name Linda O’Brien.
Flower Shop Mysteries in Order
The Flower Shop Mysteries follow Abby Knight, a florist who finds herself investigating crimes in her Indiana community. Abby’s business brings her into contact with all kinds of people, and her curiosity often leads her into situations that are far more dangerous than arranging flowers.
The series has a continuing cast and evolving relationships, so publication order is the best way to read it.
The 22 main books
1. Mum’s the Word (2004)
Abby Knight owns a flower shop in her hometown, but running a business is not the only challenge in her life. After a hit-and-run involving Abby and her Corvette, she begins investigating the incident and discovers that the danger may be much more serious than it first appears.
This first book introduces Abby’s personality, her determination, and the cozy mystery world that makes the series so enjoyable.
2. Slay It with Flowers (2005)
Abby’s flower business continues to bring her into contact with people whose private lives are more complicated than they seem. The second mystery builds on the setting and characters introduced in the debut, with Abby’s curiosity once again putting her close to trouble.
3. Dearly Depotted (2005)
The third novel continues Abby’s adventures as a florist and amateur sleuth. As her relationships and reputation develop, another mystery tests her ability to recognize when something is wrong beneath the surface of everyday life.
4. Snipped in the Bud (2006)
Abby returns for another investigation involving suspicious circumstances and people with competing motives. The book continues the series’ blend of humor, small-town familiarity, and murder mystery.
5. Acts of Violets (2007)
During the annual Pickle Fest, Abby’s boyfriend Marco disappears for a day. When he returns, he is suspected of killing a clown, and Abby must find a way to prove his innocence.
The case also adds to the growing importance of Abby and Marco’s relationship.
6. A Rose from the Dead (2007)
Abby’s flower shop remains a source of business opportunities and unexpected trouble. This installment brings another suspicious death into her orbit, giving her a new set of clues and motives to untangle.
7. Shoots to Kill (2008)
The seventh book continues Abby’s investigations in her Indiana community. The familiar mix of suspicious characters, hidden motives, and Abby’s determination to get answers drives the mystery.
8. Evil in Carnations (2009)
Abby once again finds that her work as a florist places her close to people whose lives are far from peaceful. The novel keeps the series’ light, witty tone while introducing another crime for her to investigate.
9. Sleeping with Anemone (2010)
This installment continues the series’ blend of botanical wordplay and murder mystery. Abby must look beyond the surface of the people around her to understand what has happened and why.
10. Dirty Rotten Tendrils (2010)
The tenth novel brings Abby into another mystery shaped by secrets and complicated relationships. Readers who enjoy the continuing cast will appreciate how the series maintains its familiar atmosphere while giving Abby a fresh case.
11. Night of the Living Dandelion (2011)
Abby’s investigative instincts are put to work again as another case disrupts the everyday routines of her community. The title reflects the playful plant-themed naming that has become a trademark of the series.
12. To Catch a Leaf (2011)
The twelfth book continues Abby’s adventures, with another mystery testing her ability to follow clues and make sense of the people involved. It is best read in sequence because the characters and relationships have developed considerably since the first book.
13. Nightshade on Elm Street (2012)
Abby returns to investigate another crime in her familiar community. As with the earlier books, the mystery depends on looking past appearances and figuring out which people have reasons to conceal the truth.
14. Seed No Evil (2013)
The fourteenth installment continues the Flower Shop Mysteries with another case for Abby. Her determination to uncover the truth remains central, while the continuing cast gives longtime readers a sense of returning to familiar company.
15. Throw in the Trowel (2014)
Abby takes on another investigation that brings danger into the orbit of her flower shop and personal life. The novel continues the series’ mix of amateur sleuthing, humor, and small-town secrets.
16. A Root Awakening (2015)
This installment brings another suspicious situation into Abby’s life. Readers who have followed the series from the beginning will recognize the familiar balance between her business, relationships, and habit of investigating matters that others might prefer to leave alone.
17. Florist Grump (2015)
Abby’s world is once again disrupted by a mystery involving the people around her. The book maintains the series’ lighthearted approach to crime while continuing the development of its recurring characters.
18. Moss Hysteria (2016)
Abby returns for another case in which the ordinary routines of her community conceal more troubling events. The title captures the playful wordplay that runs through the series, while the mystery gives Abby another reason to ask difficult questions.
19. Yews with Caution (2017)
Abby and Marco’s world continues to expand as the pair encounter another complicated investigation. This book marks the end of the original numbered sequence as it appeared in the publisher’s early series listings, before the later independently published novels continued the story.
20. Kick the Bouquet (2023)
Thanksgiving is approaching, but Abby has more than holiday preparations to worry about. When Marco’s landlord is murdered and Marco becomes a prime suspect, Abby must investigate to protect someone close to her.
This is a particularly useful entry for readers interested in Abby and Marco’s later life together.
21. Roses Are Dead, Violets Are Blue (2024)
Abby and her familiar circle return for another cozy mystery in New Chapel. The book continues the series’ emphasis on small-town relationships, suspicious behavior, and the secrets that can turn an ordinary day into a murder investigation.
22. A Vase in the Window (2025)
A gunshot rings out from a neighbor’s garage, and Abby’s assistant Lottie’s teenage son becomes a prime suspect. Meanwhile, Marco investigates break-ins affecting the courthouse square.
The latest main novel brings Abby and Marco together on separate investigative paths, with a vase in a window offering an important clue.
Flower Shop Mysteries reading checklist
- Mum’s the Word
- Slay It with Flowers
- Dearly Depotted
- Snipped in the Bud
- Acts of Violets
- A Rose from the Dead
- Shoots to Kill
- Evil in Carnations
- Sleeping with Anemone
- Dirty Rotten Tendrils
- Night of the Living Dandelion
- To Catch a Leaf
- Nightshade on Elm Street
- Seed No Evil
- Throw in the Trowel
- A Root Awakening
- Florist Grump
- Moss Hysteria
- Yews with Caution
- Kick the Bouquet
- Roses Are Dead, Violets Are Blue
- A Vase in the Window
Flower Shop Mysteries Novellas and Short Fiction
The main novels are not the entire story. Collins has also published shorter adventures featuring Abby and her circle. These are optional, but readers who want a more complete series experience can fit them around the main books.
Missing Under the Mistletoe (2018)
This Christmas novella offers a shorter seasonal mystery in Abby’s world. Read it after the earlier novels if you want to experience the series in publication order.
Tulips Too Late (2018)
Another short Flower Shop Mystery, this spring-themed novella provides an additional adventure beyond the numbered novels.
A Frond in Need (2020)
This summer novella gives readers another chance to spend time with Abby and the series’ familiar characters. It is an optional addition rather than a required step in the central sequence.
Till Death Do Us Pot (2020)
This fall novella adds another short mystery to the series. Readers who enjoy the seasonal stories can read it alongside the other companion works.
The Jillian Knight Osborne Fashionista Diaries (2020)
This short story takes a different approach, following Jillian Knight Osborne through a week of fashion, fitness, and lifestyle advice. It is a companion piece rather than a full-length Abby Knight mystery.
Suggested approach: Read the main novels first, then add the novellas in their original publication order. If you’re collecting everything, remember that the short fiction is not always numbered as part of the main series.
Goddess of Greene St. Mysteries in Order
The Goddess of Greene St. Mysteries series follows Athena Spencer, a single mother who works at her family’s garden center in Michigan. Athena has a knack for uncovering clues, and her Greek-American family and local community provide the setting for a different flavor of cozy mystery.
This series is separate from the Flower Shop Mysteries, although the two worlds eventually cross over.
1. Statue of Limitations (2020)
The first book introduces Athena Spencer and the family garden center where she works. The story establishes the family dynamics and community setting that shape the series, along with Athena’s emerging reputation for solving crimes.
It is the right starting point if you want to meet Athena before the later books expand her world.
2. A Big Fat Greek Murder (2020)
Athena is back in Michigan, working at the family garden center while raising a pet raccoon and investigating suspicious events. The second book builds on the family-centered setting and gives Athena another mystery to solve.
3. Big Trouble in Little Greektown (2021)
Athena invites Case Donnelly, who has recently relocated from Pittsburgh and is awaiting his private investigator’s license, to accompany her to a fundraiser and art festival. When a disgraced photographer’s body is discovered during a nature walk, the outing turns into a murder investigation.
The book develops Athena’s connections with Case while continuing the series’ blend of family, community, and crime-solving.
4. Gone But Not for Garden (2023)
This fourth book is a crossover between Goddess of Greene St. and the Flower Shop Mysteries. Athena Spencer and flower-shop owner Abby Knight Salvare meet when a new investigation brings their crime-solving interests together.
For readers who follow both series, this is the most important crossover title. You can understand the basic mystery on its own, but knowing the two heroines beforehand makes the meeting more rewarding.
Goddess of Greene St. checklist
- Statue of Limitations
- A Big Fat Greek Murder
- Big Trouble in Little Greektown
- Gone But Not for Garden
Kate Collins Books Written as Linda O’Brien
Before becoming known for cozy mysteries, Kate Collins wrote historical romance novels under the pen name Linda O’Brien. These books are separate from her mystery series and can be read independently.
The four titles commonly listed under this earlier name are:
1. Promised to a Stranger (1998)
A historical romance about a woman who takes another person’s identity to escape danger and agrees to marry a man she has never met. Her plan becomes complicated when she falls for the groom’s brother.
2. Courting Claire (1999)
Claire Cavanaugh returns home to find her family in financial trouble. She accepts help from Tyler McCane, a man whose interests initially appear to conflict with her own.
3. His Forbidden Touch (2000)
This historical romance explores attraction complicated by social expectations and personal circumstances. It belongs to Collins’s earlier romance bibliography rather than her cozy mystery work.
4. Beloved Protector (2001)
Another historical romance from the Linda O’Brien period, this title offers readers a way to explore Collins’s earlier writing before she became best known for amateur sleuth mysteries.
These books do not need to be read in any particular order. If your primary interest is Kate Collins’s cozy mysteries, they are optional reading.
Kate Collins’s Children’s Books
Collins has also written books for younger readers. They are separate from her adult mystery and romance work.
Jason Jerviss at Your Service (2010)
A children’s book that showcases another side of Collins’s writing beyond the cozy mystery genre.
Janey Webster, E.B. (Experienced Babysitter) (2010)
This children’s title follows a different audience and storytelling style from the Abby Knight mysteries.
These books are worth including in a complete bibliography, but they are not connected to either of Collins’s mystery series.
Cookbooks and Collaborative Works
Kate Collins has also been associated with collaborative cookbooks produced with other cozy mystery authors.
- The Cozy Chicks Kitchen (2012)
- Tea Time with the Cozy Chicks (2015)
- The Cozy Chicks Picnic (2021)
These are collaborative works, not solo Kate Collins novels. They may appeal to readers who enjoy the food and hospitality themes often associated with cozy mysteries.
Which Kate Collins Series Should You Read First?
If you are new to her work, choose based on the setting and the type of sleuth you prefer.
| If you enjoy… | Start with… |
| A florist who solves murders | Mum’s the Word |
| A family-run garden center and Greek-American family life | Statue of Limitations |
| Reading the two mystery worlds together | Read both series, then Gone But Not for Garden |
| Short seasonal mysteries | Missing Under the Mistletoe |
| Historical romance | Promised to a Stranger under Linda O’Brien |
For most readers, the Flower Shop Mysteries are the natural first choice. They introduce Abby Knight and her world, and the series offers the largest collection of connected books.
If you prefer a more family-centered setting, Goddess of Greene St. is a good alternative. Readers who enjoy both should save Gone But Not for Garden until they have met Abby and Athena.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Flower Shop Mystery books are there?
The series has 22 main novels through A Vase in the Window (2025). Collins has also published four named novellas and a short story, so the total is larger if you count every companion work separately.
What is the first Kate Collins book?
Her first Flower Shop Mystery is Mum’s the Word, published in 2004. She also published historical romances earlier under the name Linda O’Brien, beginning with Promised to a Stranger in 1998.
Do I need to read the Flower Shop Mysteries in order?
The central murder cases can generally be understood individually, but publication order is recommended because Abby’s relationships and the recurring cast develop over time.
Is Goddess of Greene St. connected to the Flower Shop Mysteries?
Yes. The series follows a different protagonist, Athena Spencer, but Gone But Not for Garden is a crossover featuring Abby Knight Salvare. Reading both series before the crossover will give you more context.
What is the newest Kate Collins book?
As of October 2026, the latest main Flower Shop Mystery listed on the author’s official website is A Vase in the Window, published in April 2025. The official site also lists the four-book Goddess of Greene St. sequence, ending with Gone But Not for Garden (2023).
Did Kate Collins write books under another name?
Yes. She wrote historical romance novels as Linda O’Brien. Titles commonly listed under that name include Promised to a Stranger, Courting Claire, His Forbidden Touch, and Beloved Protector.
Are Kate Collins’s books cozy mysteries?
Her best-known series, Flower Shop Mysteries and Goddess of Greene St. Mysteries, are cozy mysteries. They focus on amateur sleuths, community relationships, and murder investigations without relying on the graphic tone often found in darker crime fiction.
About Kate Collins
Kate Collins is a New York Times bestselling American author best known for the Flower Shop Mystery series. She grew up in Indiana and worked as an elementary school teacher before turning to writing. Her background in children’s stories and historical romance preceded her success in cozy mystery fiction.
Collins’s books often feature lively amateur sleuths, familiar communities, humor, and an emphasis on character relationships. Through Abby Knight and Athena Spencer, she has built two distinct mystery worlds that share an interest in ordinary people becoming involved in extraordinary crimes.
Final Note
If you want to read Kate Collins in order, start with Mum’s the Word and continue through the Flower Shop Mysteries. Then try Statue of Limitations for Athena Spencer’s garden-center mysteries, and read Gone But Not for Garden after meeting both heroines. The novellas, children’s books, and Linda O’Brien romances offer more to explore once you’ve found the part of Collins’s bibliography you enjoy most.
Leave a Reply