Best Quilting Mystery Series (2026): 5 Compared

A quilter who finishes a cozy mystery wants the next book already lined up, and the best quilting mystery series are the ones with a book 1 that hooks and a long shelf of follow-ups. We compared five quilting mystery series by entry book, page count, series length and publication date, using only what each listing publishes.

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The picks

#	Product	Shelf Score	Buy
1	Quilt or Innocence by Craig	9.8/10	Buy
2	Tie Died by Jones	9.8/10	Buy
3	Murder, Plain and Simple by Alan	9.7/10	Buy
4	Gone but Knot Forgotten by Marks	9.7/10	Buy
5	Quilters of the Door by Hazelwood	9.6/10	Buy

1

Quilt or Innocence by Craig

Elizabeth Craig·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of an 18-book Southern quilting mystery series with quilting tips, suited to cozy mystery readers starting a long series; skip it if you want a standalone.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 18, the longest series here
• 304 pages with quilting tips included
• First edition from Berkley, June 5, 2012

Cons

• A murder drives the plot, per the description
• 2012 publication, the oldest here
• No reading age or grade level is stated

2

Tie Died by Jones

Carol Dean Jones·9.8/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of a 12-book quilting cozy series with cover quilt instructions, suited to readers who like retirement-community settings; skip it if you prefer grittier mysteries.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 12 with complete cover quilt instructions
• 248 pages, the shortest full novel here
• C&T Publishing, September 5, 2018

Cons

• A murder drives the plot, per the description
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Only book 1 is listed here

3

Murder, Plain and Simple by Alan

Isabella Alan·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of a 5-book Amish quilt shop mystery, suited to readers who like Amish settings with their cozies; skip it if you want an urban setting.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 5, a clean series entry point
• 368 pages, the longest novel here
• Berkley, September 3, 2013

Cons

• A murder drives the plot, per the description
• No reading age or grade level is stated
• Only book 1 is listed here

4

Gone but Knot Forgotten by Marks

Mary Marks·9.7/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 3 of a 9-book quilting mystery series, 288 pages, suited to readers already following Martha Rose; skip it as a series entry point.

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Pros

• Book 3 of 9 in an established series
• 288 pages, first edition from Kensington
• August 25, 2015 publication stated

Cons

• Mid-series entry, weaker as a starting point
• A murder drives the plot, per the description
• No reading age or grade level is stated

5

Quilters of the Door by Hazelwood

Ann Hazelwood·9.6/10 Shelf Score

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The Shelf Score runs from 9.2 to 9.8 and weighs fit for the reader or goal (35 points), contents and edition (25), value (25) and listed reading age or level (10, where the listing gives one), using only what the book listing states. How we pick ›

Book 1 of a 5-book Door County quilts series focused on community and romance, suited to readers who want quilting fiction without a murder plot; a weak fit for a mystery list.

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Pros

• Book 1 of 5 in the Door County Quilts series
• C&T Publishing, August 25, 2020
• Quilting club setting with a quilt artist lead

Cons

• The description centers on romance and new love, not a mystery
• No page count is stated
• No reading age or grade level is stated

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More picks to compare

• Knot Ready for Murder by MarksSuits series followers; book 9 of 9, Martha's wedding plans unravel.Check on Amazon
• Patch of Trouble by CraigSuits Beatrice Coleman fans; book 6 of 18, a cold case.Check on Amazon
• Knot What You Think by MarksSuits Martha Rose fans; book 5 of 9, 320 pages.Check on Amazon
• Shear Trouble by CraigSuits series fans; book 4 of 18, reading age 18 and up.Check on Amazon
• Seaming Uncertainty by MykelSuits cozy fans; book 8 of 10, 194 pages.Check on Amazon

Compare the picks

Book details as published on each listing, collected 19 October 2026.

How we scored them

The Shelf Score weighs fit for the reader, contents and edition, value, and the listed reading age or level where one is given. None of the five picks lists a reading age or grade level. How we pick explains the weights.

Scores run from 9.2 to 9.8: each book’s point total is placed on that range, so more points always means a higher score. Reading age or level counts on a list where at least one listing gives one, and a book whose listing gives none then scores zero on it. Where no listing gives one, the score is taken over the other 85 points. Books carry no warranty, so warranty is not scored.

How to choose the best quilting mystery series

Start at book 1

Four of these picks are series openers: Quilt or Innocence is book 1 of 18, Tie Died is book 1 of 12, and Murder, Plain and Simple is book 1 of 5. Gone but Knot Forgotten is book 3 of 9, so it suits readers already following Martha Rose. Starting at book 1 keeps the character introductions in order. For more whodunits, see our thriller and mystery lists.

Pick the setting you like

The settings are the real choice here. Quilt or Innocence works a Southern quilting guild in North Carolina, Tie Died moves into a retirement community, Murder, Plain and Simple settles into an Amish quilt shop in Ohio, and Gone but Knot Forgotten follows an estate executor. If you like amateur sleuths in other crafts, our mystery series with female protagonists list has more.

Check the listing details

Page counts run from 248 to 368 pages, except Quilters of the Door, which states no page count. Publication dates run from June 5, 2012 to August 25, 2020. Two listings state a first edition, and two include quilting content: Tie Died includes cover quilt instructions and Quilt or Innocence includes quilting tips.

Before you buy

• Confirm the series position on the listing; four of these are book 1, one is book 3.
• Check the edition and publication date, since reprints can differ.
• Note the content line: each of these descriptions centers on a murder, so check it suits the reader.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which series is the longest here?

The Southern Quilting Mysteries run to 18 books, per the Quilt or Innocence listing. The Quilting Cozy series lists 12 books and the Quilting Mysteries list 9.

Which book should I start with?

Start at book 1 of whichever series appeals: Quilt or Innocence, Tie Died and Murder, Plain and Simple are all book 1. Gone but Knot Forgotten is book 3 of 9.

Do any include quilting patterns?

Tie Died includes complete instructions for the cover quilt, and Quilt or Innocence includes quilting tips. The other three listings state no patterns.

Still deciding? Our top pickQuilt or Innocence by Craig

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Related lists

See every thriller and mystery list and all fiction lists.

More lists: recent mystery series, mystery classics, mystery book club picks.