Barbara Burnett Smith Books In Order

Publication Order of Kitzi Camden Mystery Books

Publication Order of Purple Sage Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Barbara Burnett Smith
Barbara Burnett Smith is best known for her novels set in Purple Sage, a fictional Texas town. She penned cozy mysteries. Titles of her novels were taken from Zane Grey book titles and then slightly modified.

Barbara wrote mysteries, taught mystery writing, and she even worked as voice over talent on Austin radio commercials. She also owned Catalyst Training & Development, which is a company which ran communication training workshops and classes. She was once a president of the international Sisters in Crime literary group.

On February 19, 2005, she and Gary Petry (her husband) drove to San Antonio in order to rescue this Airedale terrier. While on their way back, they stopped off at a local bookstore and the dog hopped out of the car. However they had a tough time coaxing him back. It was raining and dark, and Smith, who was wearing dark clothing, stepped out into the street. She was hit by a car and then taken to the hospital, where she was pronounced brain dead.

“Writers of the Purple Sage” is the first novel in the “Purple Sage” series and was released in 1994. Judge Volney Osler was a well-liked and respected resident of Purple Sage, Texas, or at least that is what most people believed, right up until the day he was murdered. But unfortunately for Jolie Wyatt (an aspiring writer) the murder was an exact copy of this one that she had outlined in her novel-in-progress. And just who had a fight with the judge in the middle of town only the day before but Jolie?

Eager to deflect all suspicion from herself, Jolie (who is a relative newcomer to this small town) starts investigating and focusing reluctantly on the members from her writing group and the assistant chief of police, all of whom had access to her manuscript and knew about this unusual murder method of hers. In the meantime, she still must contend with this typically contrary teen son of hers, her ongoing job search, and confusion about her relationship with Matt Wyatt, her rancher ex-husband.

A small town keeps its secrets close, however Jolie perseveres in digging, just to find more than a few people with reason enough to murder the judge, and possibly herself too.

“Dust Devils of the Purple Sage” is the second novel in the “Purple Sage” series and was released in 1995. Back in the saddle again.

With a solved murder behind her, which is a worthy credit for any fledgling mystery writer, Jolie now works as a newscaster for this local radio station. The news is just as hot as the blazing Texas sun: James Jorgenson (a local boy and escaped convict) is believed to be heading right for Purple Sage.

This college kid is discovered dead, everybody believes that it was Jorgenson, even Jolie’s teen son vows to catch the person that murdered his longtime pal. However Jolie is currently riding on a different trail which is leading her right to a killer. She might even get a new way to experience the mystery of murder. As a corpse this time.

“Celebration in Purple Sage” is the third novel in the “Purple Sage” series and was released in 1996. Only thing worse than in-laws? Murder!

Jolie’s world is being turned upside down, as her in-laws are returning to town. Will and Edith are totally kind and decent people, however Jolie’s always felt that in their eyes she pales in comparison to their son’s first wife. And Jolie’s panic about the arrival of Matt’s parents doesn’t help their relationship too much either.

The reason for their homecoming is tiny Purple Sage’s Centennial Celebration and reunion of old residents, which includes many of the German soldiers that were interned at the POW camp closeby during WWII. Also returning is Cecily, Matt’s former wife, who is only a little too elegant and charming for Jolie’s comfort.

Jolie is up to her ears in family crises both imagined and real, however she might go under once murder enters into the picture. Vera Meece, an organizer of the celebration, is shot to death, and Jolie’s good buddy Sheriff Mac Donelly is seriously wounded. Attempting to uncover the motive for such brutal attacks, Jolie has to look to the past to keep this killer from striking again.

“Mauve & Murder” is the first stand alone novel and was released in 2000. Roger “Wonderful” Weber (as Austin’s popular morning drive radio personality) was the biggest jerk that Cassie Ferris (his co-anchor) had ever met in her life. However the fans seemed to like all of their verbal sparring and Cassie needed a paycheck. However off the air, this demeaning and arrogant was just as popular as poison. Which is ironically how he died after he ate this contaminated canape at the opening of the city’s hot new video dating club.

Cassie now finds herself up at the top of the cops’ suspect list. After all, his calculated barbs hit everyone’s softest and sorest spots and she has got a couple of incredibly regrettable moments in past. Even worse, her teen daughter’s getting questioned, also, for reasons which have Cassie working overtime in order to solve this crime before a clever killer is able to take her off of the air. Permanently.

“Bead on Trouble” is the first novel in the “Beading Mystery” series and was released in 2005. Kitzi Camden is a former stateswoman. She retired with the hopes of doing what she loves best: beading. She definitely didn’t plan on trying her hand at amateur sleuthing. However trouble seems to be finding her wherever she goes as of late. Even deep into the woods.

Camp Green Clover, Texas. Best friends Beth and Kitzi met at camp when they were 8 years old and have returned every year for a weekend of bunk beds and beading. This year, though, a big named contractor is at the retreat, incognito and is looking for some new talent. Now, some formerly happy campers fight tooth-and-nail, hiding their work from one another, and even stealing. Then May Feather, renowned beader, actually winds up dead.

There are just about as many suspects at Green Clover as there are beads in Kitzi’s bag. And everybody has to stay at the camp until the cops can interview them, unless they are looking to trade their friendship bracelets in for handcuffs. Kitzi’s got just a few ideas and is going to follow her hunches, cops or no cops. However this elusive murderer seems determined to just string everybody along.