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Cynthia Baxter Books in Order

Explore Cynthia Baxter books in order, from her cozy mysteries to earlier Cynthia Blair novels, with summaries, series background, and easy where-to-start picks.

Last updated: July 7, 2026

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58 books

Lovers Choice

by Cynthia Baxter

1981

An early romance about choosing between the life that looks right and the relationship that feels right. Blair keeps the focus on emotion, independence, and difficult decisions.

Once There Was a Fat Girl

by Cynthia Baxter

1981

Martha Nowicki has drifted into settling for less, at work, in love, and in how she sees herself. When she is dumped and passed over for a promotion, change comes fast, and suddenly her life gets far more complicated.

Commitment

by Cynthia Baxter

1982

A contemporary relationship story about promises, pressure, and what it really means to build a future with someone. The emotional stakes matter more than the easy answer.

Forever Rainbows

by Cynthia Baxter

1982

Diana seems to have it all, a Harvard MBA, a strong career, and a polished long-distance love affair. When that life collapses, she has to decide whether the next chance at happiness is worth trusting.

Battle Scars

by Cynthia Baxter

1983

Old wounds do not stay buried in this early contemporary novel about love, damage, and starting over. Blair leans into the emotional cost of trust.

Beautiful Dreamer

by Cynthia Baxter

1983

Psychiatric nurse Jeannie Freeley is torn between Tommy Franklin, a patient who understands her, and Steve Lambertson, a doctor who says he loves her. It is a compact romance about care, desire, and difficult judgment calls.

Just Married

by Cynthia Baxter

1984

The wedding may be over, but the real complications are just beginning. Blair turns newlywed life into a smart, fast-moving romance about compromise, expectations, and growing up.

The Banana Split Affair

by Cynthia Baxter

1984

Shy Susan and outgoing Christine Pratt decide to trade places and see what the other one's life is really like. Instead of easy fun, the switch brings crushes, confusion, and a few hard lessons.

All Our Secrets

by Cynthia Baxter

1985

Set in the high-pressure world of a major advertising agency, this novel follows a woman whose professional polish hides a much messier private life. Ambition, attraction, and secrecy keep colliding.

The Hot Fudge Sunday Affair

by Cynthia Baxter

1985

When outgoing Chris is chosen queen of the town's Centennial Week, she and Susan decide to share the spotlight by taking turns being Chris. Romance and a jealous rival make the secret hard to keep.

Starstruck

by Cynthia Baxter

1986

Shy sixteen-year-old Lisa Wade wins a date with rock star Flash Robinson and suddenly becomes the center of attention at school. A crisis involving her best friend forces her to rethink what really matters.

Strawberry Summer

by Cynthia Baxter

1986

Teen twins Christine and Susan Pratt are thrilled to work as counselors at Camp Pinewood. When sabotage threatens to shut the camp down, they put their sleuthing skills to work.

The Pumpkin Principle

by Cynthia Baxter

1986

Chris and Susan Pratt are back with more school drama, switching, and trouble than either of them planned. The fun comes from watching the twins improvise when their latest scheme starts to wobble.

Freedom to Dream

by Cynthia Baxter

1987

Katy Morris is a normal Philadelphia teenager until an accident hurls her back to 1787. Suddenly she is witnessing the making of the Constitution and learning how different freedom looks up close.

Marshmallow Masquerade

by Cynthia Baxter

1987

With the homecoming dance coming up, the Pratt twins decide they need inside information on boys. Chris disguises herself as cousin Charlie, and the plan becomes one of the series' funniest identity games.

The Candy Cane Caper

by Cynthia Baxter

1987

Chris and Susan Pratt head to snowy Vermont for Christmas at their grandparents' house. Holiday cheer quickly mixes with mystery when the twins try to solve a problem threatening the local children's hospital.

Three of Us

by Cynthia Baxter

1987

Three lives stay tightly linked as love, loyalty, and long-buried feelings force everyone to choose what matters most. It is an intimate relationship story with plenty of emotional friction.

Crazy in Love

by Cynthia Baxter

1988

A quick, emotional teen novel about crushes, confusion, and the gap between fantasy and real affection. Blair captures how fast love can feel, and how messy it can get.

The Double-Dip Disguise

by Cynthia Baxter

1988

Another identity swap turns the Pratt twins loose on a bigger mystery, where a polished household hides uglier secrets. Chris and Susan use their usual tricks and quick thinking to expose the truth.

The Pink Lemonade Charade

by Cynthia Baxter

1988

A school trip to Washington, D.C., turns dangerous when the Pratt twins cross paths with a beautiful Russian ballet dancer who has a secret. Their identical faces become an advantage in a high-stakes game.

Summer House

by Cynthia Baxter

1989

Three generations of the Gilbert family gather at their summer house after the family patriarch has a health scare. Old resentments, shifting alliances, and long-kept secrets make the reunion anything but restful.

The Apple Pie Adventure

by Cynthia Baxter

1989

The Pratt twins head to New York for college and art school, only to get pulled into the secret side of the city art world. Suspicions of stolen antiquities turn their big move into a real adventure.

The Popcorn Project

by Cynthia Baxter

1989

While visiting California, Chris and Susan Pratt are asked to keep an eye on a movie executive's daughter. What begins as a favor turns into another mystery, complete with Hollywood nerves and suspicious behavior.

Close to Home

by Cynthia Baxter

1990

Jessica MacAllister leaves her career for suburban wife-and-mother life and quickly learns it is not as simple as it looks. When her real-estate agent is murdered, she starts investigating and questioning her own choices.

The Jelly Bean Scheme

by Cynthia Baxter

1990

Chris and Susan Pratt travel to New Orleans for a history competition and find far more than sightseeing. A missing friend, a treasure map, and a touch of voodoo pull the twins into one of their biggest adventures.

The Lollipop Plot

by Cynthia Baxter

1990

When the mayor of the twins' hometown receives a threatening letter, Chris and Susan step in. Their talent for acting and impersonation becomes the key to cracking the case.

Going Solo

by Cynthia Baxter

1991

Three girls spend a summer at a music camp for talented teens, each arriving with a different dream and a different fear. Ambition, friendship, and first love all get tested once camp begins.

The Coconut Connection

by Cynthia Baxter

1991

The Pratt twins head into another lively adventure where travel, confusion, and quick improvising keep the danger moving. Chris and Susan solve problems the way they always do, together and under pressure.

There's No Such Thing as a Haunted House

by Cynthia Baxter

1991

The Bubble Gum Gang sets out to prove that a haunted house is only a rumor. The deeper they dig, the more they realize something genuinely strange is going on.

A Summer in Paris

by Cynthia Baxter

1992

Three very different girls head to Paris on a summer exchange and discover that travel can magnify every crush, insecurity, and secret. Romance and self-discovery unfold against a dream destination.

Chocolate Is My Middle Name

by Cynthia Baxter

1992

Carla and the Bubble Gum Gang stumble into another kid-sized mystery where sweets, gossip, and trouble mix in equal measure. It is a quick middle grade adventure built on friendship and curiosity.

Temptation

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

Feisty Rachel Swann is juggling work, family, and the hope of a real writing career when temptation in more than one form upends her plans. It is women's fiction with romance, risk, and a sharp eye for messy choices.

The Beast

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

This early horror novel takes a familiar fear and turns it into something much more immediate and dangerous. Blair keeps the pace fast as dread gives way to survival.

The Curse

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

Garth is bound to an ancient curse, and the closer he gets to the truth about his ancestry, the more dangerous his life becomes. This first Dark Moon Legacy book mixes teen romance with real supernatural dread.

The Rebellion

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

Garth tries to fight the evil tied to his bloodline and choose his own future. The final Dark Moon Legacy book raises the stakes from discovery to open resistance.

The Seduction

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

After Garth reveals the truth about his dark heritage, Miranda is pulled deeper into his world. Power, fear, and temptation start to look dangerously similar.

The Trap

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

A seemingly ordinary situation tightens into a nightmare in this brisk teen horror novel. The tension comes from realizing too late that escape may be much harder than anyone thought.

Warning: Baby-Sitting May Be Hazardous to Your Health

by Cynthia Baxter

1993

A babysitting job turns unexpectedly strange and drags the Bubble Gum Gang into another mystery. What should have been easy money becomes a test of nerve, teamwork, and quick thinking.

Buried Treasure... In My Own Attic

by Cynthia Baxter

1994

An old trunk full of dresses and hats sends the Bubble Gum Gang chasing a mystery much closer to home than expected. Family history, hidden clues, and the promise of treasure keep the adventure moving.

Molly and the Great American Family

by Cynthia Baxter

1994

Molly thinks her big family is full of lovable eccentrics, until everyday life turns into one crisis after another. With her mother away and her sisters in constant motion, Molly has to keep her balance in the middle of the chaos.

Alaska Adventure

by Cynthia Baxter

1995

College freshman Laurel Adams joins a summer research project deep in the Alaskan wilderness. When she learns poachers are killing brown bears, curiosity gives way to real danger.

Once More with Feeling

by Cynthia Baxter

1996

Laura Briggs learns her husband has a secret life while she is planning their fifteenth anniversary party. Divorce, Alaska, and the possibility of starting over turn this into a warm, funny story about second chances.

Dead Canaries Don't Sing

by Cynthia Baxter

2004

Mobile vet Jessica Popper answers a house call near a horse farm and discovers a body with the help of her dogs, Lou and Max. A dead canary becomes the first clue in a case that refuses to stay quiet.

Putting On The Dog

by Cynthia Baxter

2004

A charity dog show in Long Island's East End looks like a pleasant outing for Jessica Popper and her canine sidekicks. Then a celebrity photographer is killed, and Jessica has to nose through a crowd of glamorous suspects.

Lead a Horse to Murder

by Cynthia Baxter

2005

Jessica Popper is drawn into the polished but prickly world of polo and horse shows in the Long Island Bromptons. Behind the money and manners, somebody is willing to kill to keep secrets buried.

Hare Today, Dead Tomorrow

by Cynthia Baxter

2006

A fresh case pulls Jessica Popper into another tangle of Long Island rivalries, nerves, and murder. What looks minor at first grows steadily more dangerous as she follows the clues.

Right from the Gecko

by Cynthia Baxter

2007

Jessica Popper and Nick Burby head to Maui for a veterinary conference and some badly needed romance. Paradise loses its shine when murder intrudes and Jessica finds herself sleuthing far from home.

Who's Kitten Who?

by Cynthia Baxter

2007

Jessica Popper's life is already crowded with patients, pets, and complications, and a new killing only makes things worse. As suspects pile up, she has to decide who is merely difficult and who is truly dangerous.

Monkey See, Monkey Die

by Cynthia Baxter

2008

Veterinarian Jessica Popper gets pulled into another Long Island murder, where odd behavior and human motives make a messy puzzle. She will need patience, nerve, and help from her loyal pets to spot the killer.

Murder Packs a Suitcase

by Cynthia Baxter

2008

Recently widowed Mallory Marlowe takes a new job as a travel writer and heads to Orlando in search of a fresh start. When a fellow journalist is murdered, Mallory becomes a suspect and has to solve the case herself.

Murder Had a Little Lamb

by Cynthia Baxter

2009

Jessica Popper's wedding to Nick Burby is interrupted by the murder of a long-lost relative. The clues lead her to an elite Long Island school where polished appearances hide rivalries, politics, and something much darker.

Too Rich and Too Dead

by Cynthia Baxter

2009

Travel writer Mallory Marlowe heads for a luxury getaway expecting good copy and a little glamour. Instead she lands in a rich, brittle social circle where money, ego, and murder make a dangerous mix.

Crossing the Lion

by Cynthia Baxter

2010

Newly married Jessica Popper heads to stormy Solitude Island to look into a suspicious death in the Merrywood family. Secret passageways, old money, and a house full of hidden motives turn the case into a gothic-flavored trap.

The Housesitter

by Cynthia Baxter

2011

A woman takes what should be a simple housesitting job and soon begins to feel watched. The setup is quiet, creepy, and built on the fear that the safest place in sight may be anything but safe.

Murder with a Cherry on Top

by Cynthia Baxter

2018

Kate McKay returns to her Hudson Valley hometown to care for her grandmother and open an ice cream shop. But when a childhood rival is found murdered, Kate becomes a prime suspect and has to clear her name fast.

Hot Fudge Murder

by Cynthia Baxter

2019

Just weeks after opening Lickety Splits, Kate McKay is hired to serve desserts at a glamorous Hudson Valley gala. When the celebrity host is murdered, the scandal threatens both the town and Kate's struggling new business.

Last Licks

by Cynthia Baxter

2019

A movie shoot brings excitement, outsiders, and plenty of chaos to Wolfert's Roost. When the production turns deadly, Kate McKay has to look past the glamour and figure out who brought murder to her small town.

Game of Cones

by Cynthia Baxter

2020

Kate McKay heads to a historic mountain hotel to teach ice cream workshops and steal a little time with Jake. A blackout, a dead cosmetics executive, and a building full of trapped strangers quickly melt those plans.

Where should I start?

If you want cozy mysteries with pets: Dead Canaries Don't SingPutting On The DogLead a Horse to Murder
If you like small-town cozies with dessert: Murder with a Cherry on TopHot Fudge MurderLast Licks
If you want travel-themed mysteries: Murder Packs a SuitcaseToo Rich and Too Dead
If you want fun teen twin adventures: The Banana Split AffairStrawberry SummerThe Jelly Bean Scheme
If you want contemporary women's fiction: Once More With FeelingSummer HouseClose to Home

Author bio

Cynthia Baxter is a Long Island writer whose career has moved through romance, young adult fiction, suspense, and cozy mystery, often with the same down-to-earth eye for how people actually live. She grew up on Long Island, later studied economics at Bryn Mawr College, and went on to earn an MBA from MIT. That mix, literary curiosity on one side, practical worldliness on the other, helps explain why her books tend to feel grounded even when the plots get twisty.

Her writing life began in a very unglamorous way. While she was supposed to be working on her master's thesis in 1977, she started a novel instead. That manuscript eventually became Once There Was a Fat Girl, published under the name Cynthia Blair, and it gave her the push to leave her job and write full time.

It stuck.

Over the next stretch of her career she wrote a long run of books as Cynthia Blair, including teen novels, romances, and women's fiction. Titles like The Banana Split Affair, A Summer in Paris, Summer House, and Once More With Feeling show how wide that range was. Some are light and breezy, some are more emotional, but they all share her interest in relationships, identity, and the moment when a character has to stop drifting and make a real choice.

She also spent years writing outside of fiction. Baxter has written for newspapers and magazines, including work for Newsday and the Times Beacon Record, and she has taught writing at Hofstra University. That background shows up in the clean, readable pace of her fiction. Even when she is juggling a big cast, the scenes move.

Her switch into mystery came later, after the commercial side of publishing changed in the 1990s and some of the houses she had worked with were folded into larger companies. Rather than step away from fiction, she changed direction. Inspired by a friend who was a veterinarian with a clinic on wheels, she created Jessica Popper, the mobile vet at the center of the Reigning Cats and Dogs books, and began publishing mysteries as Cynthia Baxter. Dead Canaries Don't Sing opened that series in 2004.

That turn was a good fit.

The mystery novels keep her Long Island roots front and center. The Reigning Cats and Dogs books use fictionalized Long Island settings, and they mix murder plots with animals, neighborhood politics, and a warm streak of humor. Later, she built other cozy series around a travel writer in the Murder Packs a Suitcase books and an ice cream shop owner in the Lickety Splits mysteries, including Murder with a Cherry on Top and Game of Cones. Readers who like small businesses, local color, and amateur sleuths with real day jobs usually find plenty to enjoy there.

She has said that reading has always mattered to her even more than writing, which feels like a useful clue to the work. Her books read like they were written by someone who genuinely enjoys the company of stories. Across genres, she returns to capable women, close communities, and places that feel lived in, whether that is a Hudson Valley village, a Long Island horse farm, or a family house full of old resentments.

Baxter has long lived on Long Island's North Shore, and Long Island continues to shape her fiction. So do her other interests, especially travel, animals, and the small social tensions that can make even an ordinary setting feel charged. She is one of those writers whose bibliography does not sit still, and that is part of the appeal. If you start in one corner of her work, there is a good chance another corner will surprise you.

Edited by

Richard Reis

Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.

Anurag Ramdasan

Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.

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