Tara Holloway Books in Order
Part ofDiane Kelly Books in OrderSee the Tara Holloway books in order by Diane Kelly, with quick summaries, series background, and where to start with these funny IRS mysteries.
Last updated: July 5, 2026
As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases (at no extra cost to you).
Publication Order
15 books
Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure
by Diane Kelly
2011
IRS Special Agent Tara Holloway chases a drug-dealing ice-cream vendor and uncovers a Ponzi scheme that may touch her boyfriend. Funny, fast, and full of Texas attitude, it launches the series with a bang.
Death, Taxes, and a Sequined Clutch
by Diane Kelly
2012
Back at her old accounting firm, Tara gets a chance to nail the arrogant man who once humiliated her. The financial takedown is deeply satisfying, right up until bullets start flying.
Death, Taxes, and a Skinny No-Whip Latte
by Diane Kelly
2012
Tara and her partner Eddie target suspected loan shark Marcos Mendoza, whose cross-border ties make the case far more dangerous than expected. A planned getaway has to wait while Tara follows the money.
Death, Taxes, and Extra-Hold Hairspray
by Diane Kelly
2012
Tara juggles two knotty cases, a minister using his mega-church as a tax shelter and a militant Texas separatist. With her usual partner away and sparks flying with Nick Pratt, everything gets messier.
Death, Taxes, and Green Tea Ice Cream
by Diane Kelly
2013
Tara tracks yet another slippery criminal while juggling office politics, personal drama, and the kind of chaos that follows her everywhere. It is a brisk, funny mystery with plenty of bite.
Death, Taxes, and Hot-Pink Leg Warmers
by Diane Kelly
2013
Another white-collar case sends Tara into the field, where sharp instincts and sharper humor matter as much as spreadsheets. The danger rises fast, and so do the complications in her love life.
Death, Taxes, and Mistletoe Mayhem
by Diane Kelly
2013
Just before Christmas, Tara investigates a jeweler whose repeated theft claims look suspicious. The case leads her to a mall, a K-9 officer named Megan Luz, and holiday trouble with real teeth.
Death, Taxes, and Peach Sangria
by Diane Kelly
2013
Tara Holloway dives into another Texas tangle of tax fraud, dangerous suspects, and romantic complications. The case keeps her moving, even when her personal life is every bit as messy as the investigation.
Death, Taxes, and Silver Spurs
by Diane Kelly
2014
A disastrous haircut and a meeting with country star Brazos Rivers throw Tara off balance just when she should be focused on work and boyfriend Nick Pratt. Fame, fraud, and temptation collide in Texas style.
Death, Taxes, and a Chocolate Cannoli
by Diane Kelly
2015
Another case of financial crime drags Tara into danger while her personal life keeps shifting under her feet. The result is a lively mix of white-collar sleuthing, banter, and romantic tension.
Death, Taxes, and Cheap Sunglasses
by Diane Kelly
2015
Tara is used to chasing con artists, not watching boyfriend Nick drift into their orbit. When work and trust collide, she has to decide how far she will go for the truth.
Death, Taxes, and a Satin Garter
by Diane Kelly
2016
Tara faces another risky investigation as wedding plans, shifting loyalties, and criminal schemes crowd her calendar. The series' mix of humor, danger, and romance is on full display.
Death, Taxes, and a Shotgun Wedding
by Diane Kelly
2017
Tara and Nick should be focused on their wedding, but anonymous death threats point back to one of Tara's old investigations. Someone holds a grudge, and the big day may not be safe.
Death, Taxes, and Pecan Pie
by Diane Kelly
2017
Tara hopes Pecan Palooza will be a fun break with family and fiancé Nick before the wedding. Instead, the festival turns into another nutty case.
Death, Taxes, and Sweet Potato Fries
by Diane Kelly
2017
Tara is assigned to help pursue ruthless coyotes moving people across the border and quickly finds herself in over her head. It is one of her grittier cases, without losing the series' humor.
Series background & context
Tara Holloway is not a sleuth who just happens to wander into trouble. She is an IRS special agent in Dallas, and her job is to follow money wherever it leads. In this series, that means tax fraud, crooked business deals, smugglers, con artists, and people who thought their financial secrets were buried too deep to find. The opener, Death, Taxes, and a French Manicure, makes the setup clear right away. Tara is smart, impatient, funny, and much tougher in the field than most suspects expect.
The hook here is the mix of white-collar crime and action. Tara may work financial investigations, but these books are not dry or desk-bound. Cases turn into raids, surveillance jobs, undercover work, and very real danger. Diane Kelly uses Tara's job to open doors into unusual corners of crime fiction, where balance sheets, shell companies, fake losses, and tax shelters can be just as risky as guns and getaway cars.
Tara herself carries the series. She likes nice clothes and manicures, but she is also stubborn, competitive, and fully willing to throw herself into a chase when the moment calls for it. Her personal life stays tangled, too. Relationships do not sit neatly on the sidelines, and part of the fun is watching Tara juggle work, attraction, bad timing, and the occasional man who may or may not be worth the trouble. The romantic thread never takes over the mystery, but it gives the books extra spark.
Texas matters here. These stories have a strong sense of place, with big personalities, big egos, and scams sized to match. The series moves through flashy lifestyles, shady churches, cross-border trouble, country music circles, and plenty of people who think charm can outtalk evidence. Even when the crimes are serious, the books keep a light step. Tara notices the absurd side of almost everything, and her running commentary gives the series its bounce.
This is a funny mystery series, but not a soft one. Tara gets hurt, cases get messy, and criminals push back. That mix is what makes the books work so well. They are quick, lively, and a little sharper than the average cozy, while still keeping the warmth and readability that cozy fans usually want.
If you like heroines who are competent without being polished, mysteries built around unusual jobs, and a little romance stirred into your crime fiction, Tara Holloway is an easy series to sink into. The cases stand on their own, but the relationships and office dynamics build from book to book, so reading in order gives you the fullest payoff.
Edited by
Software engineer whose passion for tracking book recommendations from podcasts inspired the creation of MRB.
Lead investor at 3one4 Capital whose startup expertise and love for books helped shaped MRB and its growth.






























Comments
Did we miss something? Have feedback?
Help us improve this page by sharing your thoughts