Last night, Marla posted a comment about Carolyn Hart, asking if it is true she is wrapping up her Death on Demand Mystery Series. As soon as I read Marla’s comment, I immediately checked, and sure enough, Marla, you’re correct! (A big thank you for letting us know!)
Don’t Go Home will be Annie and Max Darling’s last time to take us along with them as they solve another case. Carolyn Hart has decided she would rather just write one book each year, so this 25th Death on Demand mystery will be the final one.
Carolyn Hart has been giving us countless hours of enjoyable Cozy Mystery reading over the years. A lot of us remember picking up our first Death on Demand and Henri Os way back when Carolyn Hart was known as Carolyn G. Hart. She has been a bestselling Cozy Mystery author for years!
She has decided to focus on her newer Bailey Ruth (Ghost) Mystery Series instead, which is great news for Bailey’s fans! Ghost to the Rescue (the 6th in this series) is due out this year.
Incidentally, Carolyn Hart has won three prestigious Agatha Awards for Best Novel and has been nominated six additional times. She has also won two highly acclaimed Anthony Awards for Best Paperback Original. As I said earlier, many of us have enjoyed many, many hours of fun Cozy Mystery reading, and I’m sure we’re in for many more filled with Bailey Ruth’s sleuthing!
Sheila says
What a disappointment. The “Death on Demand” series is the one that got me hooked on cozy mysteries. Will miss Max and Annie. Guess I’ll wait for the last book to be published and then reread the series. All good things must come to an end … sooner or later. I will miss them.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sheila, it is disappointing, isn’t it? However, how neat that Carolyn Hart will continue with her bestselling Bailey Ruth series. I’m just glad she’s continuing to write great Cozies for us to enjoy!
mary kennedy says
I’m really looking forward to DON’T GO HOME, the 25th (and final!) book in the wonderful Death on Demand mysteries. Sad to see the end of the series, but I absolutely love the Ghost series with Bailey Ruth. It’s such a fun, original and captivating series and I’m happy there are more books ahead!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Mary Kennedy, it’s so bittersweet! I’m looking forward to Don’t Go Home, but knowing it’s the final Death on Demand mystery, I’m sort of hoping it doesn’t really mean the series is over…
However, I’m delighted she’ll be keeping Bailey Ruth in our lives.
Emma says
No! Don’t do it! One of my very favorite series. Write on.
Marie says
I agree! Such likable characters and well written, too.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Marie, well, at least it’s a good thing that she hasn’t decided not to write at all!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Emma, I know exactly what you mean!
carolyn Hart says
Thank you, Mary. Annie and Max will always be in my heart. I loved being on their island. Carolyn
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Carolyn, we’re sorry to say goodbye to Annie and Max, but thank you for the future Bailey Ruth mysteries we will all be able to enjoy reading.
Stash Empress says
So sad to hear this! Death on Demand was probably my very first “most favorite” cozy series!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, I love Bailey Ruth to death (you should pardon the expression 😉 but still don’t want to give up Annie & Max!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stash, I remember finding out about the Death on Demand and Henri O series way back when I belonged to two Cozy Mystery groups. It almost seems like it’s the end of a Cozy Mystery era!
Karen L. says
So very sorry to hear that the series is coming to an end. Annie and Max were fun and I loved the mystery bookstore setting.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Karen L, well, at last there is one more in the series…
Ruth N says
Sad news, love the Darlings and all the rest But do read Bailey Ruth
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ruth N, that’s the attitude!
Hollis says
I will miss the Death on Demand books so much. They have gotten me through some tough times in my life with the fun, quirky characters, the delightful writing and trying to figure out those amazing painted book covers in Annie’s store. They made me dream of living on Broward’s Rock and owning my own bookstore. All 25 books will be front and center on my bookshelves. Thank you Carolyn Hart for sharing Annie and Max’s world with us.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Hollis, it’s nice that you have saved all of the Death on Demand mysteries. This way, you can go back and re-read them whenever you want…
Pat says
I am so sad to hear that this will be the last Annie & Max mystery. I started with them at the beginning and have read every one. You could always rely on an interesting and thoroughly enjoyable read. Although I have read at least one of each of her other series they will never give me the same pleasure as spending time with Max and Annie.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Pat, I know, when one of my favorite authors writes a couple of series, there’s always one series that stands out above the rest…
Kevin says
Exactly! The Death on Demand series is far and away the best! I just can’t get into the ‘Ghost’ series. I did enjoy the Henrie O series, but nothing equals Annie and Max. Please, please bring back the Darlings and Death on Demand.
Margaret M. says
I came to Death on Demand late in the series. I started with DEATH OF THE PARTY, and I loved it. I continued forward and only read one of the older ones so far, YANKEE DOODLE DEAD. DEATH OF THE PARTY was actually one of my favorites. I liked the idea of being trapped on a secluded private island with a bunch of murders, even more suspects and of course a thunderstom; the prefect recipe for a mystery.
I do respect Carolyn Hart for retiring the series, and not letting it get stale. I enjoyed the books in the series I have read; I am hoping with DON’T GO HOME, she ends the series properly.
But, I guess I will find out when I read it, but the nice thing is there are some many older books I can go back to read.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Margaret M, I totally agree with you about authors not letting their series “get stale” and also agree about an author wrapping up a series because she/he feels it’s time. I have dropped many favorite authors from my list because they do just they over-stay their welcome, so to speak. I usually read one more book (or sometimes 2!) after I get turned-off of an author. I spend way to much time deliberating about dropping authors who have gotten stale.
Stash Empress says
I know what you mean about authors who have “overstayed their welcome” — but in those cases its the author who, for whatever reason, might be past their “sell by” date… in this case Ms. Hart is still in her prime & churning out the *best* mysteries!!! I can understand though that she’d like to churn a little slower 😉
But I sure will miss Max & Annie (not to mention Laurel & all sidekicks!!!)
Hey — wouldn’t it be cooooool if Bailey Ruth goes on a mission that takes her to Broward’s Rock???? Just saying…. 😉
Hanna says
I read all the Death on Demand during the 80s and 90s and slowed to continue. It was while reading the Dead Days of Summer some five years ago that the timing did not make sense. It was Max’ 30th birthday? But he has been around since 87. And only now he is thinking of buying a house and starting a family? And then I realized how difficult it was to keep up with technology, at least. Max and his secretary were quite adept at finding information – before the Internet became the source for everyone. And dear Henny was a WWII veterans and still going strong.
So I will bid a fond farewell to Annie and Max, and Henny and Laurel and the rest of them.
I found many new authors through the monthly paintings on Death on Demand. And I tried to keep up when Ms. Hart would pepper her stories with so many names of writers and mystery bookstores – some which I personally visited!.
Thank you, Carolyn Hart for the many hours of pleasure that you provided.
Dru says
oh no, I will miss this series.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Dru, I’m sorry, too.
Stella says
Death on Demand was the first cozy mystery series I ‘subscribed to,’ having mostly just picked up titles which looked interesting. I am sorry to see this series come to an end, but I enjoy the Bailey Ruth series just as much, so I’m thankful it is going on – thank you, Ms. Hart!
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Stella, it’s so neat that you enjoy both series equally. You will keep having one to look forward to. (You found the silver lining!)
Arlene says
My first Carolyn Hart was “The Christie Caper” a gift from son & daughter-in-law. I was, and still am, a fan of the golden-age British writers and this introduced me to a whole new crop of cozy mysteries. I kept track of all the authors mentioned in books to find new authors – until I found the Cozy Mystery website! Will miss Annie and Max, but I agree it is better to end a series while it is still good. Maybe some of the series which seem to deteriorate are written by not-so-good ghost writers.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Arlene, your son and daughter-in-law certainly gave you a terrific gift, both the book and your introduction to “a whole new crop of cozy mysteries”!
Melody says
Thank you for all the enjoyment Annie and Max have brought me. Carolyn Hart is one of the few authors able to keep her stories interesting. I enjoyed the journey.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Melody, it is a real shame Annie and Max are retiring, but it has been a great journey…
Ramla Zareen says
Hey, that’s really upsetting news…! “Death On Demand” by Carolyn G. Hart is one of my favourite cozy mystery series…!
Still, I guess I should focus on the positive …at least I had an opportunity to enjoy this wonderful series to the fullest … plus there are still few books left in the series that I haven’t as yet read …and once I finish them, I am sure that I will have loads of fun re-reading the books after some years 🙂
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Ramla, yes, it’s a shame. But she has given us hours and hours of fun reading.
Billie says
I wish she would concentrate on Annie/ Max and not on the ghost series. If she is just going to do one book a year, a new series would be good for us cozy readers.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Billie, she decided she wanted to concentrate on Bailey Ruth series since it’s more challenging for her to write.
Liz says
I read something after reading this that she changed her mind.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Liz, isn’t it great that she has reconsidered! Here’s an entry I wrote Carolyn Hart Has Reconsidered, Annie & Max Will Stay at Death on Demand Bookstore!
Jackie J. Griffey says
Good news about a really good series!
Liz says
Yes it is.
Kim says
Whew! Thank goodness this story wasn’t true!!
Greenway says
Glorious Queen Carolyn has, by this time retired the Darling duo (Annie’s birth year was 1966; Henny–like a couple of treasured R.M. Brown players of too much to start with age–would be REALLY old)… Into the island sunset, and the great beyond where so many of our cozy dearest went escaping the cruel now. May Miss Hart live here as long as she wants to and thrive perfectly! Bailey Ruth’s Heaven (Carl Reiner foresaw it) is surely something to desire. We trust the circle is unbroken among mutual admirers Charlotte MacLeod, Elizabeth Peters, and Joan Hess, and has come to include stars of our fandom-down-here, like Anne George (I read Murder Boogies with Elvis 7 times straight, among other multiples during the Quarantine, then started writing alternate world Southern Sisters fanfic for myself), Donald & Renee Bain, Lilian Jackson Braun, Robert B. Parker, M.C. Beaton (Agatha Raisin specified as 53 years of age from first to last), Bill Crider, Erma Bombeck, Aimee Thurlo, Mary Higgins Clark… Then there are those who just stopped; their business, but we miss ’em, too!
All honor to them, from we the aging too, but insatiable for cozies!