This week’s topic for Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is “Satisfying Book Series”.
I am very good at starting a series but not so good at remembering to continue with it, let alone finish it! I’ve taken a slightly different approach to the topic and am listing ten series that I’m in the middle of – or, in some cases, still at the beginning of. I’ll be satisfied if and when I finish them!
1. The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken – I somehow missed out on this series as a child but have now read the first two books, The Wolves of Willoughby Chase and Black Hearts in Battersea. I’ve found that the series has a lot to offer an adult reader too, so I’ll continue!
2. Bryant and May by Christopher Fowler – Starting with Full Dark House, I’ve been reading this series about an octogenarian detective duo since 2011 and am still not even halfway through! I did read the fifth book, White Corridor, recently and will be reviewing it soon.
3. The Johnson Johnson series by Dorothy Dunnett – Dunnett is better known for her historical novels, but this is a contemporary mystery series with each book set in a different part of the world. I’ve read three of them: Tropical Issue, Rum Affair and Ibiza Surprise.
4. The Cazalet Chronicles by Elizabeth Jane Howard – There are five books in this series following the Cazalet family from the 1930s to the 1950s and so far I’ve read the first two, The Light Years and Marking Time. I enjoyed them and hope I’ll be able to pick up the threads of the story again when I eventually get round to the next book.
5. The Aubrey/Maturin series by Patrick O’Brian – When I started to read Master and Commander I didn’t really expect to like this nautical historical fiction series (I often struggle with books set on ships), but here I am eight books in and still enjoying it!
6. Daughters of England by Philippa Carr – This is a pseudonym of Jean Plaidy/Victoria Holt. I read an omnibus edition containing the first three books of the series – The Miracle at St Bruno’s, Lion Triumphant and The Witch from the Sea – and did intend to continue with the fourth one, but never have.
7. The Gervase Fen series by Edmund Crispin – I loved the first Edmund Crispin book I read, The Moving Toyshop, but was less impressed with the second, The Case of the Gilded Fly. There are lots more in the series still to try, though, and the good thing is they don’t need to be read in order.
8. The Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters – I loved Crocodile on the Sandbank, a mystery set in 19th century Egypt, when I read it back in 2012, but thirteen years later I’ve still only read two more books from the series. I do have the next one ready to start!
9. Temeraire by Naomi Novik – I wasn’t sure if I would like this series set in an alternate history version of the Napoleonic Wars (with dragons), but I loved the first book, Temeraire, and went on to read the second one, Throne of Jade. Seven more to go!
10. Barsetshire Chronicles by Angela Thirkell – I liked, but didn’t love, High Rising and Wild Strawberries, set in Thirkell’s fictional Barsetshire (originally created by Anthony Trollope). I’m planning to continue with the series but am happy to work through the books at a slow pace.
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Have you read any of these? Are you currently reading a series that you would like to finish?
She Reads Novels 
I have two of these series on my TBR, although I do want to try Naomi Novik’s other books before picking up Temeraire. I didnt realise Master & Commander was a series, im glad it worked for you despite often struggling with books swt on ships. Good luck catching up on all of these.
I have loads of series that I need to catch up on too. I just finished the Daevabad companion this morning so thats one series off the list but I dread to think how many others there are 😬
The Temeraire books are great, but I also really enjoyed Uprooted by Naomi Novik. There are over 20 books in the Master & Commander series so it will be a long time before I finish it, but I’m impressed I’ve managed to get so far considering my dislike of books set on ships! I hope you’re able to catch up on some of the series you’re reading soon too.
Uprooted is one of the ones by her that I really want to get to. Wow I’m surprised its that long yet I never knew it was even a series 🙈 I have a 20 plus book long series on my TBR too. The idea of catching up is intense. Thank you, good luck catching up with the rest of yours 🥰
I’m sorry I missed this TTT, I try to read a series every year. I have a rule that I only read completed series so I can read it all in one go
That’s a good rule – better than having to wait for each book to be published and not knowing how long the series will eventually be!
I did read The Cazalet series, and loved all of them but I haven’t read the latest one that came a couple of years ago and think the time might have passed; Edmund Crispin always sounds a good read so I’d like to start with him!
I’m pleased to hear you loved all of the Cazalet books. I’m definitely still planning to finish the series. And yes, Edmund Crispin is great. The Moving Toyshop was a lot of fun!
Gosh, I don’t know that I dare approach this one, as there are so many series I’ve begun and not continued. C.P. Snow’s Strangers and Brothers is perhaps the one which springs out to me – I really should get back to it!!
It’s so easy to get distracted by other books, isn’t it? Good luck with finishing Strangers and Brothers!
As much as I enjoyed CS Forester’s Hornblower books, I didn’t quite get into Aubrey/Maturin — there’s so much more technical detail!
I’ve read eight of the Aubrey/Maturin books and still don’t understand most of the technical detail! I have to admit, I skim over a lot of it and just concentrate on the story.
I haven’t read any of these! Great to find a series you enjoy though!
Yes, it is! If only I could find time to finish them!
I’m also terrible at finishing series. I need to finish Outland and the Dublin Murder Trilogy. I have read all the Temeraire books. (I should have included that one on my list!)
I’m glad it’s not just me who has trouble finishing series! I’ve read all of the Outlander series so far, though. The later books aren’t as good, in my opinion, but I’m still looking forward to book 10, whenever it appears!
I’ve only read the first Willoughby Chase book. I actually didn’t find out it started a series until fairly recently, so I’ll have to catch up!
I used to be a series binge reader, but now I like to do it at a slower pace.
Here’s my list: https://franlaniado.wordpress.com/2025/10/07/top-ten-tuesday-series-with-satisfying-endings/
I don’t usually binge series anymore either – I always seem to have so many other books waiting to be read! There are twelve books in the Willoughby Chase series, so at my slow pace it’s going to take me a long time to get to the end.
Well if they’re all a similar length the first, they’re not too long. Maybe you can read them between other things?
I read all the Aubrey/Maturin series years ago when I was good at reading series in the right order & completing them. (I still have the rather battered paperbacks.) Now I seem to have lost the art. I often discover series part way through – I think book 13 is the record – and don’t have the discipline/time/patience to go back & start from the beginning.
I hope to finish the Aubrey/Maturin series eventually, but it’s going to take years. And yes, when you come to a long series part way through, it can be too daunting to go back to the beginning!
I’ve started quite a number of these series, but Temeraire is one of the few I’ve finished! Novik did well at keeping me engaged and invested throughout. Oh, and Joan Aiken too—a series that spanned nearly her whole writing career.
I don’t finish many series that are longer than four or five books. A lot of times I lose interest after a few books, or the new and interesting just call to me more strongly. Or the series gets sooooo long…I also enjoyed quite a few Aubrey and Maturin books, but after a dozen or so my attention wandered.
Yes, four or five books are manageable, but it’s harder to stay engaged with longer series. I’m pleased to hear you finished Temeraire, though! I really enjoyed the first two books and am looking forward to the next one.
Of the ones you cite I’ve read all the Wolves series but only three of the Gervase Fen stories. I’m currently looking forward to the last title in Philip Pullman’s The Book of Dust trilogy, following on from His Dark Materials with several of the same characters.
It’s encouraging that you liked the Wolves books enough to read the whole series. I’m looking forward to reading the next one soon. As for Philip Pullman, I haven’t even read His Dark Materials yet, let alone the new trilogy!
Often readers stop after the first four books, ending with The Whispering Mountain after Night Birds in Nantucket, but I’m often obsessive about books I really, really enjoy, as with the Pullman series!
I’ve only read two of the Aubrey/Maturin series (so far) – numbers 10 & 15 – and certainly intend to read more. Not sure if I’ll get to all 20 though!
The series I *really* need to finish before I start any more is the Richard Sharpe books by Bernard Cornwell. I *think* I only have 4 left. Maybe I can shoehorn a few into next year?
I do have a ‘few’ trilogies that I’ve started but never completed…. Maybe ‘next’ year? [lol]
I’m not sure if I’ll read all 20 Aubrey/Maturin books either, especially considering it’s taken me since 2013 just to read the first 8! I haven’t even started the Sharpe series yet – good luck with finishing it!
I realize some of these series I’ve never finished either! I love the first three Wolves books so much but she wrote some much later that I own (one is even autographed) but haven’t read. I could not get into Patrick O’Brian at all but maybe it’s just as well – I got all the sailing I needed from Swallows & Amazons.
Not sure why I’ve never tried Amelia Peabody but I was disappointed in the last Elizabeth Peters book I read.
I do want to revisit The Light Years. I read the first two when they were new, then got distracted, but they are very good.
I’m surprised I managed to get into the Patrick O’Brian series, considering I’ve always struggled with books set on ships and boats (maybe that’s why Swallows and Amazons was never a big favourite of mine, although I did enjoy some of the books).
The Amelia Peabody books are fun, with a wonderful narrator. I haven’t tried anything else by Elizabeth Peters yet.
I’ve tried both Master and Commander and Temeraire (hmmm, a bit of a theme there) and neither inspired me to continue – even though I’m usually a huge Naomi Novik fan. I might return to Temeraire at some point…
I read a few random Wolves of Willoughby Chase novels out of order as a kid but I never quite vibed with Aitken’s style. My favourite was The Stolen Lake, IIRC.