Anyone who enjoys reading Christian fiction, Christian themed books, will have heard of the Jan Karon Mitford series featuring Father Tim Kavanagh, a priest in the small town of Mitford.
The series started in 1994, and it currently includes 14 books with the latest one, To Be Where You Are, published in 2017. A set of short stories are published in 2018 under the title Bathed in Prayer, which features prayers, sermons, and inspiration, along with musings and essays coming from the author herself.
Here are the Jan Karon books in order for her wildly popular series. The book list is updated regularly. Some of the books (such as Home to Holly Springs and In the Company of Others) are also included in the Jan Karon Father Tim series, however, as all the novels feature Father Tim as the main protagonist, we have included all books in the Mitford series.
New Jan Karon Books
Bathed in Prayer, 2018
Mitford Books in Publication Order
- At Home in Mitford, 1994
- A Light in the Window, 1995
- These High, Green Hills, 1995
- Out to Canaan, 1997
- A New Song, 1999
- A Common Life, 2001
- In This Mountain, 2002
- Shepherds Abiding, 2003
- Light from Heaven, 2005
- Home to Holly Springs, 2007
- In the Company of Others, 2010
- Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good, 2014
- Come Rain or Come Shine, 2015
- To Be Where You Are, 2017
- Bathed in Prayer, 2018
The Mitford Gift Books in Publication Order
- Patches of Godlight, 2001
- Trellis and the Seed, 2001
- The Mitford Snowmen, 2001
- Esther’s Gift, 2002
- Jan Karon’s Mitford Cookbook and Kitchen Reader, 2004
- The Mitford Bedside Companion, 2006
Mitford Short Stories
- Bathed in Prayer, 2018
Mitford Books for Children
- Violet Comes to Stay, 2006
- Violet Goes to the Country, 2007
Standalone Novels in Publication Order
- Miss Fannie’s Hat, 1995
- Jeremy, 1999
Short Story Collections
- The Jan Karon Story Hour, 2005
- A Continual Feast: Words of Comfort and Celebration, Collected by Father Tim, 2005
Non-Fiction Books
- Writing and Wrestling with the Heart: Jan Karon’s Washington National Cathedral Lecture, 2008
Jan Karon Biography
Jan Karon was born in 1937 as Janice Meredith Wilson. She grew up on a farm near Lenoir, North Carolina. Similar to many other established novelists, she knew that she wanted to become an author from a very early age.
In fact, she wrote her first book at the age of 10. This was the same age when she won a short-story contest coordinated by the town high school. At the age of 12, she moved with her family from Lenoir to Charlotte.
After finishing school, at the age of 18, she began working as a receptionist at an advertising agency in Charlotte in North Carolina. She kept leaving her samples at her boss’s desk, and once he noticed how talented she was, he promoted her, allowing her to advance in career to better-paying jobs.
Eventually, she became a creative vice president at McKinney & Silver, an established advertising firm in Durham, North Carolina. During her years working there, she also earned the famous Stephen Kelly Award, an advertising award presented for excellence in magazine advertising.
While she worked for many years in advertising, Jan Karon never forgot her dream of becoming a writer. Finally, at the age of 50, she left her lucrative career behind to focus on writing and moved to Blowing Rock, North Carolina.
It took her a few tries and failures until one day she knew exactly what she wanted to write about: a pastor in a small village or town. Hence Father Tim Kavanagh was born. The author first wrote small samples from the book in the local newspaper and saw strong interest by the readers.
Eventually, those bits and pieces published in the newspaper called The Blowing Rocket became the first Mitford book, At Home in Mitford.
Over the years, several of her books were nominated for or won various awards. Besides writing her faithful series, the Jan Karon book list also includes other accompanying stories that would become part of The Mitford Giftbook series.
Several of the book’s cover photos were taken by the author’s daughter, Candace Freeland, a prominent photographer and former Observer photographer, who won several awards of her own work.
In her books, Jan Karon focuses on small-town life which she considers more idyllic and intimate than life in big cities. Her books also draw a strong connection with the author’s faith in God. Initially, Father Tim lives a quiet and rather lonely life.
As the books progress, he opens up to the world a bit more as he forges relationships with the people in the community. He becomes much more human to those around him, and of course, in the process, he will get his heart broken quite often, just like in real life. Jan Karon’s books, in fact, are all about relationships in Mitford. Most of the scenes are personal moments between two various people.
For example, we have often combinations such as Father Tim and Dooley, or Father Tim and Emma, or even Father Tim and Cynthia.
In an interview, Jan Karon mentioned that after writing To Be Where You Are, the 14th Mitford book, she might take a break before continuing to write. She spent too many years under a strict contract deadline and now she wants to just live and take it slow.
Here’s hoping, though, that we’ll get to see many more Mitford books by our beloved author Jan Karon.
Reading the Jan Karon books in order is advised because we are talking about a small rural area with a group of people who have strong connections and interactions with each other. There will be lots of tiny details missed if the books are read out of order, and that would be a disservice both to the author and to the reader.
Praise for Jan Karon
Karon knits Mitford’s small-town characters and multiple story lines into a cozy sweater of a book. (USA Today)
Jan Karon reflects contemporary culture more fully than almost any other living novelist. (LA Times)
Welcome home, Mitford fans…to Karon’s gift for illuminating the struggles that creep into everyday lives—along with a vividly imagined world. (People)
The faster and more impersonal the world becomes, the more we need…Mitford. (Cleveland Plain Dealer)
Jan Karon never disappoints…[she] satiates her fans’ craving for more Mitford with these stories of grace and compassion, all told with a dose of humor and humility. (Bookpage)
References
Books Reading Order » Christian Fiction Authors »
Which book has the part where ms Sadie is telling father Tim a story about her childhood and a painter comes to her home…. Like Michael Angelo?
I want to hear it AGAIN!
Love them ALL…. I listen on Audible
Which book has the part where ms Sadie is telling father Tim a story about her childhood and a painter comes to her home…. Like Michael Angelo?
Love them ALL…. I listen on Audible
Haave you seen the movie “The Hill”? I don’t remember the actor played Ricky Hill the main character, i was amaze! He looks except for lack of freckles, he looks exactly like my vision of Dooley. I was so amazed I Had to share this.
I love your Midford Books I have read all of them more than once. I am listening as I write this message
My vision is so bad Iit is hard to read, so it makes me happy that I can still enjoy your books.
Because of this my typing it is bad
SO–who walked into the garden at the end of book 5, A New Song???
I’ve started book 7, In This Mountain and still no answer. Not fair to make a cliffhanger and then not continue with an resolution.
A prodigal son in the 80s, I began reading this series in the mid-90s and they were very instrumental in leading me back to the Lord of Heaven. I have re-read them several time and now in the pandemic and crazy times we are living in, I am re-reading them….
My husband and I are isolating, as many are during this pandemic, I’m sure. I read the books as they came out over the years, but I wanted to read them all again. We have set aside a “read to each other” time every day. My husband loves the books and I am so enjoying reading them again as well as sharing them with him! We are just finishing book 5, A New Song. Thank you, Jan Karon! We sure hope you have another book or two to write!
The books are inspiring and fill my heart with all that is pure.
I do have a question on the order. Finishing #5 A New Song, where Dooley was 17 years old, I started on #6 A Common Life. Dooley is 13 and wedding preparations for the Father and Cynthia are the story line.
Have I mixed up the chronological story line? Thank you!
Our Episcopal church in Scottsdale, AZ sponsored a seminar for priests sometime in the early 1990’s and we offered to have four of the gentlemen stay at our house. After they left, we received a set of three Jan Karon books in the mail as a thank-you gift from one of the priests who was rector at a church somewhere in the Los Angeles area. That man turned me into a J.K. fanatic – have waited impatiently for each new book – am waiting now! PLEASE let us know what the future holds ~
I also am enjoying the Mitford series , during the shut down I couldn’t go to the library to get anymore books; because of the virus my daughter-in-law gave me these books to read but I am puzzled at the end of NO.8 Lights from Heaven it leaves you hanging when Father Tim opens the door and says we’ve been waiting for you yes I figured it was Kenny the last of the siblings but in the next book, nothing is said about where Kenny was, was he happy, how was he treated what happened to him and how he came to find Father Tim Jan you left out a whole book I have been trying to find a way to contact you about this and finally after a week of trying I come upon this page so I hope this reaches you my email is coriehildebrant@gmail.com and pray you will answer this email thank you and may God always be with you Sincerely Coral
What book by Jan Karon is baby Sadie featured?
I finished Light from Heaven. Who knocks on the door at the very end of the book? What book comes after this one?
Kenny – the last of the siblings
I started reading your books and can not stop, they are so good. I lay in bed a read them to my 13yrs granddaughter and she loves them too. I even have her read so they can improve her reading thank you and God bless you
these books are definitely re-readable!!
Dear Jan Karon,
Have your books been put in an audio (CD) version?
Jan, you have ruined me for other authors. I love your style of writing and absolutely love getting involved in the good father’s life. Please keep your books coming!
Dear Ms. Karon,
I am just finished rereading The Mitford series. I read them when they were first published, bought them for my mother, and then my mother-in-law. My mother has passed on, and she so dearly loved the books and quoted from them often. My mother-in-law recently returned her set to me (she is 98),and I have been so blessed to reread them. I truly laugh and cry as my heart, soul, and funny bone are all touched. Thank you for using the gift God gave you.
Jean Beeler
Jan Karon what a gifted story teller you are. My wife introduced me to your wonderful Mitford series and I have read every one with eager anticipation of the next. I am a prolific reader of a wide variety of wonderful writers but rarely do I go back and re read a novel. But you….. I WILL re read. But not before I read your next novel which I pray will be coming soon! May God continue to bless and inspire you.
I hate to think that we have heard the last of Fr. Tim and Cynthia. Please could we have more? Or—how about some more of the time they were on the island?
I love her books and read them over and over. Her characters are real life people. Her books are clean and captivating. I feel like I KNOW Fr Tim and Cynthia personally. As well as her other characters. The humor and wit is fantastic. I wish she could keep on writing and never quit.
I absolutely love the books. Reading the Milton series makes me just want to turn the pages – at the same time I enjoy some of the slower happenings
I am just confused why book six I not the continuation from book 5
I do enjoy reading about the wedding – but at the same time I am anxious to know who feather Kavanagh meets at the end( I do have a guess though)
Thank you for writing such an inspiring story!!
I used to literally hate reading loathed it til one day my sister in law told me about the Mitford series. We were on vacation and I took book 2 and 3 with me but I went through so fast that I couldn’t wait to get home to my 4th. I’d tell my husband I’m going to Mitford and he knew not to interrupt me. I love reading now thanks to you, Jan Karon
I love Jan Karon and all of her books. She is a beautiful lady. I have all the Father Tim books. I love them all.The last ones in the collections are so unique. Being from the South I loved Home to Holly Springs…..loved going to Ireland with them,there is no way I could pick a favorite.
Jan Karon’s books are the best I have ever read. They are such “feel good” books and make you feel like you wish you could live in Mitford among all those God-loving characters. I have read my collection over and over again!
Truly enjoy the easy style and direction of her writing and wonder why the Hollywood money hasn’t pursued making these into a movie or may NETFLIX needs to do some good with her works.
God has blessed you with an amazing gift. Thank you and bless you for sharing it. Your books have gotten me thru many trials and tribulations. I never learned how to ‘relax’ but from the time of a child, I learned how to escape into a book. Your exception skill with characters has had us often saying ‘I want to live in Mitford’.
You’re 9 yrs older than me. I have 4 adult children, 3 unmarried. Fr Tim and Cynthia’s union give me possible hope for them.
I’ve related to so many situations, but Fr Tim’s relationship w father, his depression and the time in the cave… we’re particularly moving and personal to me. You truly know if what you write. Extraordinary really.
Sincere and heartfelt admiration.
Do you have to read the Mitford series in order to understand the stories or can they be read alone?
I would say yes. I am definitely not sorry for reading them in proper order as you’ll learn more about Father Tim and his growing relationships, etc. Do yourself a favor and read them in the order they were published.
We have all of the Medford series. We have read them more than once . We have been to a town in NC that is like Midford but can’t remember the name and would like to know what it is.
Mitford is based on Blowing Rock, NC
I love the books by this author, after I have read , especially the last 3 in the series, I find my self thinking I should Pray for Dooley and his family, then I think “well duh this is fiction”. I have read the series but now I am in the process of re-reading them. Thank you Jan Karon.