Mindy Starns Clark Books In Order

Publication Order of The Women of Lancaster County Books

Publication Order of The Men of Lancaster County Books

Publication Order of A Smart Chick Mystery Books

Publication Order of Cousins of the Dove Books

Publication Order of The Million Dollar Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Mindy Starns Clark is a bestselling author best known for the Million Dollar Mysteries and the Smart Chick Mysteries. The Christian author often speaks about the role her faith has had in her life.

+Biography

Mindy Starns Clark’s desire for storytelling began when she was really young. At six years of age, Mindy remembers playing with her Barbies and taking them through all sorts of adventures.

If that doesn’t sound so drastically different from the behavior of other kids her age, Mindy took things a bit further. Once she finished playing and put her toys away, Mindy would take pen and paper and write down all the stories her Barbies had just experienced.

This desire for storytelling grew in high school. However, even though she dabbled in writing, it wasn’t until she entered college that Mindy began seriously contemplating the notion of pursuing a career as an author.

That might explain why she chose to pursue English in college, eventually graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in 1982. Like most aspiring writers, Mindy was sure she would be a bestselling author in no time.

However, it would be quite a few years before Mindy gained any traction as an author of fiction. Though, Mindy still got by as a writer. She sold many manuscripts, a number of them nonfiction and technical in nature.

Of course, none of them were fulfilling because they were hardly the novel she always wanted to write. Unlike some of her contemporaries, though, Mindy isn’t regretful about the fact that it took her twenty years to become a fiction author. According to the author, at 42, she was in the perfect position to begin writing.

By this point, Mindy’s children were still quite young so writing fiction allowed her to not only achieve her publishing dreams but to also stay at home and care for her children.

The decision to begin writing here also worked out well for her husband who was finally stable in his career and could afford to financially support her writing career.

Despite her boasts that writing allows her to properly mother her children, Mindy will be the first to admit that her writing is a full-time job. Sometimes she will work twenty-hour days just to meet her deadlines.

It takes Mindy roughly six months to research, plot and write her books. So she has to depend on her husband to pick up the slack every once in a while, especially when she has an urgent deadline.

For Mindy, writing as she does takes discipline. She makes an effort to write six days a week without fail, this along with rigorously editing her own work and embracing the difficulties of promotion, even when she would rather just write. She learned to push herself and persevere when her children were much younger. Because she could only write for the two or three hours they were sleeping, Mindy trained herself to write whenever the opportunity arose, even in the face of writer’s block.

According to Mindy, besides helping around the house and providing financial assistance, her husband is a very critical part of her writing process. Mindy typically depends on stories and reports online and in newspapers to gain inspiration for her mystery novels.

Not only does her husband assist in the idea generation process but he also keeps an eye out for interesting stories in the news.

As a Christian, Mindy Starns Clark’s faith is visible in her work. The author’s books are filled with Christian men and women struggling to maintain their walk of faith in light of life’s challenges.

Mindy was once a singer. She also did stand-up comedy and has since learned to deploy her comedic skills when making speeches in churches and to civic groups across the country as an inspirational speaker.

Mindy has also made a name as a playwright.

+Under the Cajun Moon

Chloe Ledet is an international business etiquette expert. She left New Orleans a long time ago, leaving behind her parents and their restaurant in the French Quarter. However, she is driven to rush back home when her father is shot.

She knows that it will fall on her to handle his affairs. However, she is shaken by the revelation of a secret that will change her whole life and the way she perceives her family. A murder charge soon sends Chloe on a journey to find a priceless treasure.

By her side is a handsome Cajun stranger, but Chloe doesn’t know for sure that she can trust him.

Considering that Mindy has written everything from Gothic thrillers to Amish Romance, it isn’t surprising that this book is so entertaining.

The book is a blend of every aspect that makes novels so entertaining. There is action, romance, and history. Mindy Starns Clark also emphasizes the food and the music and the rich culture of New Orleans. There are elements of humor, faith, and crime.

There are a lot of familiar themes that flow in and out of the story. Chloe works as a protagonist because she is believable. She struggles like everyone else even while interacting with numerous colorful characters.

Chloe rushes back home when her father is shot, only to be framed for murder. She must rely on her faith to survive the turmoil ahead.

+Whispers of the Bayou

When Miranda Miller receives a letter telling her that she might soon be named the owner of her grandfather’s estate. She wastes no time in heading to Louisiana, settling in an old house by the Bayou.

Not long after that, Miller encounters a life changing secret.

This mystery novel keeps readers engaged by asking many questions and giving few answers. Miranda goes to Louisiana to grant a dying man’s wish because she also seeks answers to some of these questions.

They include the tattoo on her scalp, her erased memories, and a mysterious symbol. That isn’t even accounting for a priceless treasure and the unknown enemies stalking her life.

The story is clearly well-researched and it boasts all sorts of twists and turns. Even if the book doesn’t explore everything about Cajun history, it will spark curiosity about that culture amongst readers.

The only notable downside is the abrupt ending.