I have a question about Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels. I just came across a copy of All Together Dead, which it seems is the most recent in the series. Is there any reason I can't start with this book? Do these novels need to be read in order? And finally, are they any good? Thanks in advance for your help!

I LOOOOOOOOVE Charlaine Harris. I dunno I might be saying this because Ive read the whole series but Id say you need to start at the beginning. There are a lot of characters and they all have pretty involved backstories throughout the books. Another thing is that they all have different relationships with Sookie and to understand them now you need to know what happened then. Bonus though its a great series. Plus the books are never really long. She isnt a flowery writer who uses words to bulk up the story. Shes tells the story well she just doesnt tell it with unneeded words. If you read my reviews you'll see shes one of my fave authors. She has three other series too one paranormal series the Harper Connely Grave series and two mystery series Aurora Teagarden and Lilly Bard (Shakespere) series

I will say, though, that when I reread the series from the beginning, I didn't like the first one.  It seemed more immature to me, more meant for "late teens" readers, and the following books are much better.  She also has a very few inconsistencies, which she freely admits to making the mistakes on herelf.  The series is definitely worth it.  They're all keepers on my shelf.

It's a great series, but you really do need to start from the beginning.  As others have said, the characters and plot lines evolve.

I tried a couple and didn't really like them a lot but I know the rest of the world differs :)  I didn't read the first but it wasn't the last either.

I have enjoyed her newer series (there's Grave in the titles - Grave Surprise is one).  No werewolves or vampires in that one.

I agree with 'faintlymacabre'. I like the Harper Connelly series a lot more.

I loved her Lily Bard series too, though that would be just mystery with no supernatural element like the Harper series and Sookie series have. 

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I love the Sookie Stackhouse books, (havent read any of her others).  I started with Dead To The World, which I loved.  Then I went back and read them in order.  They're all worth reading,  but I wasn't a fan of Sookie's first relationship, so I like the later books better.  It's not terribly hard to pick up on what happened in earlier books, but its still easier to follow from book 1.  Hope you like them!

I haven't finished the series, but I found that after reading the first 2 or 3, then I got burned out.  I liked the ones I read, but I almost felt like this series was a little simplistic compared with other paranormals I've read. 

I like all 4 of her series.  I think they're all great!