McCrumb has written two large series of novels, The Ballad series and the Elizabeth MacPherson series, as well as a shorter two-novel loose series. These are listed here.

The Ballad series:

• If Ever I Return, Pretty Peggy-O (1990) (a.k.a. "If Ever I Return")
• The Hangmans's Beautiful Daughter
• She Walks These Hills (1994)
• The Rosewood Casket (1996)
• The Ballad of Frankie Silver (1998)
• The Songcatcher (2001) (a.k.a. "The Song Catcher")
• Ghost Riders (2003)
• The Devil Amongst the Lawyers (2010)

The Elizabeth MacPherson Novels:

• Sick of Shadows (1984)
• Lovely in Her Bones (1985)
• Highland Laddie Gone (1986)
• Paying the Piper (1988)
• The Windsor Knot(1990)
• Missing Susan (1990)
• MacPherson's Lament (1992)
• If I'd Killed Him When I Met Him... (1995)
• PMS Outlaws (2000)

The Jay Omega Mysteries

• Bimbos of the Death Sun (1987)
• Zombies of the Gene Pool (1993)

These last two titles are satirical novels set in the world of science fiction conventions and fandom.

Other short stories and essays include: Our Separate Days (1985) and Foggy Mountain Breakdown: Short Story Collection (1997).

Her 2005 novel St. Dale is a modern take on The Canterbury Tales as filtered through the world of NASCAR and her most recent novel Once Around the Track (2007) is also set in the world of NASCAR.

• Lovely in Her Bones - 1985 Best Appalachian Novel; Appalachian Writer's Association
• Bimbos of the Death Sun - 1988 Edgar Award for Best Paperback Original Mystery; Mystery Writers of America
• The Hangman’s Beautiful Daughter - 1992 Best Appalachian Novel; Appalachian Writer's Association
• She Walks These Hills - 1994 Nero Award, Agatha Award, Anthony Award, and the Macavity Award
• If I’d Killed Him When I Met Him - 1995 Agatha Award
• Ghost Riders - 2004 Audie Award for Recorded Book
• St. Dale - 2006 Virginia Library People's Choice Award; 2006 Best Appalachian Novel; Appalachian Writer's Association

McCrumb was honored in 2008 with the Virginia Women in History Award and has had five of her books nominated for Virginia Book of the Year. McCrumb received the 1997 Outstanding Contribution to Appalachian Literature from the Appalachian Writer’s Association. She also received the Appalachian Writer of the Year Award from Shepherd College in 1999 and the Wilma Dykeman Award for Regional Historical Literature from the East Tennessee Historical Society in 2003. McCrumb has also received the Chaffin Award from Morehead State University, the Plattner Award from Berea College, and the Flora McDonald Award.