Good reading order for the Mayfair Witches

Hey, I'm trying to read through the Mayfair Witches, at least through to Merrick (which is going to be my new daughter's name, so I figured I better meet the namesake ). I've read The Witching Hour, and I'm almost done with Lasher. Now, I know the order for the Witches books in general, but they start to intertwine with the Vampire books, so I'm not sure how to fit those in. Every list I've been able to find on the Internet is a reading list for the Vampire books, with the Witches books just tossed in at seemingly random points. For instance, The Witching Hour is usually listed after Memnoch the Devil, even though, from what I understand, one of the important characters in tWH actually dies in MtD (trying to remain spoiler-free here).

So, what would be the right order to proceed with? As it happens, I've already read Interview with the Vampire, The Vampire Lestat, and Queen of the Damned (been a while, but I remember them well enough). Where should I try to slot in MtD? Do I need to read tTotBT first? Do I need to read tVA at all?

Any tips you guys have would be much appreciated.

MONSTER wrote: OK lol Memnoch doestn really play into the witch series except for lestat,he plays a big roll later when both chronicles merge, so its good to know the fellows history/books.

Oh ... I read somewhere that someone (you guys don't seem to have spoiler tags here, so I don't want to say who) important in tWH and L ends up dying in MtD. Is that not true?

MONSTER wrote: but if you can stand to be a little in the dark about lestats doins and some of his cohorts, after lasher its Taltos, then if your stickin to just Witches/vampires books it would be Merrick followed by Blackwood Farm and then the conclusion of both Chronicles Blood Canticle. But i would advise you TO read Menoch, before Merrick, so you can get to know David, whos a lead in Merrick.

Right ... isn't David the head of the Talamasca who disappears in L? Yeah, that's pretty important. So maybe slot MtD in between T and M? I heard tVA was pretty separate, but what about tTotBT?

So we have thus far:

[read previously]
Interview with the Vampire
The Vampire Lestat
Queen of the Damned
[reading now]
The Witching Hour
Lasher
Taltos
Memnoch the Devil
Merrick
Blackwood Farm
Blood Canticle
[skipping?]
The Tale of the Body Thief
The Vampire Armand
Blood and Gold


Any other thoughts?

MONSTER wrote: wait brain freene tale of the body thief is the one with David and lestat, not memnoche it's a straight Vampire book my bad.

Oh, okay.

MONSTER wrote: And i dont recall anyone important from Witching hour and lasher dead in Memnoch? just write SPOILERS before giveing something away

Well, all righty then ... WARNING! SPOILERS AHEAD!



What I had read (don't know if it's true or not) was that Aaron Lightner dies in MtD. Now, obviously, if that's true, I would want to read that at just the right time in the midst of the Witches books. I don't know where though ... I've been trying to avoid any further spoilers, so I didn't want to try to search for the answer too hard, ya know?