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I feel this way about most of the many-volume mystery, crime or thriller series I read. Examples are James Patterson's 'Women's Murder Club,' his 'Alex Cross' series, David Baldacci's 'Camel Club,' or Michael Connelly's 'Bosch' series.
I do not know for certain it is the writer's voice improving and using their characters better or if it is just me investing more in the characters. First books in long series have to lay a lot of groundwork that can be condensed or skipped in later books. Seems more common than the OP was thinking, at least in the genres I mentioned.
I do not see this as much in my SF or fantasy reads, maybe because the author is laying their mind-bending ideas on us in the first book and it is not quite as amazing to see them again, or revisit that fantasy world, in later books.
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