Mainely Murder

Jessica Fletcher Mysteries, by Donald Bain
A cozy series featuring TVs favorite mystery-writer. (Note: not all of the novels take place in Maine. Jessie gets around a lot.)

Gin and Daggers.McGraw-Hill, 1989.
Manhattans and Murder. Penguin, 1994.
Rum and Razors.Signet, 1995.
Martinis & Mayhem.Penguin, 1995.
Brandy & Bullets. Signet, 1995.
A Palette for Murder.Signet, 1996.
Deadly Judgment.Penguin, 1996.
The Highland Fling Murders.Signet, 1997.
Muder in Moscow. Penguin, 1998.
A Little Yuletide Murder. Signet, 1998.
Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch.Signet, 1999.
Knock 'em Dead.Signet, 1999.
Trick or Treachery.NAL, 2000.
Murder in a Minor Key. Nal, 2001.
Blood on the Vine. NAL, 2000.
You Bet Your Life.Penguin, 2002.
Provence—to Die For. Signet, 2002.
Destination Murder.NAL, 2003.
Majoring in Murder. Signet, 2003.
Vote for Murder.NAL, 2004.
Dying to Retire.Signet, 2004.
Margaritas and Murder.NAL, 2005.
The Maine Mutiny.Signet, 2005.
Three Strikes and You're Dead.NAL, 2006.
A Question of Murder.Signet, 2006.
Coffee,Tea or Murder.Signet, 2007.
A Fatal Feast.Obsidian, 2009.

Sarah Deane & Alex Mckenzie Mysteries, by J. S. Borthwick
Sarah Deane is a teaching fellow and doctoral candidate at Bowmouth College in Maine. She and her boyfriend, Dr. Alex Mckenzie. Note: not all of the stories in the series actually take place in Maine.

The Down East Murders. 1985
Bodies of Water. St. M., 1990.
The Bridled Groom. St. M., 1994.
Dolly is Dead. St. M., 1995.
The Garden Plot. St. M., 1998.
My Body Lies Over the Ocean. 1999.
Coup de Grace. 2000.
Murder in the Rough. Minotaur, 2002.
Intensive Scare Unit. Minotaur, 2004.
Foiled Again.Minotaur, 2007.

Jack McMorrow Mysteries, by Gerry Boyle
When big city reporter Jack McMorrow has had enough of the mean streets for a quieter life, he becomes the editor of a small newspaper in the mountain town of Androscoggin. But he soon learns that murder and mayhem are not confined to major metropolitan areas.

Deadline. North Country, 1993
Bloodline. Putnam, 1995.
Lifeline. GPPS, 1996.
Potshot. GPPS, 1997.
Borderline. BPC, 1998.
Cover Story. BPC, 2000.
Pretty Dead. BPC, 2003.
Home Body. BPC, 2004.

Joe Burgess Mysteries, by Kate Flora
Sgt. Joe Burgess, a Portland homicide cop, has s repuation for beibng disobedient and rude, is also one of the best detectives on the force when it comes to investigating murder and pursuing justice for the victims.

Playing God. Five Star, 2006.
The Angel of Knowlton Park. Gale, 2008.

Jacobia Tiptree Mysteries, by Sarah Graves
When Wall Street loses its allure for high-powered Investment banker Jacobia Tiptree, she uproots herself and teenage son, Sam, to coastal Maine where she begins to restore a Victorian house. To her dismay, she learns that even quaint, bucolic places have their share of dark secrets and killers.

The Dead Cat Bounce. Bantam, 1998.
Triple Witch. Bantam, Bantam, 1999.
Wicked Fix. Bantam, Bantam, 2000.
Repair to Her Grave. Bantam, 2001.
Wreck the Halls. Bantam, Bantam, 2001.
Unhinged. Bantam, Bantam, 2003.
Mallets Afterthought. Bantam, 2004.
Tools & Die. Bantam, Bantam, 2004.
Nail Biter. Bantam, Bantam, 2006.
Trap Door. Bantam, Bantam, 2007.
The Book of Old Houses.Bantam, 2008.
Face at the Window.Bantam, 2009.
Crawalspace.Bantam, 2010.
Knockdown. Bantam, 2011.

Jane Bunker Mysteries, by Linda Greenlaw
Burnt out from her job as a homicide detective in Dade County, Florida, Jane Bunker moves home to the coastal town of Green Haven, where she hopse for a quieter life and a slower pace as a marine insurance consultant. She soon finds that even picturesque Maine is not immune to murder.

Slipknot. Hyperion, 2007.
Fisherman's Bend. Hyperion, 2008.

Det. Mike McCabe Mysteries, by James Hayman
Det. Mike McCabe transfers from NY to the Portland PD to escape the bad memories of a nasty and raise his 13-year-old daughter in a safer place. But when he is assigned to a case involving brutal murders, he begins to wonder if there is truly any safe place.

The Cutting. Minotaur, 2010.
The Chill of the Night. Minotaur, 2010.

Candy Holliday Mysteries, by B. B. Haywood
Having put her past behind her (her ex-husband emptied their savings and dumped her for another woman), Candy Holliday lives a tranquil life in the seaside village of Cape William, Maine, running Blueberry Acres farm with her father. But when problems arise in town and people are killed, she decides to investigate.

Town in a Blueberry Jam. Berkley, 2010.
Town in a Lobster Stew. Berkley, 2011.

Jack Field Mysteries, by Lee Charles Kelley
Jack Field has given up the stress of law enforcement to indluge in his first love--animals. Now he owns a kennel and trains dogs for a living. But when you are dating the county medical examiner, sooner or later, your old skills are going to come in handy.

Nose for Murder. Avon, 2003.
Murder Unleashed. Avon, 2004.
To Collar a Killer. Avon, 2004.
'Twas the Bit Before Christmas. Avon, 2005.
like a Dog with a Bone. Avon, 2007.

Hannah Trevor Mysteries, by Margaret K. Lawrence
In the rural, post-Revolutionary War town of Rufford, Maine, midwife Hannah Trevor is not your average 18th century female. Independent, unconventional, educated, and free-thinking, she often finds herself at odds with the male population, especially when she involves herself in the very un-womanly act of crime detection.

Hearts and Bones. Avon, 1996.
Blood Red Roses. Avon, 1997.
The Burning Bride. Avon, 1998.
The Iceweaver. Morrow, 2000.

Gray Whale Inn Mysteries, by Karen MacInerney.
Natalie Barnes has invested her life savings in the Gray Whale Inn, a bed-and-breakfast on Maine's Cranberry Island, only to learn that a developer is planning to build a huge resort, she is determined to stop the project. She subsequently becomes the prime suspect in his murder.

Murder on the Rocks. Midnight Ink, 2006.
Dead and Berried. Midnight Ink, 2007.
Murder Most Maine.Midnight Ink, 2008.
Berried to the Hilt.Mignight Ink, 2010.

Lucy Stone Mysteries by Leslie Meier
Another cozy series, this one featuring busy mother of three (soon to be four), Lucy Stone of Tinker's Cove, who always manages to find time in her busy schedule to solve a murder or two.

Mail-Order Murder. Viking, 1991.
Tippy Toe Murder. Viking, 1994.
Trick-or-Treat Murder. Kensington, 1996.
Back to School Murder. Kensington, 1997.
Valentine Murder. Kensington, 1999.
Mistletoe Murder. Kensington, 1999.
Christmas Cookie Murder. Kensington, 1999.
Turkey Day Murder. Kensington, 2000.
Wedding Day Murder. Kensington, 2001.
Birthday Party Murder. Kensington, 2002.
Father’s Day Murder. Kensington, 2003.
Star Spangled Murder. Kensington, 2004.
New Year's Eve Murder. Kensington, 2005.
Bake Sale Murder. Kensington, 2006.
St. Patrick's Day Murder. Kensington, 2008.
Mother's Day Murder. Kensington, 2009.
Wicked Witch Murder.Kensington, 2010.

Faith Sibley Fairchild Mysteries, by Katherine Hall Page
New York caterer Faith Sibley is swept off her feet by Tom Fairchild, a young minister from Alesford, Massachusetts, and leaves her big city world behind. Two titles in the series take place in Maine, both on the quiet island of Sanpere where Faith first vacations and later builds a summer home.

The Body in the Belfrey. St. Martin's, 1990.
The Body in the Kelp. Avon, 1992, 1991.
The Body in the Bouillon. Avon, 1991.
The Body in the Vestibule. St. Martin's, 1992.
The Body in the Cast. St. Martin's, 1993.
The Body in the Basement. St. M., 1994.
The Body in the Bog. Morrow, 1996.
The Body in the Fjord. Morrow, 1997.
The Body in the Bookcase. Morrow, 1998.
The Body in the Big Apple. Morrow, 1999.
The Body in the Moonlight. Morrow, 2001.
The Body in the Bonfire. Morrow, 2002.
The Body in the Lighthouse. Morrow, 2003.
The Body in the Attic. Morrow, 2004.
The Body in the Snowdrift. Morrow, 2005.
The Body in the Ivy. Morrow, 2006.
The Body in the Gallery. Morrow, 2008.
The Body in the Sleigh. Morrow, 2009.
The Body in the Gazebo. Morrow, 2011.

Stoney Calhoun Mysteries, by William C. Tapply
Stoney Calhoun, a man with no memory of his life before being struck by lightning, lives with his spaniel, Ralph, in rural Maine. When a fishing guide he referred a customer to is murdered, Stoney hunts for clues and learns that he has a knack for investigation. Soon tantalizing snippets of his lost former life begin to emerge.

Bitch Creek. Lyons, 2004.
Gray Ghost. Minotaur, 2007.
Dark Tiger. Minotaur, 2009.

Single Works

Murder with Puffins
Donna Andrews. T. Dunne, 2000.
What is supposed to be a romantic getaway for Meg Langslow and her boyfriend to the tiny island of Monhegan off the coast of Maine, becomes something quiet different when she a) discovers that other members of her family have descended upon the family cottage, b) the island is overrun by birdwatchers, c)a hurricane hits the island, d) the body of her mother’s former beau is found and, e) her father is accused of the murder.

Darkness Peering
Alice Blanchard. Bantam, 1999.
In 1980, Nalen Storrow, the police chief of Flowering Dogwood, investigates the murder of a 14-year-old retarded girl, and takes his own life when circumstantial evidence points to his own son. 18 years later, Rachel Storrow, a police detective, reopens the still unsolved case.

The Maine Mulch Murder
A. Carman Clark. Worldwide, 2004, 2001
After Amy Creighton finds the body of a young man in a mulch pile, the sixty-year-old editor joins forces with the local constable to get to the bottom of a mystery that threatens to expose some dark secrets about the inhabitants of her peaceful community.

Creature Discomforts
Susan Conant. Doubleday, 2000.
Holly Winter, a feisty 30-ish columnist for Dog's Life, is not only adept at breeding and training dogs, but in collaring criminals as well...with a little help from her faithful Alaskan Malamutes, Rowdy & Kimi. In her 13th “Dog Lover’s” mystery, Holly must combat amnesia as well as a mysterious death that occurred in Acadia National Park on the same trail where Holly suffered her “accident.”

Dark Hollow
John Connolly. S&S, 2001. Following the killings of his wife and daughter, ex-New York Police Detective Charlie "Bird" Parker, returns home to Scarborough, Maine, with the intention of rebuilding his family's house as well as his own life. But memories of his father's and grandfather's untimely deaths resurface, Parker is driven to join the manhunt for the killer of yet another mother and child. Followed by:
The Killing Kind (2002) and Bad Men (2004).

Liberty or Death
Kate Clark Flora. Forge, 2003.
When her State Trooper fiancé is abducted, private school consultant, Thea Kozak, becomes involved with the investigation by going undercover as a waitress in the backwater town where he was last seen. By the same author: Playing God (2006)

Undone
Michael Kimball. Avon, 1996.
Bobby Swift and his wife hatch a plot to fake his death (to the point of actually being buried alive) in order to live the good life on an ill-gotten 2 million dollars. But the best laid plans...

Mission Flats
William Landay. Delacorte, 2003.
When a Boston district attorney is murdered on his turf, Ben Truman, the young, untried chief of police in Versailles, Maine, finds the Boston Police Department more of a hindrance than a help in his investigation, but he is undeterred in his pursuit of the killer.

Murder on High
Stephanie Matteson. BPC, 1994.
Seventy-something former tinsel town actress Charlotte Graham, a summer resident of Old Town, Maine, with a talent for sleuthing helps her friend, state police Lt. Howard Tracey, solve the murder of her former screenwriter, Iris Richards, who has been shot by an arrow while climbing Mt. Katahdin.

Something in the Water
Charlotte MacLeod. Mysterious Press, 1994
Peter Shandy, professor of botany at Balaclava Agricultural College in Massachusetts, is on holiday in the coastal village of Pickwance, Maine, when a local con man is poisoned in the Inn’s dining room, much to the delight of the townspeople.

The Harbor
Carla Neggers. Mira, 2003.
Still haunted by her father's murder, Zoe West, who abandoned her plans for career in law enforcement, returns to her hometown of Goose Harbor, Maine. There she encounters a burnt-out FBI agent who claims to be on vacation. The two team up to solve a series of crimes that might be linked to the death of her father.

Winter’s End
John Rickards. T. Dunne, 2003.
Sheriff Dale Townsend calls his childhood friend, Alex Rourke, an ex-FBI interrogator turned private eye back to his sleepy home town north-eastern Maine to help him solve a strange case involving a dead woman and the young man found at the scene who refuses to cooperate with the investigation even thought there is no evidence linking him to the murder.

Shadows on the Coast of Maine
Lea Wait. Scribner, 2003.
Antiques print dealer Maggie Summer visits an old college roommate and her husband who have recently bought an old house but her Maine holiday turns into a hunt for a killer.

Dark Harbor
Stuart Woods. GPPS, 2006.
Stone Barrington (New York Dead, etc.) inherits a house on the island of Dark Harbor, Maine, from a cousin who local police believe killed his family before taking his own life. When Stone learns from his CIA contact, Lance Cabot, that his cousin was working covertly for the CIA, he decides to look into matters himself.

Ovation by Death
Dorian Yeager. St. M., 1996.
Summer stock ain’t what it used to be as actress Vic Bowering investigates the suspicious mishaps plaguing a production of Oh, Mac!–a musical version of Macbeth, a play known by actors everywhere to be cursed.

This page updated by Lisa Ferzola (2011)

Created and maintained by: Lynne M. Kennedy.

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