Murder, She Wrote Books in Order (Complete Reading List)

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Based on the beloved TV series starring Angela Lansbury as mystery writer Jessica Fletcher, the Murder, She Wrote novels have quietly become one of the longest-running cozy mystery tie-in series ever published — over 60 books since 1989, credited to “Jessica Fletcher” with a rotating cast of real ghostwriters. Here’s the complete reading order.

Murder, She Wrote Books in Order

Early TV Tie-Ins (a separate, earlier set — written before the main series)

1. The Murder of Sherlock Holmes (1985) — James Anderson
2. Hooray for Homicide (1985) — James Anderson
3. Lovers and Other Killers (1986) — James Anderson
4. Murder in Two Acts (1986) — David Deutsch

Main Series — Donald Bain Era (1989–2015)

5. Gin & Daggers (1989)
6. Manhattans & Murder (1994)
7. Rum & Razors (1995)
8. Brandy & Bullets (1995)
9. Martinis & Mayhem (1995)
10. A Deadly Judgment (1996)
11. A Palette for Murder (1996)
12. The Highland Fling Murders (1997)
13. Murder on the QE2 (1997)
14. Murder in Moscow (1998)
15. A Little Yuletide Murder (1998)
16. Murder at the Powderhorn Ranch (1999)
17. Knock ’em Dead (1999)
18. Trick or Treachery (2000)
19. Blood on the Vine (2001)
20. Murder in a Minor Key (2001)
21. Provence – To Die For (2002)
22. You Bet Your Life (2002)
23. Majoring in Murder (2003)
24. Destination Murder (2003)
25. Dying to Retire (2004)
26. A Vote for Murder (2004)
27. The Maine Mutiny (2005)
28. Margaritas & Murder (2005)
29. A Question of Murder (2006)
30. Three Strikes and You’re Dead (2006)
31. Coffee, Tea, or Murder? (2007)
32. Panning for Murder (2007)
33. Murder on Parade (2008)
34. A Slaying in Savannah (2008)
35. Madison Avenue Shoot (2009)
36. A Fatal Feast (2009)
37. Nashville Noir (2010)
38. The Queen’s Jewels (2010)
39. Skating on Thin Ice (2011)
40. The Fine Art of Murder (2011)
41. Trouble at High Tide (2012)
42. Domestic Malice (2012)
43. Prescription for Murder (2013)
44. Close-Up on Murder (2013)
45. Aloha Betrayed (2014)
46. Death of a Blue Blood (2014)
47. Killer in the Kitchen (2015)
48. The Ghost and Mrs. Fletcher (2015, with Renée Paley-Bain)
49. Design for Murder (2016, with Renée Paley-Bain)
50. Hook, Line, and Murder (2016, with Renée Paley-Bain)

Jon Land Era (2018–2020)

51. A Date with Murder (2018)
52. Manuscript for Murder (2018)
53. Murder in Red (2019)
54. A Time for Murder (2019)
55. The Murder of Twelve (2020)
56. Murder in Season (2020)

Terrie Farley Moran Era (2021–Present)

57. Killing in a Koi Pond (2021)
58. Debonair in Death (2021)
59. Killer on the Court (2022)
60. Death on the Emerald Isle (2023)
61. Fit for Murder (2024)
62. Murder Backstage (2024)
63. A Killer Christmas (2024)

Barbara Early & Moran, Alternating (2025–)

64. Snowy with a Chance of Murder (2025) — Barbara Early
65. A Body in Boston (2025) — Terrie Farley Moran
66. Murder Most Trivial (2026) — Barbara Early
67. A Killing in Real Estate (2026) — Terrie Farley Moran
68. Only Murders in the Castle (announced for May 2027) — Barbara Early

Do You Need to Read Them in Order?

Not strictly — each book is a self-contained mystery, and Jessica Fletcher’s world in Cabot Cove doesn’t require the same continuity tracking as a series with an evolving romance plot. That said, reading within an era (the Bain years, then Land, then Moran) will feel more consistent in tone, since each ghostwriter brings a slightly different voice to Jessica.

Where Should I Start?

If you want the “real” beginning of the tie-in novel series, start with Gin & Daggers (1989) — the first full-length Donald Bain novel. If you’d rather start with something more recent and easy to find, Killing in a Koi Pond (2021) kicks off the current Terrie Farley Moran era.

FAQ

Did Angela Lansbury write these books?
No — like many TV tie-in series, “Jessica Fletcher” is a a character credit, not a real author. The books have been ghostwritten by Donald Bain, Jon Land, Terrie Farley Moran, and most recently Barbara Early.

Is the series still being written?
Yes — new entries continued through 2026, over three decades after the TV show ended.

Looking for more classic-style cozy series? Check out our Agatha Raisin books in order and Aurora Teagarden books in order guides.

Sources

For reading order and publication years on this page our source of record is Penguin Random House’s Murder, She Wrote series page. We checked the newest entries on this page against it on 27 October 2026. Books that are announced but have no confirmed release date are marked as such rather than given a year. If anything here is out of date, tell us in the comments and we will fix it.

Keep reading: Agatha Raisin in order · Hallmark mystery movies based on books · every cozy series in order (full index)