Books On Board
series Reading Order

Alex Jensen & Jessie Arnold / Alaska Mysteries Books in Order

12 Books
1991 – 2008 Published
Jump to reading order
Affiliate links: We may earn a commission on purchases made at no extra cost to you.
Reading order

Where to Start

For the best experience, you should start with the series' outstanding debut, Murder on the Iditarod Trail (1991). This book not only won both the Anthony and Macavity awards for Best First Novel, but it also establishes the core partnership and romantic tension between state trooper Alex Jensen and mushing expert Jessie Arnold. Reading the books in sequence allows you to watch their relationship develop alongside the changing seasons of the Alaskan frontier.

Alex Jensen & Jessie Arnold Books in Publication Order

While the mysteries themselves are standalone cases, the lives of the characters progress continuously. Here is the complete publication order for the main series:

  1. Murder on the Iditarod Trail (1991)
  2. Termination Dust (1995)
  3. Sleeping Lady (1996)
  4. Death Takes Passage (1997)
  5. Deadfall (1998)
  6. Murder on the Yukon Quest (1999)
  7. Beneath the Ashes (2000)
  8. Dead North (2001)
  9. Cold Company (2002)
  10. Death Trap (2003)
  11. Murder at Five Finger Light (2005)
  12. Degrees of Separation (2008)

Chronological Order & Writing Caveats

The chronological order matches the publication sequence. However, readers should note that a 13th installment titled Cold as Ice was widely listed in databases with a projected 2010 release date, but it remained unfinished and was never published. For readers wishing to explore further, Sue Henry also penned the Maxie and Stretch spin-off series. It is best to start that spin-off after reading Dead North (Book 8), where the character of Maxine McNabb is first introduced.

The Maxie and Stretch Spin-off Order

This lighthearted spin-off follows the RV adventures of seventy-something Maxie McNabb and her mini-dachshund, Stretch, as they travel across North America solving crimes:

  • The Serpent's Trail (2004)
  • The Tooth of Time (2006)
  • The Refuge (2007)
  • The End of the Road (2009)

Frequently Asked

QWhere should I start reading the Alaska Mysteries?

You should start with the first novel, Murder on the Iditarod Trail (1991), which introduces state trooper Alex Jensen and dog sled racer Jessie Arnold.

QHow many books are in the Jessie Arnold and Alex Jensen series?

There are 12 published novels in the main series. A planned 13th book, Cold as Ice, was never completed or released.

QWho is Maxie McNabb and how does she connect to the series?

Maxie McNabb is an RV-traveling senior introduced in the eighth book, Dead North. She proved popular enough to spin off into her own four-book Maxie and Stretch Mysteries series.

QIs it necessary to read the Alaska Mysteries in order?

While the mystery plots are self-contained, it is recommended to read them in publication order to watch the relationship between Jessie and Alex evolve naturally.

QWas there a movie adaptation of the series?

Yes, the first novel was adapted into a 1996 television movie titled The Cold Heart of a Killer, starring Kate Jackson as Jessie Arnold.