Devereaux’s Dime Store Mysteries Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order

For the best experience, readers should follow the Devereaux’s Dime Store Mysteries in their official publication order. Because the overarching romantic storylines, character developments, and small-town relationships evolve continuously from book to book, reading them sequentially ensures you do not spoil the central mysteries of Devereaux "Dev" Sinclair's life.

Here is the complete recommended reading list:

1. Little Shop of Homicide (2012)
2. Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death (2013)
3. Dead Between the Lines (2014)
4. Dying for a Cupcake (2015)
5. Between a Book and a Hard Place (2016)
6. Lions and Tigers and Murder, Oh My (2017)
7. Fly Me to the Tomb (2021)

What to Know Before You Start

Devereaux’s Dime Store Mysteries is a cozy amateur sleuth series written by New York Times bestselling author Denise Swanson. The series follows Dev Sinclair, a former city-dwelling corporate worker who returns to her roots in the fictional small town of Shadow Bend, Missouri. There, she takes over an old-fashioned five-and-dime store, complete with a classic soda fountain and local gossip.

Dev is a modern woman who values tradition, which is reflected in her passion for building custom gift baskets and managing her store. However, she has a knack for finding herself at the center of local homicide investigations, often forcing her to team up with her close friends Poppy and Boone to clear her name or protect those she loves.

A major draw of the series is its romantic tension. Throughout the first six novels, Dev is caught in a persistent love triangle between two very different men: Noah Underwood, her sweet-natured local ex-boyfriend, and Jake Del Vecchio, a handsome private investigator (and former Deputy U.S. Marshal) who rents the office space directly above her dime store. This romantic thread reaches a definitive conclusion in the sixth book, Lions and Tigers and Murder, Oh My, when Dev finally chooses one of her suitors, setting up a new dynamic for the seventh book, Fly Me to the Tomb.

The Core Books in the Series

1. Little Shop of Homicide (2012)

The series kicks off when Dev Sinclair is targeted as the prime suspect in the murder of Joelle Ayers, the fiancée of her ex-boyfriend, Noah. Because a gift basket prepared by Dev is found at the crime scene with her fingerprints, a local police officer is determined to pin the crime on her. Dev must rely on friends Poppy and Boone, alongside the mysterious and charming deputy marshal Jake Del Vecchio, to uncover the real killer.

2. Nickeled-and-Dimed to Death (2013)

Dev’s love life becomes increasingly complicated as both Noah and Jake vie for her attention. Meanwhile, when a local developer is murdered in connection with vintage antique chocolate molds, Dev is pulled into a web of small-town greed, rivalry, and secrets that threaten to shut down her shop permanently.

3. Dead Between the Lines (2014)

When the local book club gets caught in the middle of a deadly feud, Dev has to read between the lines to catch a killer. As the body count rises and the gossip in Shadow Bend reaches a fever pitch, Dev must keep her wits about her while trying to manage the building romantic tension with the men in her life.

4. Dying for a Cupcake (2015)

Dev sponsors a local cupcake baking contest to bring foot traffic to her dime store and Shadow Bend. However, the sweet event turns sour when one of the star contestants is found dead. Dev must sift through the rivalries of local bakers to find out who decided to add a lethal ingredient to the competition.

5. Between a Book and a Hard Place (2016)

Dev’s long-lost mother suddenly reappears in Shadow Bend, bringing a suitcase full of trouble. When her mother's shady husband is found dead, Dev has to investigate her own family's history to find the truth, putting her relationships with both Jake and Noah to the ultimate test.

6. Lions and Tigers and Murder, Oh My (2017)

During a local autumn festival, chaos erupts when a body is discovered near the exotic animal exhibits. This installment is highly anticipated by fans because Dev is forced to make her final choice between Noah and Jake, bringing an end to the series' long-running love triangle and setting her on a clear path forward.

7. Fly Me to the Tomb (2021)

After a four-year publishing hiatus, Swanson returned to Shadow Bend with Dev's latest mystery. Dev is now happily engaged to Jake Del Vecchio. The peace is short-lived when a local farmer is found dead on his tractor. Dev and Jake are hired to investigate, exposing dark secrets within the community's agricultural partnerships.

Spin-Offs and Companion Works

While the main seven books contain the entirety of Dev Sinclair's primary mystery arc, Denise Swanson has also written a companion spin-off series focusing on the character of Stephanie Danielson. These short stories take place in the same cozy universe and are published as digital e-books:

• A Finger in Every Lie (2015) – Introduces Stephanie Danielson, a recent widow and former reporter who moves into an active adult community with her mother, only to find herself investigating a developer's murder.
• All I Want for Christmas is You...Dead! (2015) – Stephanie assists local law enforcement in solving the murder of a difficult homeowners' association president.

For readers looking for more of Denise Swanson's signature style, she is also the author of the long-running Scumble River Mysteries featuring Skye Denison, though that series is set in a separate universe in Illinois and does not feature direct crossovers with the dime store characters.