Kebab Kitchen Mystery Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order

For the best experience, readers should follow the Kebab Kitchen Mystery series in its publication order. The main novels trace the personal growth of protagonist Lucy Berberian, her evolving relationship with chef Azad Zakarian, and her transition from a burnt-out attorney to a confident restaurant manager. While each mystery is resolved within its own book, the overarching character arcs and family dynamics develop sequentially. The standalone short stories from the Destination Murders anthologies can be read as fun side adventures, though one serves as a prequel to the entire series.

The Core Novels in Publication Order

The main series consists of five culinary cozy mystery novels published between 2018 and 2020. Each book features a selection of delicious Mediterranean recipes in the back, matching the dishes featured in the plot.

• Hummus and Homicide (2018): This is the book that starts it all. Lucy Berberian leaves her high-stress Philadelphia law job and returns home to Ocean Crest, New Jersey, to work at her family's restaurant. When a demanding health inspector dies after eating at the Kebab Kitchen, Lucy is forced to find the real killer to save the business and clear her own name.
• Stabbed in the Baklava (2018): Lucy is hired to cater a high-society beach wedding, but the celebration turns tragic when the best man is found dead, skewered by a shish kebab spit. With the restaurant's reputation on the line again, Lucy must sift through family secrets and wedding drama to catch the murderer.
• One Feta in the Grave (2019): Set during Ocean Crest's annual sandcastle building contest, Lucy is busy running a food cart on the boardwalk. Intrigues bubble up when a local developer is found dead, and Lucy's best friend is suspected of the crime.
• On the Lamb (2020): A spring celebration turns sour when a motorcycle club rolls into town for the local Easter event. When a wealthy man is poisoned by a dessert, Lucy finds herself untangling a web of biker disputes and neighborhood rivalries.
• Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (2020): The series gets festive in this holiday-themed mystery. Ocean Crest is decorated for Christmas, but when a local toy shop owner is murdered, Lucy must solve the case while managing the holiday rush at the restaurant and dealing with her meddling family.

The Destination Murders Anthology Short Stories

Between 2022 and 2025, Tina Kashian contributed four short stories featuring Lucy Berberian to the multi-author Destination Murders travel-themed cozy anthologies. These stories take Lucy away from Ocean Crest on various vacation mishaps:

• "A Killer Pocono Hike" (published in Murder in the Mountains, 2022): While taking a brief break in the Poconos to escape the stress of wedding planning, Lucy finds a body in a forest sinkhole and must solve the local mountain mystery.
• "The Sail of Two Continents" (published in Murder at Sea, 2023): Lucy takes her sleuthing skills to the open water on a luxury yacht cruise, only to encounter a murder that must be solved before returning to port.
• "A Contest Win to Die For" (published in Murder in the Air, 2024): Lucy wins a trip on a scenic blimp ride, but the high-altitude vacation turns deadly when a passenger is murdered.
• "A Killer Party" (published in Murder in the Graveyard, 2025): This story serves as a prequel to the entire series, flashing back to Lucy Berberian's high school years in New Jersey during a high-stakes game of "Senior Assassin" that turns all too real.

Chronological Order vs. Publication Order

If you prefer to read the series chronologically rather than by publication date, you should start with the flashback prequel short story before diving into the main novels. The recommended chronological sequence is as follows:

1. "A Killer Party" (Short story from Murder in the Graveyard — High School Prequel)
2. Hummus and Homicide (Novel #1)
3. Stabbed in the Baklava (Novel #2)
4. One Feta in the Grave (Novel #3)
5. On the Lamb (Novel #4)
6. "A Killer Pocono Hike" (Short story from Murder in the Mountains — set during Lucy's wedding planning phase)
7. Mistletoe, Moussaka, and Murder (Novel #5)
8. "The Sail of Two Continents" (Short story from Murder at Sea)
9. "A Contest Win to Die For" (Short story from Murder in the Air)

What to Know Before You Start

Tina Kashian drew heavily on her own background to create the Kebab Kitchen series. Growing up on the Jersey Shore, her parents ran a Mediterranean restaurant for three decades, which inspired the authentic descriptions of dishes like stuffed grape leaves, shish kebabs, and baklava. Her legal background as a former New Jersey Deputy Attorney General also helped shape Lucy's analytical lawyer mindset.

The series is widely praised for its warm family dynamics, particularly Lucy's meddling mother Angela, her supportive best friend Katie, and Azad, the talented chef who becomes Lucy's love interest. Readers should also look out for Gadoo, the restaurant's charming calico cat. The books successfully capture the nostalgic energy of the New Jersey boardwalk, making it an excellent read for fans of coastal cozy mysteries.