The Recommended Reading Order for the Lee Ofsted Series
For readers diving into the world of Lee Ofsted, the path is straightforward. Because the books follow Lee's developing career on the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tour and her evolving romantic relationship with ex-cop Graham Sheldon, the series is best experienced in its original publication order. The chronological timeline of Lee's life matches the order in which the books were released, making this the most satisfying way to watch her grow from a struggling underdog into a seasoned professional and sleuth.
Here is the recommended reading path for the series:
- A Wicked Slice (1989)
- Rotten Lies (1995)
- Nasty Breaks (1997)
- Where Have All the Birdies Gone? (2004)
- On the Fringe (2005)
The Lee Ofsted Books in Detail
1. A Wicked Slice (1989)
The series begins with A Wicked Slice, introducing readers to Lee Ofsted. Lee is a young, determined, but financially strapped golfer who is barely managing to stay on the professional tour. Her struggles on the fairway take a backseat when the tour's reigning star is found dead in a water hazard. With her career on the line and her golf drives slicing uncontrollably, Lee gets swept up in the investigation. This debut novel also introduces Lieutenant Graham Sheldon, the local investigator who initially doubts Lee's amateur detective instincts but quickly becomes her key ally—and romantic interest. The novel sets the tone for the series, balancing authentic details of the pro-golf circuit with classic whodunit suspense.
2. Rotten Lies (1995)
In the second installment, Lee's golfing journey takes her to the sun-drenched courses of New Mexico. While struggling to keep her game together, she witnesses a bizarre event: a prominent club member is struck and killed by lightning. However, subsequent findings reveal that the lightning strike might have been staged to cover up a cold-blooded murder. Teaming up again with Graham Sheldon, Lee must navigate local club politics, professional rivalries, and dangerous secrets to find the truth before she becomes the next target on the course.
3. Nasty Breaks (1997)
Stepping away from the traditional tour for a brief stint, Lee takes a temporary teaching job at a golf school on Block Island, off the coast of Rhode Island. What was supposed to be a quiet gig teaching amateur golfers becomes a nightmare when a wealthy student is kidnapped and a murder occurs. Stranded on the island and cut off from immediate help, Lee must use her wit, knowledge of the terrain, and observations of the island's quirky residents to rescue the hostage and identify the killer. The coastal atmosphere and isolated setting add a unique flavor to this entry.
4. Where Have All the Birdies Gone? (2004)
After a seven-year gap in publication, the husband-and-wife writing team returned to Lee Ofsted with Where Have All the Birdies Gone?. Lee is unexpectedly selected to join the prestigious American team for the Stewart Cup—a high-stakes tournament modeled after the Ryder Cup, pitting American pro golfers against their European counterparts. The pressure of international competition escalates dramatically when the American team captain's caddie is murdered. Lee soon finds herself targeted by someone desperate to keep a secret, forcing her to rely on both her athletic focus and detective skills to survive the tournament.
5. On the Fringe (2005)
The fifth and final novel, On the Fringe, finds Lee and her now-fiancé Graham Sheldon planning their wedding in the beautiful setting of Hawaii. They choose the historic Royal Mauna Kea Golf and Country Club for their ceremony, hoping for a peaceful celebration. Instead, they are caught in the middle of a chaotic treasure hunt. Rumors of the missing Cumberland Cup—a priceless trophy commissioned from Tiffany & Co. that disappeared decades earlier—bring fortune hunters and suspicious characters to the club. When the country club president is found murdered, Lee's wedding plans are derailed as she and Graham dive into the club's dark history to find the killer and locate the artifact.
What to Know Before You Start
The Lee Ofsted series is unique in the cozy mystery genre due to its detailed setting in the world of women's professional golf. Charlotte Elkins, a former librarian, and her husband Aaron Elkins, an Edgar Award-winning mystery author known for his Gideon Oliver series, combined their skills to write these books. They conducted meticulous research into the LPGA tour to ground Lee's career in reality, capturing the financial insecurity, physical exhaustion, and high stakes of professional athletics.
Readers do not need to be golf experts to enjoy the books. While golf terminology and tournament structures are heavily integrated, the stories explain the concepts clearly. The focus remains on Lee's engaging personality, her lighthearted romance with Graham, and the puzzle of the mysteries.
A common point of confusion is the short story "Nice Gorilla". While Charlotte and Aaron Elkins won the Agatha Award for Best Short Story in 1992 for "Nice Gorilla," this story is a standalone piece published in the Malice Domestic 1 anthology and does not feature Lee Ofsted or the world of golf. Therefore, it is not required reading for this series.