The Recommended Reading Order for Mack’s Bar Mysteries
For the best reading experience, you should read the Mack’s Bar Mysteries in publication order. The series follows a tight chronological narrative where character relationships, personal backstories, and recurring plotlines develop significantly from one book to the next. Key elements—such as the unsolved murder of Mack's father, her evolving romance with Detective Duncan Albright, and a overarching mastermind subplot that begins in the fourth book—will be spoiled if read out of order.
Mack’s Bar Mysteries in Publication Order
Here is the complete list of the Mack’s Bar Mystery books in their correct reading sequence, complete with detailed plot summaries to help you guide your journey through Milwaukee's most crime-prone tavern:
1. Murder on the Rocks (2013)
The series begins by introducing Mackenzie 'Mack' Dalton, who has recently inherited her late father’s popular Milwaukee bar. Mack has synesthesia, a rare neurological condition that mixes her senses, allowing her to taste sounds, smell colors, and register feelings in unique ways. When she discovers a dead body in the alleyway behind her bar, the scene closely mirrors her father's unsolved murder from years ago. To solve the crime, Mack teams up with Milwaukee Police Detective Duncan Albright, using her heightened senses to spot clues that standard police work misses while sparking a complicated chemistry with the investigator.
2. Murder with a Twist (2014)
In the second installment, Mack is still adjusting to her dual life as a tavern owner and an unofficial police consultant. When she is pulled into investigating a suspicious suicide, she must use her cross-wired senses to determine whether it was actually a clever homicide. As she dives deeper into the dark secrets of Milwaukee's residents, the danger begins to hit closer to home. Mack also has to navigate her growing romantic feelings for Detective Albright, leaving her to question whether her unique capabilities are a gift or a curse when it comes to keeping herself and those she loves safe.
3. In the Drink (2015)
The stakes rise when a bar regular named Tiny begs Mack to help him investigate his sister's cold-case murder from years prior. Though the trail has gone cold for the police, Mack's synesthesia allows her to perceive long-buried evidence. However, the investigation triggers a massive media frenzy that threatens to expose her secret abilities to the public. To make matters worse, a brilliant and dangerous antagonist emerges—acting as a real-life Moriarty—specifically targeting and challenging Mack's crime-solving skills, leaving her deeply shaken.
4. Shots in the Dark (2016)
Set during a dark and snowy week before Christmas in Milwaukee, Mack faces her most personal tragedy yet when her beloved bouncer, Gary Gunderson, is brutally murdered. Grieving and determined to find justice, Mack and her circle of loyal tavern regulars investigate Gary's past to find a motive. At the same time, Mack begins receiving cryptic, threatening letters from an anonymous adversary. She must determine if the letters are connected to Gary’s death or if a separate, deadly game is being played with her life.
5. A Toast to Murder (2017)
Picking up where the previous book left off, this mystery centers on a high-stakes confrontation around New Year's Eve. Mack is determined to unmask the mastermind who killed Gary and has been sending her threatening letters. She orchestrates an exclusive, invite-only party at the bar, inviting all the primary suspects in an attempt to trap the killer. But the plan backfires spectacularly when her prime suspect is found dead during the event, forcing Mack to use her heightened perceptions to identify the real killer hidden among her closest friends and guests.
6. Last Call (2018)
In this final, thrilling conclusion to the series, Mack's close friend Mal goes missing after a prominent and ruthless local businessman is shot dead. Detective Albright calls on Mack to help with the shooting, only for them to discover Mal’s fingerprints on the murder weapon. Mack is forced to decide whether Mal’s undercover investigation went wrong or if her friend has crossed the line into becoming a killer on the run. Navigating secret passageways and shocking revelations, Mack must push her synesthetic abilities to the limit to clear her friend's name and survive.
What to Know Before You Start
The primary hook of the Mack’s Bar Mysteries is the protagonist’s synesthesia. Author Beth Amos drew on her professional background as an emergency room nurse to portray this neurological condition realistically, showing both its benefits as a crime-solving tool and the physical and emotional exhaustion it causes Mack. The bar itself is populated by the 'Capone Club'—a tight-knit group of quirky bar regulars who assist Mack in her investigations, giving the books a warm, ensemble feel. In addition, each book features actual drink recipes sprinkled throughout the chapters, adding a fun, interactive dimension for cozy mystery lovers who enjoy mixing a cocktail while they read.
About the Author and Her Pseudonyms
Allyson K. Abbott is a pen name used by author Beth Amos. The pseudonym itself is a playful internal joke, as the initials spell out 'A.K.A.' (Also Known As). In addition to writing the Mack's Bar Mysteries under this pen name, Amos is highly successful in the cozy mystery genre under the pseudonym Annelise Ryan, under which she writes the long-running Mattie Winston Mysteries (featuring a nurse-turned-coroner) and the Monster Hunter Mysteries. While the universes do not directly cross over, readers who enjoy the medical details and witty dialogue of Mack's Bar will find a very similar, comforting tone in her other works.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have more questions about how to approach the Mack's Bar Mysteries, read through these quick tips to make the most of your time in Mackenzie Dalton's Milwaukee tavern.