The Recommended Reading Order for Midwest Cozy Mystery
For the best reading experience, it is highly recommended to read the Midwest Cozy Mystery series in publication order. Because the books follow the personal life, relationships, and professional evolution of protagonist Kat Denham, reading them chronologically prevents spoilers and allows you to enjoy her character growth as she transitions from a grieving widow to a confident investigator.
The series begins in the small college town of Lindsay, Kansas, but eventually expands as Kat takes her investigative skills on the road to exotic domestic and international destinations. Below is the complete publication sequence of the primary novels in the series:
- Murdered by Words (2016) - The book that introduces Kat Denham, her pseudonym "Sexy Cissy," and the murder of her editor that starts it all.
- Murder at the Clinic (2016) - Kat investigates a suspicious death at a local acupuncture clinic.
- Murdered at the Courthouse (2018) - A local mystery that hits close to home in the Kansas legal system.
- The Professor's Predicament (2018) - Set against the backdrop of the local college campus.
- Murdered by News (2018) - Gossip and journalism clash with murder in Lindsay.
- Murder in Italy (2019) - Kat travels to Florence for a wedding, only for a murderer to crash the festivities.
- Small Town Murder (2019) - A return to classic small-town secrets and local college drama.
- Murdered in Hollywood (2019) - Kat heads to California to solve the murder of an aging actress friend.
- Missing in the Islands (2019) - A tropical trip that quickly turns into a search for a missing person.
- Murder in England (2021) - Kat brings her sleuthing skills to the British countryside.
- Murder in Seychelles (2021) - A beautiful island vacation disrupted by a deadly crime.
- Murder in Africa (2021) - Travel and high-stakes mystery collide on the African continent.
- Murder on the Golf Course (2022) - Kat is called in by a new police detective to investigate a body found on the fifth hole of a local course.
Understanding the Series Numbering Discrepancies
Readers researching the series online may notice a confusing numbering quirk on platforms such as Fantastic Fiction. These platforms list the final novel, Murder on the Golf Course, as Book 15 rather than Book 13. This is not due to missing novels in the main narrative. Instead, the discrepancy arises because certain databases count the multi-book omnibus collections and superseries volumes in the sequential numbering. Specifically, the Midwest Cozy Mysteries Superseries (2019) and the box set Midwest Cozy Mysteries: Books 7-9 (2020) were assigned slots 13 and 14 in the sequence. To follow the narrative continuity of Kat's individual adventures, you should treat Murder on the Golf Course as the 13th novel directly following Murder in Africa.
What to Know Before You Start
Before diving into the series, there are several unique features that define Dianne Harman's writing style and the world of Kat Denham:
- Kat's Double Life: At the start of the series, Kat is known locally as a quiet widow. However, she secretly makes her living writing steamy erotic novels under the pen name Sexy Cissy. This secret identity is the catalyst for the conflict in the very first book and remains a fun, running element throughout her early adventures.
- A Canine Sidekick: Kat is rarely alone in her investigations. She is accompanied by Rudy, her loyal and highly protective Rottweiler, who adds both heart and humor to the mysteries.
- Culinary Elements: Harman is famous for including recipes at the end of her cozy mysteries. Many of these dishes are inspired by the author's own travels and yoga-infused healthy living, offering readers a tangible way to connect with the setting.
- From Kansas to the World: While the series is called the Midwest Cozy Mystery series, only the first few books are strictly set in Lindsay, Kansas. As the series progresses, Kat frequently travels to places like Hollywood, Italy, Seychelles, England, and Africa, blending the cozy mystery structure with international travel log elements.
Can the Books Be Read as Standalones?
Yes. Each book in the Midwest Cozy Mystery series features a self-contained mystery with a clear resolution, meaning you will not be left with cliffhangers regarding the identity of the murderer. However, the overarching character relationships, Kat's reputation as a local sleuth, and her personal journey as a widow building a new life develop sequentially. To appreciate the full emotional weight of Kat's choices—especially her reflections on her career path in Murder on the Golf Course—starting with the first book is highly recommended.
Where to Go Next in the Dianne Harman Universe
If you finish the Midwest Cozy Mystery series and want more of Dianne Harman's signature style, she is an exceptionally prolific author with several other highly popular cozy series. Readers who enjoy small-town investigations, animal sidekicks, and recipes should look into her Cedar Bay Cozy Mystery series, the Ozarks Cozy Mystery series, or the Clean Sweep Cozy Mystery series, all of which capture the same warm, readable tone.