The Recommended Reading Order for Murders by Design
For readers diving into the sun-drenched, high-stakes world of Deva Dunne, the best way to experience the series is in publication order. Because the books follow a continuous character arc—showing Deva's healing process as a young widow, her growing business, and her evolving relationship with detective Victor Rossi—reading them chronologically prevents spoilers and makes the character development far more rewarding.
- Designed for Death (2012)
- The Monet Murders (2012)
- Killer Kitchens (2013)
- Rooms to Die For (2014)
- The Design Is Murder (2014)
Detailed Book-by-Book Breakdown
1. Designed for Death (2012)
The series opens with Deva Dunne struggling to rebuild her life in Naples, Florida, after the sudden death of her husband. Trying to get her interior design business off the ground, she lands a job remodeling a condo for an exotic dancer named Treasure. The project takes a shocking turn when Deva walks in to find Treasure murdered. Facing suspicion herself, Deva must use her keen eye for detail to sift through clues. In the process, she crosses paths with Victor Rossi, a handsome local detective who is skeptical of her amateur sleuth instincts but intrigued by her sharp wit.
2. The Monet Murders (2012)
Deva's interior design career begins to pick up, but trouble has a way of finding her. In this second installment, Deva's latest client project leads to the discovery of a stolen, highly valuable Claude Monet painting—along with a dead cook. As Deva investigates, she gets pulled into a complex web of art forgery, greed, and high-society secrets. Her relationship with Detective Victor Rossi heats up, but the danger grows closer to home as Deva realizes the killer is willing to do whatever it takes to keep the painting's history hidden.
3. Killer Kitchens (2013)
Cozy mysteries are known for mixing food and crime, and Harrington delivers exactly that in the third book. When a local restaurant suffers a suspicious explosion followed by the poisoning of a prominent guest, Deva Dunne is once again in the middle of the investigation. Her knowledge of spaces, layouts, and local Naples personalities helps her spot clues that the police overlook. As she works alongside Rossi, she has to balance her expanding professional brand with the very real threat of a killer targeting Naples' culinary elite.
4. Rooms to Die For (2014)
Deva takes on a project inside a high-end design mall in Naples, hoping for a straightforward job free of homicidal interruptions. Those hopes are dashed when a prominent shop owner is found dead under suspicious circumstances. Deva's investigation takes her behind the scenes of the local design industry, exposing rivalries, financial desperation, and hidden vendettas. This book highlights Deva's professional expertise, showing how her daughter-inspired interior design knowledge helps her crack the case.
5. The Design Is Murder (2014)
In the final volume of the series, Deva is thrilled to secure two incredibly wealthy, high-profile clients. However, her professional triumph is short-lived when she discovers that both men are tied to a web of dangerous secrets. When a murder occurs, Deva must untangle the connection between her clients before she becomes the next target. This installment was highly praised for its pacing and plotting, earning the Bronze Medal in the Popular Fiction category at the 2014 Florida Book Awards.
What to Know Before You Start
Before jumping into the series, there are a few elements that set Murders by Design apart from traditional cozy mysteries:
- A Slightly Edgier Cozy Tone: While the series has the humor, quirky side characters, and warm settings typical of cozies, it also includes a touch of romantic chemistry and slightly more realistic crime stakes. It balances lighthearted fun with Deva's genuine emotional journey through grief.
- The Naples, Florida Setting: Jean Harrington, a Massachusetts native, moved to Naples, Florida, and used her real-life surroundings to craft the backdrop of the series. The books showcase the contrasting sides of Southwest Florida: the wealthy, manicured golf courses and luxurious waterfront condos alongside the humid, tropical wilds.
- The Interior Design Hook: Harrington's daughter works in the interior design field, which provided the author with authentic industry details, design terminology, and project dynamics. This gives Deva's day job a grounded, realistic feel.
Other Series by Jean Harrington
If you finish the Murders by Design series and want more of Harrington's writing, she also wrote the Listed and Lethal mystery series. Set in rural Arkansas, this series features Honey Ingersoll, a real estate agent who solves crimes. The books in that series include:
- Murder on Pea Pike (2017)
- Murder on Moon Mountain (2018)
- Murder on Sugar Street (2020)