Pelican Cove Books in Order

How to Read the Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery Series

Leena Clover's Pelican Cove Cozy Mystery series is best read in publication order. Because the books follow the personal growth, business ventures, and shifting relationships of protagonist Jenny King and her close-knit circle of friends (the "Magnolias"), reading the books out of sequence will spoil major character arcs, romantic developments, and town-wide changes. While each mystery is resolved within its respective book, the overarching narrative is continuous.

Here is the recommended reading path for the main novels in the series:

1. Strawberries and Strangers (2018) – The essential starting point. Jenny King arrives in Pelican Cove, rebuilding her life post-divorce, and is immediately forced to clear her aunt's name of a murder charge.
2. Cupcakes and Celebrities (2018) – A high-profile celebrity wedding turns deadly, dragging Jenny and her Boardwalk Café into the spotlight.
3. Berries and Birthdays (2018) – A local centenarian is murdered during the town's July 4th celebrations.
4. Sprinkles and Skeletons (2018) – Secrets of the past come to light when old bones are found during a renovation.
5. Waffles and Weekends (2018) – A weekend getaway turns into a search for a killer when a guest is found dead at a local bed and breakfast.
6. Muffins and Mobsters (2018) – Trouble arrives from the big city as organized crime connections threaten the peace of Pelican Cove.
7. Parfaits and Paramours (2018) – Secrets, jealousy, and passion bubble over, leading to a crime of passion.
8. Truffles and Troubadours (2019) – A music festival brings talented artists to town, along with a fatal melody.
9. Sundaes and Sinners (2019) – A summer heatwave and a local controversy set the stage for another complex mystery.
10. Croissants and Cruises (2019) – Jenny takes her sleuthing skills to the open water, proving that crime doesn't take a vacation.
11. Pancakes and Parrots (2020) – A high school reunion and a missing time capsule lead to secrets being unearthed.
12. Cookies and Christmas (2020) – Holiday cheer is interrupted by a festive homicide that Jenny must solve before Christmas Day.
13. Popsicles and Poisons (2021) – The summer heat brings poisonings, and Jenny must trace the source before the town panics.
14. Biscuits and Butlers (2022) – A wealthy resident's butler becomes the prime suspect in a mysterious death.
15. Pies and Pariahs (2024) – Gossip spreads fast in Pelican Cove when a social outcast is accused of murder.
16. Flans and Felonies (2025) – A baking competition gets cutthroat, forcing Jenny to sift through the clues.
17. Cannolis and Casinos (2025) – High stakes and illegal gambling operations bring trouble to the seaside escape.
18. Meringues and Mistletoe (2025) – The holidays bring a winter wonderland, a sweet new recipe, and a festive mystery to wrap up the year.

Integrating the Pelican Cove Short Stories

In addition to the main novels, Leena Clover has penned a companion series of short stories. These stories are usually themed around holidays and seasons, offering lighter, bite-sized mysteries featuring Jenny and the recurring town cast. While they are not mandatory to understand the plot of the main novels, they add wonderful flavor to the world.

We recommend slipping the short stories into your reading schedule based on their publication order. Here is where they fit best:

• Hazelnuts and Halloween (2018) – Read after Parfaits and Paramours (Book 7).
• Candy Canes and Christmas (2018) – Read after Hazelnuts and Halloween.
• Turkeys and Thanksgiving (2020) – Read between Croissants and Cruises (Book 10) and Pancakes and Parrots (Book 11).
• Sorbets and Sailors (2021) – Read after Cookies and Christmas (Book 12) or Popsicles and Poisons (Book 13).

What to Know Before You Start

Before you dive into Pelican Cove, there are a few key elements that make this series stand out. First is the protagonist, Jenny King. At 44 years old, she is a refreshing amateur sleuth—mature, resilient, and focused on starting over after a painful divorce. Her journey is about self-reliance, community, and female empowerment as much as it is about finding killers.

Second, the town itself is a major draw. Pelican Cove is a cozy island town off the coast of Virginia. It features the Boardwalk Café, the Seaview mansion, and a close-knit group of local women known as the "Magnolias." The dynamics of the town evolve throughout the series, meaning characters fall in love, change jobs, and face personal challenges that persist from one book to the next.

Finally, every book contains mouthwatering recipes at the end, ranging from savory main courses like Jenny's Strawberry Chicken Salad to delicious desserts like strawberry cake and seasonal cookies. If you enjoy culinary cozy mysteries, you will definitely want to keep a notepad handy while reading.

Spin-Offs and Companion Series

While there are no direct narrative spin-offs or crossovers featuring Jenny King, Leena Clover has written other cozy series that share the same warm tone, culinary elements, and puzzling mysteries. If you finish Pelican Cove and want more, check out these companion series by the same author:

• Dolphin Bay Cozy Mystery Series: Follows Anna Butler, a widowed cafe owner who handles life struggles and local mysteries in another coastal town.
• Meg Butler Cruise Cozy Mysteries: Features amateur sleuth Meg Butler solving crimes aboard cruise ships.
• British Cozy Mystery Series: A historical cozy mystery set in the English countryside during the 1920s.
• Meera Patel Cozy Mystery Series: Follows a modern amateur sleuth investigating crimes in Oklahoma.