How to Read the Victoria Trumbull Series
The Victoria Trumbull cozy mystery series (also known as the Martha’s Vineyard Mysteries) is written by multi-generational islander Cynthia Riggs. To fully enjoy the slow-burn relationships, recurring island locals, and Victoria's evolving role with the local police department, readers should follow the series in its original publication order. The mysteries themselves are self-contained, but the character dynamics and community details build from book to book.
Publication Order of Victoria Trumbull Books
Here is the complete sequence of Victoria Trumbull mystery novels based on their original release dates:
- Deadly Nightshade (2001) – Victoria is appointed deputy police officer after discovering a body near the harbor.
- The Cranefly Orchid Murders (2002) – Victoria defends endangered local flora and stumbles upon a land-development dispute turned deadly.
- The Cemetery Yew (2003) – Cryptic gravestone movements draw Victoria into a historical puzzle.
- Jack in the Pulpit (2004) – Victoria investigates a series of suspicious deaths among the island's clergy.
- The Paperwhite Narcissus (2005) – A local newspaper editor becomes a target, prompting Victoria to investigate the island's media circle.
- Indian Pipes (2006) – A controversial casino proposal on tribal land leads to murder.
- Shooting Star (2007) – A theatrical production on the Vineyard set is disrupted by a real-world killer.
- Death and Honesty (2009) – Victoria probes tax assessment disputes and local political secrets.
- Touch-Me-Not (2010) – A botanical mystery intertwined with stalking and small-town blackmail.
- The Bee Balm Murders (2011) – Victoria helps a visiting writer who becomes a primary suspect in a local murder.
- Poison Ivy (2012) – Academic politics turn fatal at the local community college.
- Bloodroot (2016) – A dentist's murder opens up a web of dental-practice fraud and local gossip.
- Trumpet of Death (2017) – A foraging expedition for wild mushrooms takes a poisonous turn.
- Widow's Wreath (2018) – A wedding reception hosted at Victoria's own historic home ends in tragedy.
Where to Start Reading
The definitive starting point is the debut novel, Deadly Nightshade (2001). This book establishes Victoria's unique position as a 92-year-old deputy police officer and introduces her deep, generational roots in the Vineyard. Alternatively, readers can pick up the omnibus edition, Double Murder on Martha's Vineyard (2007), which conveniently packages the first two novels (Deadly Nightshade and The Cranefly Orchid Murders) into a single volume.
Companion Works and Spin-offs
While reading, fans of the series may want to check out these related works by Cynthia Riggs:
- Victoria Trumbull's Martha's Vineyard: A non-fiction companion guidebook. It features photographs by Lynn Christoffers and highlights the real-life Vineyard locations, plants, and landmarks that inspired the settings in the mystery novels.
- Daphne of Martha's Vineyard (2019): A children's book written by Riggs and photographed by Christoffers. It follows the adventures of Daphne, a shelter cat at the historic Cleaveland House (the real-life home of Riggs and the fictional home of Victoria Trumbull).
A Change of Pace: The Persie Lee Butler Series
Readers should note that Cynthia Riggs wrote another mystery novel titled Murder on C-Dock (2013). Although often grouped with her other books, this is not part of the Victoria Trumbull series. It is set on the Washington, D.C. waterfront and stars Persie Lee Butler, a Smithsonian researcher living on a houseboat, drawing on Riggs' own real-life experiences living aboard a boat in D.C.
What to Know Before You Start
Cynthia Riggs based the character of Victoria Trumbull on her own mother, Dionis Coffin Riggs, a real-life Vineyard poet who lived to be 98. This adds a warm layer of authenticity to Victoria's characterization as a sharp-witted, fiercely independent nonagenarian who walks with a stick but has a mind sharper than a sea breeze. Because Riggs was a 13th-generation islander, the descriptions of Vineyard flora, windswept cliffs, and local community politics are incredibly realistic. The books are classic cozy mysteries—focusing heavily on character relationships, botanical details, and island atmosphere rather than graphic violence.