Amber Crewes Books in Order

Where to Start with Amber Crewes

If you love clean, lighthearted cozy mysteries packed with mouth-watering desserts, quirky small-town characters, and happy endings, Amber Crewes is an author you need on your reading list. Best known for her culinary-themed mysteries, her books offer a comforting escape into charming coastal towns where amateur sleuths use their wits to crack cases alongside a dash of romance.

For the ultimate Amber Crewes experience, the best starting point is her signature series: the Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series. You should ideally start with the prequel story, Showbiz Cakes and Deadly Slices, which is available for free by signing up for the author's newsletter. Alternatively, you can dive straight into the first main novel, Apple Pie and Trouble (2018), to meet the series protagonist, Meghan Truman. While the mysteries in each book are self-contained and resolved by the final page, reading them in order allows you to follow Meghan's romantic journey with local detective Jack Irvin and the growth of her bakery business.

If you prefer a change of scenery from baked goods to hair salons, you can also check out her newer Spring Harbor Cozy Mystery series, which features Georgia-transplant hairstylist Summer Snow cracking crimes on the West Coast.

Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery Series in Order

The Sandy Bay Cozy Mystery series is a massive 28-book run that follows Meghan Truman, a former aspiring Hollywood actress who leaves the glitz of the screen behind to run a cozy bakery in the Pacific Northwest town of Sandy Bay. A major hook of this series is its alphabetical culinary theme: each main entry corresponds to a letter of the alphabet, starting with "A" for Apple Pie and concluding with "Z" for Zucchini Chips. This is followed by a festive holiday release and a companion cookbook.

Recommended Reading Order for Sandy Bay

1. Showbiz Cakes and Deadly Slices (Prequel) - The perfect introduction to Meghan before she moves to Sandy Bay, detailing her final days in Hollywood.
2. Apple Pie and Trouble (2018) - Book 1. Meghan's bakery becomes the primary crime scene of a high-profile murder investigation.
3. Brownies and Dark Shadows (2018) - Book 2. A local charity event takes a fatal turn, casting suspicion on Meghan's sweets.
4. Cookies and Buried Secrets (2018) - Book 3. Long-buried town secrets resurface when a customer is found dead.
5. Donuts and Disaster (2018) - Book 4. Meghan must clear a friend's name when a morning delivery leads to a shocking demise.
6. Eclairs and Lethal Layers (2018) - Book 5. A wedding order goes awry with deadly consequences.
7. Finger Foods and Missing Legs (2018) - Book 6. An elegant catering event turns chaotic when a body is discovered.
8. Gingerbread and Scary Endings (2018) - Book 7. A festive gingerbread house competition ends in murder.
9. Hot Chocolate and Cold Bodies (2018) - Book 8. Winter comes to Sandy Bay, bringing a frosty crime to Meghan's doorstep.
10. Ice Cream and Guilty Pleasures (2018) - Book 9. Summer treats turn sour when a rival ice cream vendor is targeted.
11. Jingle Bells and Deadly Smells (2018) - Book 10. Meghan's Christmas is interrupted by a holiday whodunit.
12. King Cake and Grave Mistakes (2019) - Book 11. A Mardi Gras celebration turns tragic, testing Meghan's investigative skills.
13. Lemon Tarts and Fiery Darts (2019) - Book 12. A darts tournament gets derailed by a lethal dose of poison.
14. Muffins and Coffins (2019) - Book 13. A local breakfast meeting becomes the scene of a tragic poisoning.
15. Nuts and a Choking Corpse (2019) - Book 14. An allergic reaction leads to a full-blown murder case.
16. Orange Mousse and a Fatal Truce (2019) - Book 15. A temporary truce between local rivals ends in disaster.
17. Peaches and Crime (2019) - Book 16. The annual peach festival is ruined by a shocking crime.
18. Queen Tarts and a Christmas Nightmare (2019) - Book 17. Meghan faces a race against time to solve a holiday mystery.
19. Rhubarb Pie and Revenge (2020) - Book 18. An old grudge comes back to haunt Sandy Bay.
20. Slaughter of the Wedding Cake (2020) - Book 19. A high-profile wedding is ruined when the groom ends up dead.
21. Tiramisu and Terror (2020) - Book 20. A sophisticated dessert party turns into a nightmare.
22. Urchin Dishes and Deadly Wishes (2020) - Book 21. Seafood and secrets collide in this coastal mystery.
23. Velvet Cake and Murder (2021) - Book 22. A luxurious cake order leads Meghan to the heart of a complex conspiracy.
24. Whoopie Pies and Deadly Lies (2021) - Book 23. Trust is broken when a local resident's lies lead to murder.
25. Xylose Treats and Killer Sweets (2021) - Book 24. A healthy baking trend turns fatal.
26. Yummy Pies and Someone Dies (2021) - Book 25. Another classic dessert is ruined by a lethal crime.
27. Zucchini Chips and Poisoned Lips (2021) - Book 26. The final lettered book wraps up the alphabetical run with high stakes.
28. 'Twas the Fright Before Christmas (2021) - Book 27. A cozy holiday special that acts as a festive epilogue to the main alphabet run.
29. The Sandy Bay A-Z Recipe Book (2022) - Book 28. A delightful companion volume featuring the recipes mentioned throughout Meghan's sleuthing adventures.

Spring Harbor Cozy Mystery Series in Order

If you've completed the Sandy Bay mysteries or simply want a change of pace, the Spring Harbor Cozy Mystery series is a fantastic alternative. Launched in 2024, this series shifts the focus to Summer Snow, a professional hairstylist who runs away from Georgia to the West Coast to escape a past scandal. Opening a hair salon named "Summer Cuts" in the peaceful coastal town of Spring Harbor, Summer soon realizes that gossip isn't the only dramatic thing circulating around her salon chair.

This series uses hair and beauty-related puns for its titles, keeping up Amber Crewes' signature playful style. While newer and shorter than Sandy Bay, it offers the same clean, cozy vibes with an engaging cast of suspects.

Recommended Reading Order for Spring Harbor

1. Hair Today, Dead Tomorrow (2024) - Book 1. Summer settles into Spring Harbor only to find her first high-profile client murdered.
2. A Short Cut to Murder (2024) - Book 2. A haircut leads to a crime scene, forcing Summer to look for clues.
3. Snip Once, Die Twice (2024) - Book 3. Summer tries to clear the salon's name when a client dies shortly after a styling session.
4. Killing Off Loose Ends (2024) - Book 4. A string of suspicious accidents threatens the peace of Spring Harbor.
5. Curl Up and Die (2024) - Book 5. Summer is drawn into a complex mystery involving local rivalries.
6. Bangs, Bullies, and Betrayal (2024) - Book 6. A drama-filled case involving small-town bullies and betrayal.

Reading Order Caveats & Character Development

Cozy mysteries are beloved for their easy-to-read, episodic nature, and Amber Crewes' books are no exception. You can easily pick up any individual title from either the Sandy Bay or Spring Harbor series and enjoy a self-contained murder mystery that is neatly solved by the end of the book. The author ensures there are no frustrating cliffhangers to leave you hanging.

However, if you skip around, you will miss out on the rich character progression. In the Sandy Bay series, Meghan Truman's initial struggles as a bakery owner, her integration into the community, and her slow-burn romance with Detective Jack Irvin develop steadily across the books. The relationships, side characters, and businesses grow over time. Similarly, Summer Snow's adaptation to her new West Coast home and the gradual unveiling of her Georgia past are best appreciated when reading the Spring Harbor books in order.

What to Know Before You Start

Before diving into Amber Crewes' cozy worlds, here are a few practical tips to help you get the most out of your reading journey:

• Clean Reads: Both series are completely clean. You won't find graphic violence, intense gore, explicit scenes, or strong language here, making them perfect for readers who prefer a gentle, heartwarming cozy mystery style.
• Newsletter Exclusives: Always check the author's official site to see if the prequel Showbiz Cakes and Deadly Slices is currently available for download. It provides great context for Meghan's transition from Hollywood actress to small-town baker.
• Alphabetical Progression: The alphabet theme in Sandy Bay is a fun way to track your reading progress. If you are ever confused about which book comes next, simply check the first letter of the dessert in the title!