Ray Elkins Mystery Reading Order
| Title | Published | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|
| Summer People | 2000 | Buy |
| Color Tour | 2006 | Buy |
| Deer Season | 2009 | Buy |
| Shelf Ice | 2010 | Buy |
| Medieval Murders | 2011 | Buy |
| Cruelest Month | 2012 | Buy |
| Death in a Summer Colony | 2013 | Buy |
| Murder in the Merlot | 2016 | Buy |
| Gales of November | 2017 | Buy |
| The Center Cannot Hold | 2018 | Buy |
| Destination Wedding | 2020 | Buy |
| Smoke and Mirrors | 2024 | Buy |
Aaron Stander is an American mystery author whose twelve-book Ray Elkins series is set in the rural communities of northern Michigan. The books follow Sheriff Ray Elkins as he investigates crimes in a region defined by its Lake Michigan shoreline, seasonal tourism, and tight-knit small-town communities.
Beginning with Summer People in 2000, the series has continued for over two decades, with the most recent entry, Smoke and Mirrors, published in 2024. Stander draws on his knowledge of northern Michigan to create a vivid sense of place, and the seasonal rhythms of the region give each book a distinct atmosphere.