Mrs. Pargeter books

The Mrs Pargeter page covers Simon Brett's cozy mystery series featuring a cheerful widow who uses her late husband's criminal contacts to solve murders.

Mrs Pargeter Reading Order

Title Published Buy on Amazon
A Nice Class of Corpse 1986 Buy
Mrs. Pargeter Presumed Dead 1988 Buy
Mrs. Pargeter’s Package 1990 Buy
Mrs. Pargeter’s Pound of Flesh 1992 Buy
Mrs. Pargeter’s Plot 1996 Buy
Mrs. Pargeter’s Point of Honour 1998 Buy
Mrs Pargeter’s Principle 2015 Buy
Mrs Pargeter’s Public Relations 2017 Buy
Mrs Pargeter’s Patio 2023 Buy
Mrs Pargeter’s Past 2025 Buy

The Mrs Pargeter page covers Simon Brett’s long-running cozy mystery series. Mrs Pargeter is a wealthy, respectable widow whose late husband was, it turns out, a highly successful criminal. She has inherited his fortune and, more usefully, his extensive network of contacts — safe-crackers, forgers, surveillance experts — whom she cheerfully employs to help solve murders.

The series has run for ten books from 1986 to 2025, with Mrs Pargeter remaining unflappable through nearly four decades of homicide investigations. Brett plays the premise for comedy as much as mystery, and Mrs Pargeter’s ability to call on professional criminals for assistance while maintaining her air of genteel respectability is the engine that drives every book.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books has Mrs. Pargeter written?

Mrs. Pargeter has written ten books in one series.

What was Mrs. Pargeter's first book?

Mrs. Pargeter’s first book is A Nice Class of Corpse, published in 1986.

Who writes the Mrs Pargeter books?

The Mrs Pargeter series is written by Simon Brett, a prolific British crime and comedy author also known for the Charles Paris and Fethering mystery series. Mrs Pargeter is the protagonist, not the author. Brett has been publishing the series since 1986.

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