Hannah Ives is the protagonist of Marcia Talley’s long-running cozy mystery series set in Annapolis, Maryland. A breast cancer survivor and retired librarian, Hannah has a sharp tongue and a habit of stumbling into murder investigations. Her husband Paul, a math professor at the Naval Academy, provides steady support while Hannah does the detective work the police won’t.
The series is unusual in that Hannah ages in real time across 20 books. Her grandchildren grow up, her community changes, and the cases she takes on reflect the concerns of each decade. She’s driven less by a need for justice than by stubborn curiosity and a refusal to let things go.
Reading Order
See the complete Hannah Ives Mystery reading order for all books in the series.