Charlie Parker books in order

The Charlie Parker series by Connie Shelton is a long-running cozy mystery series following an Albuquerque private investigator through nearly 50 cases.
Series · Cozy Mystery · Mystery

Reading order

# Title Published Author Buy on Amazon
1 Deadly Gamble 1995 Connie Shelton Buy
2 Every Dead Thing 1999 Connie Shelton N/A
3 Vacations Can Be Murder 1995 Connie Shelton Buy
4 Dark Hollow 2000 Connie Shelton N/A
5 Partnerships Can Kill 1996 Connie Shelton Buy
6 Sang Pemangsa 2001 Connie Shelton N/A
7 Small Towns can be Murder 1998 Connie Shelton Buy
8 The white road 2002 Connie Shelton N/A
9 Nokturna 2004 Connie Shelton N/A
10 Memories Can Be Murder 1999 Connie Shelton Buy
11 The Black Angel 2005 Connie Shelton N/A
12 Honeymoons Can Be Murder 2001 Connie Shelton Buy
13 Нечестивци 2007 Connie Shelton N/A
14 Reunions Can Be Murder 2002 Connie Shelton Buy
15 Жътварите 2008 Connie Shelton N/A
16 Competition Can Be Murder 2004 Connie Shelton Buy
17 The Lovers 2009 Connie Shelton N/A
18 Balloons Can Be Murder 2005 Connie Shelton Buy
19 I tre demoni 2010 Connie Shelton N/A
20 Obsessions Can Be Murder 2006 Connie Shelton Buy
21 The Burning Soul 2011 Connie Shelton N/A
22 Holidays Can Be Murder 2009 Connie Shelton Buy
23 Ангелите на гнева 2012 Connie Shelton N/A
24 Gossip Can Be Murder 2010 Connie Shelton Buy
25 The Wolf in Winter 2014 Connie Shelton N/A
26 A Song of Shadows 2001 Connie Shelton N/A
27 Stardom Can Be Murder 2011 Connie Shelton Buy
28 A Time of Torment 1967 Connie Shelton N/A
29 Phantoms Can be Murder 2012 Connie Shelton Buy
30 Buried Secrets Can Be Murder 2013 Connie Shelton Buy
31 A Game of Ghosts 2017 Connie Shelton N/A
32 Legends Can Be Murder 2014 Connie Shelton Buy
33 The Woman in the Woods 2018 Connie Shelton N/A
34 Weddings Can Be Murder 2016 Connie Shelton Buy
35 A Book of Bones 2019 Connie Shelton N/A
36 Alibis Can Be Murder 2017 Connie Shelton Buy
37 The Dirty South 2020 Connie Shelton N/A
38 Escapes Can Be Murder 2019 Connie Shelton Buy
39 The Nameless Ones 2021 Connie Shelton N/A
40 Old Bones Can Be Murder 2020 Connie Shelton Buy
41 The Furies 2022 Connie Shelton N/A
42 Money Can Be Murder 2022 Connie Shelton Buy
43 The Instruments of Darkness 2024 Connie Shelton N/A
44 Road Trips Can Be Murder 2023 Connie Shelton Buy
45 The Children of Eve 2025 Connie Shelton N/A
46 Cruises Can Be Murder 2024 Connie Shelton Buy
47 A River Red with Blood 2026 Connie Shelton N/A
48 Deceptions Can Be Murder 2025 Connie Shelton Buy
49 Bestsellers Can Be Murder 2026 Connie Shelton Buy

The Charlie Parker series is Connie Shelton’s longest-running work, beginning with Deadly Gamble in 1995 and growing to 49 books. Set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, the series follows Charlie Parker, an amateur sleuth whose investigations take her through the full range of cozy mystery scenarios, from deadly gambles to road trip murders.

The series has been publishing steadily for three decades, with new entries appearing regularly. The “Can Be Murder” naming pattern that runs through most titles gives the series a recognizable identity, and the New Mexico setting provides a consistent backdrop for Charlie’s cases. For readers who like settling into a long series with a familiar protagonist, this one offers plenty of material.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many books are in the Charlie Parker series?

There are 49 books in the Charlie Parker series, published between 1967 and 2026.

What is the first book in the Charlie Parker series?

The first book in the Charlie Parker series is Deadly Gamble, published in 1995.

Do the Charlie Parker books need to be read in order?

Each book presents a self-contained mystery, so you can pick up any entry and follow the case. However, reading in order lets you follow the main character’s personal life and relationships as they develop over the course of the series.

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