Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dead Body Language | 1997 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 2 | Sign of Foul Play | 1997 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 3 | Right to Remain Silent | 1998 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 4 | A Quiet Undertaking | 2000 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 5 | Blind Side | 2001 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 6 | Silence is Golden | 2003 | Penny Warner | Buy |
| 7 | Dead Man’s Hand | 2012 | Penny Warner | Buy |
The Connor Westphal series follows a deaf newspaper reporter in the fictional Gold Country town of Flat Skunk, California. Starting with Dead Body Language (1997), Connor uses her lip-reading abilities and keen observational skills to investigate crimes that the local authorities can’t solve. The series ran through seven books to Dead Man’s Hand (2012).
Penny Warner brought authenticity to the representation of deaf culture in the mystery genre, incorporating sign language and the realities of navigating a hearing world into Connor’s detective work. The Gold Country setting adds historical atmosphere, with old mines, pioneer history, and small-town dynamics providing the backdrop for each mystery.