Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mystery Man | 2009 | Colin Bateman | Buy |
| 2 | The Day of the Jack Russell | 2009 | Colin Bateman | Buy |
| 3 | Dr. Yes | 2010 | Colin Bateman | Buy |
| 4 | The Prisoner of Brenda | 2012 | Colin Bateman | Buy |
The Mystery Man series is a four-book run of comic crime novels by Colin Bateman, starting with Mystery Man in 2009. The protagonist, who is never given a name, owns No Alibis, a mystery bookshop in Belfast. He is a hypochondriac, socially awkward, and deeply set in his routines. When a detective agency next door shuts down, its old clients begin wandering into his shop looking for help, and he finds himself reluctantly drawn into actual crime solving.
The series continued with The Day of the Jack Russell (2009), Dr. Yes (2010), and The Prisoner of Brenda (2012). Each book ramps up the absurdity while keeping the mystery plots surprisingly tight. Bateman uses the nameless narrator’s paranoia and obsessive personality as a comedy engine, and the Belfast setting gives the books a grounded feel despite their often ridiculous premises. Readers who like their crime fiction with a heavy dose of humor will find these books particularly enjoyable.