Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Dead | 2017 | Wendy Owens | Buy |
| 2 | O Deadly Night | 2017 | Wendy Owens | Buy |
| 3 | Roses Are Red Violet is Dead | 2018 | Wendy Owens | Buy |
The Penny Preston series is Wendy Owens’s move into cozy mystery territory, a three-book run published across 2017 and 2018. The titles signal the tone immediately: Jack Be Nimble Jack Be Dead, O Deadly Night, and Roses Are Red Violet Is Dead each borrow from nursery rhymes and seasonal associations to set up their central cases.
Penny Preston is the amateur sleuth at the center of each book, a recurring character in the tradition of cozy protagonists who find murder following them through ordinary life. The series is lighter than Owens’s paranormal and romantic drama work, built for readers who want mystery plotting with a warmer, more humorous atmosphere.
Three books makes it a compact series with a clear reading order and no loose ends to chase down.