Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | When the Dead Speak | 1999 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 2 | Nothing Else Matters | 2000 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 3 | Restless Spirit | 2002 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 4 | Echoes from the Grave | 2007 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 5 | What Lies Within | 2010 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 6 | Destiny Kills | 2012 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 7 | The Tunnel | 2013 | Sam Casey | Buy |
| 8 | Killer Double | 2023 | Sam Casey | Buy |
The Sam Casey Mystery series starts with When the Dead Speak in 1999 and follows Detective Sergeant Samantha Casey through eight books spanning over two decades. Casey works in a suburb south of Chicago and has a secret she guards carefully: her part-Native American heritage gives her the ability to communicate with the dead. Each book pairs a new criminal case with the ongoing tension of keeping her abilities hidden from most of her colleagues.
S.D. Tooley blends police procedural plotting with paranormal elements in a way that keeps both sides of the equation grounded. The mysteries are real investigations with clues and suspects, and Casey’s psychic gift doesn’t simply hand her the answers. Over the course of the series, Casey’s character develops steadily, and the later books, including the 2023 crossover Killer Double, show an author still finding new directions for a long-running character.