Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Smiley and McBlythe Mystery Series: Books 1-3 | 2024 | Bruce Hammack | N/A |
| 2 | The Long Fall | 2019 | Bruce Hammack | N/A |
| 3 | The Ice House Murder | 2019 | Bruce Hammack | N/A |
| 4 | Pistols and Poinsettias | 2020 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 5 | Exercise Is Murder | 2019 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 6 | Jingle Bells, Rifle Shells | 2019 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 7 | Five Card Murder | 2021 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 8 | Seeing Red | 2020 | Bruce Hammack | N/A |
| 9 | Murder Down The Line: A Smiley and McBlythe Mystery | 2022 | Bruce Hammack | N/A |
| 10 | Murder In the Dunes | 2021 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 11 | Mistletoe, Malice And Murder | 2022 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 12 | The Name Game Murder | 2022 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 13 | Murder Down The Line | 2022 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 14 | Vision Of Murder | 2022 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 15 | A Beach To Die For | 2023 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 16 | Dig Deep For Murder | 2024 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 17 | A Killer on Christmas Cay | 2024 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 18 | Hemlock and Homicide | 2024 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 19 | Murder At The Monument | 2025 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
| 20 | Tinsel, Trees And Treachery | 2025 | Bruce Hammack | Buy |
Smiley and McBlythe is Bruce Hammack’s flagship series, running to twenty books since 2019. The two investigators tackle murders in a variety of Texas settings, from small-town neighborhoods to beach resorts and holiday getaways. Hammack releases the books at a steady pace, often slipping in a Christmas-themed entry at the end of each year.
The series blends puzzle-style mystery plotting with a cozy tone. Titles like Pistols and Poinsettias, Exercise Is Murder, and Jingle Bells, Rifle Shells give a good sense of the playful spirit. Despite the humor in the titles, the murder cases themselves are well-constructed and keep readers guessing.