Amanda Pepper Books In Order

Publication Order of Amanda Pepper Books

The “Amanda Pepper” series by Gillian Roberts is from the mystery genre. It started in the year 1987 when “Caught Dead in Philadelphia” was released. This novel won Best First Mystery Novel at the Anthony Awards.

The main character of the series, Amanda Pepper, is a high school teacher in the city of brotherly love: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is just like the author of the books too. But unlike the author, Amanda starts playing detective as an amateur. It all happened when she found a body in her living room.

“Caught Dead in Philadelphia” is the first novel in the “Amanda Pepper” series and was released in the year 1987. Amanda Pepper, who is teaches English at Philly Prep, likes her life. Things could be better, though. Especially because a fellow teacher who is engaged to a candidate for senate begs for rest and then passes away.

It is made worse when the police have her as a suspect. She begins her very own investigation into things. She winds up teaching a certain cop with blue eyes one or two things.

Some like how Amanda guesses a whole bunch of C names for C. K. Mckenzie, it made them want to know what it stood for too. Fans of the novel found that the author has a great sense of humor and the one liners kept them laughing out loud. It is fun getting to know Amanda, as she is great at not rushing into things foolishly. You will be kept on the edge of your seat the whole entire way, wanting to see how things turn out at the end.

“Philly Stakes” is the second novel in the “Amanda Pepper” series and was released in the year 1989. Amanda Pepper teaches English to the Philly’s rich kids and really wants to teach her students about the true spirit of Christmas.

She wants them to make and serve a meal to the town’s homeless. But then a parent with a lot of power takes the entire thing over. What was supposed to be a simple meal turns into a catered thing. Then it gets topped off, by murder. Amanda wants to solve the case with C. K. Mackenzie (cop and sometime boyfriend). She would like to teach the killer one or two lessons, too.

Fans of the novel like Amanda because she is both believable and does not just pull her theories and clues out of nowhere. Not to mention, that she does not just go out of her way to be solving crimes. Readers also like Amanda because of the way that she is sassy and cares about all of her students, the difficult students as well. Some people were reminded of their life in the eighties, by the mention of the answering machine in this one.

“I’d Rather Be in Philadelphia” is the third novel in the “Amanda Pepper” series and was released in the year 1992. While Amanda sorts books for an upcoming school fundraiser, she finds a book meant for battered women. It has a frightening and special message, written by the anonymous and original owner.

Amanda would desperately like to know who it was that donated the books. Amanda’s quest for answers leads her to some careful and thought out brutality. Not to mention, the cold blooded consequences that come after it.

Some feel that Amanda is one of the best amateur sleuths there are in fiction. Some of the thoughts that two characters in this have about computers made some laugh. Because at the time this was written, computers were not as commonplace as they are now. They even remember the time that they were new. Fans of the novel found this amusing and surprising; it even spins a great puzzle of whodunit.

“With Friends Like These” is the fourth novel in the “Amanda Pepper” series and was released in the year 1995. Lyle Zacharias (television producer and a popular Broadway playwright) is throwing a luxurious birthday party for himself in Philadelphia, which is his hometown. Some of the guests will be his ex-wives, the woman he is currently married to, former partners he has had, friends, Bea (Amanda’s irrepressible mother), and Amanda.

Lyle gives a speech, but drops dead during it. The culprit looks to be Bea herself, whose gave Lyle fifty tarts that were both delicious, but also poisoned.

Amanda has to clear Bea’s name and find out who the real killer is. Before they strike again. Amanda could be the next target herself. Whoever said that teaching was not exciting was certainly wrong. With all of the excitement she sees, she will have to retire before she gets to be thirty-one years old. That is, assuming she lives that long.

Some still would like to know Mckenzie’s first name, and like how Roberts is able to make people wonder what his first name could be. They wonder if this will continue throughout the whole series, something that they do not mind. Some like how well Amanda does as a civilian sleuth; some think that it is simply a natural thing for her to do. She is not pretentious, but just pure lovable. Fans of the novel like the way you can pick up any book from the series without having to read any of the others.

“How I Spent My Summer Vacation” is the fifth novel in the “Amanda Pepper” series and was released in the year 1995. After a difficult year teaching at Philly Prep, Amanda goes to Atlantic City with Sasha Berg (one of Amanda’s friends).

Their beach vacation becomes deadly, after a bludgeoned corpse turns up in their room at the hotel. Sasha is the police’s prime suspect. Amanda hits the boardwalk, to try to find who the real killer is. She chases clues down, in the casinos, around the surf. She finds that appearances, often times, are more than deceitful; they can also be criminal and even murderous.

Readers are always impressed by the stories Gillian Roberts tells in the series. With each book, they like the experience even more. Amanda gets even tougher, not being so timid as she once was and her naivete is slowly going away. Some cannot help but wonder what happens next, and get the next book in this great series.