Barbara Seranella Books In Order

Publication Order of Munch Mancini Books

Publication Order of Charlotte Lyon Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Author Barbara Seranella was born in the city of Santa Monica, California on April 30, 1956, and grew up in the Pacific Palisades. She died on January 21, 2007 at the age of fifty while waiting for a liver transplant so that she could have her liver disease cured.

She abandoned what could have been an idyllic childhood when she was fourteen to find adventure. She hitchhiked her way to San Francisco and later joined a hippie commune before riding around with outlaw motorcycle clubs. Barbara liked to hang out with guys that had cars and was able to pick up quite a lot about auto mechanics. After all her adventures, she decided that it was time to settle down, do something normal, so she started working on cars.

For five years, she worked in Sherman Oaks at an Arco station, and for a dozen years, worked at a Texaco station in Brentwood. She became a service manager at the Texaco, before marrying her boss, Walter Haring during the spring of 1982. In the year 1993, she figured she had taken her automotive career as far as it would go and retired to try her hand at writing.

Her first novel, “No Human Involved” was published in the year 1997, it is the first book about her character Munch Mancini. Barbara’s last novel was published in the year 2007 and was called “Deadman’s Switch”. She wrote mysteries and thrillers and is the author of the “Munch Mancini” series. This series ran for eight books.

“No Human Involved” is the first novel in the “Munch Mancini” series, which was released in the year 1997. This series is set during the eighties. Miranda “Munch” Mancini would like to get a new life. To pay her bills, she works in Venice, California as an auto mechanic while she tries to lose her old habits.

She’s got more to kick than just an addiction to heroin, she is also wanted for murder. There is no one to turn to help her, as usual. Munch will have to clear her name, clean up her act, and be the one that saves herself.

Readers found this to be a great story and had good pacing to it. Fans of the novel found this to be a well written and suspense filled read. Some liked reading this book, as it gave them background on an interesting character, in Miranda Mancini. All of the characters are fleshed out, and are incredibly likable. Some are glad that they decided to re-read these books.

“No Offense Intended” is the second novel in the “Munch Mancini ” series, which was released in the year 1999. Munch Mancini is doing all she can to stay clean from drugs, but there is always some temptation, making it tough for her. Like Sleaze Garillo (Munch’s ex-lover and a hustler), who needs a favor at the moment. Sleaze starts laying low under troubling circumstances, and Munch is forced to get involved.

The cops would like to talk to her and get answers, bunch Munch has nothing to offer. Not yet, anyway. Munch is the only one that has connections to find out what the truth is. It is a search that leads her right back to the past that she is still trying to overcome.

There is no way for her to turn back this time, though. She is seasoned at battling shady people as well as the law. Munch faces the toughest fight of her life, as this round, she has to keep the baby girl that Sleaze left behind safe.

Fans of the novel found this to be another quick read. Munch is an interesting character, and it is great to simply view life from her point of view.

“Unwanted Company” is the third novel in the “Munch Mancini” series, which was released in the year 2000. Munch helps an old buddy that just got released from jail. That friend goes missing after getting mixed up in a brutal murder. It puts Munch’s family, as well as her family in some serious jeopardy.

Barbara Seranella is great at telling a story, and this one is no exception to this fact. Fans of the novel are always able to find enjoyment in this series. There is more about the backstory into the personal lives of the characters. Some like the background on rehab, and how the characters are dealing with the program in their own ways.

“Unfinished Business” is the fourth novel in the “Munch Mancini” series, which was released in the year 2001. Munch is quite the woman. She and her friend (who is detective Mace St. John) are in hot pursuit of a serial rapist and killer who has killed a client (named Diane Bergman, a socialite). He also raped another, who is named Robin Davies (an actress).

Worse, for everyone (even the rapist), the rapist has gotten close enough to Munch’s kid to pin a note on her coat. Now, she is getting all kinds of threatening calls.

This is another enjoyable book by Serranella, who only seems to write enjoyable books. Fans of the novel always enjoy reading about the auto mechanic main character, and they find themselves learning something from each book. She is far from the average amateur sleuth that you usually find in these books.

“No Man Standing” is the fifth novel in the “Munch Mancini” series, which was released in the year 2002. Against all odds, Munch was able to pull herself up out of booze and drugs and became a high class mechanic. She has never forgotten Ellen Summers, an old friend. They were young and foolish together. Where Munch was able to get straight, Ellen went off to prison.

One day short of release, someone kills Ellen’s stepdad and mom, and the killer is certain that Ellen has got something he wants. She runs to Munch, as she is frightened and alone. Even though her story is not adding up, the danger is certainly real.

Munch is not willing to trust the cops, as she believes they may send Ellen back to prison. She goes off, by herself, to locate the killer and get her buddy out of trouble one final time. All before trouble comes looking for her.

One Response to “Barbara Seranella”

1. paulalovescats: 5 years ago

   I just discovered one of her books in the “free” rack at the library. I told my husband I needed to get more of her books, and two weeks later I got six.
   Everyone should be a mandatory organ donor at death or brain death, only exception being disease.

   Reply