Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery Books In Order

Publication Order of Darcy & Flora Cozy Mystery Books

Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery is a series of novels written by Blanche Day Manos. The books tell the story of a mother and daughter who solve crimes.

+The Story

The Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series is written by both Blanche Day Manos and Barbara Burgess, though the books are more closely associated with Blanche. The books are cozy mysteries that take place in a little town in Oklahoma.

Darcy Campbell is introduced in the first novel as a newspaper reporter working in Dallas. Darcy’s life changes when her husband dies. Unable to cope with the grief and the loneliness, Darcy makes the decision to go back to her home town of Levi in Oklahoma.

She moves back in with her mother Flora Tucker. Darcy wants a little bit of peace and quiet. Her hope is to use the time to grieve and heal and make preparations to return to her life.

Things take a turn for the ladies when they stumble upon the remains of Flora’s friend. All evidence points to him being murdered. Circumstances drive Darcy and Flora to investigate the case. And it isn’t long before they are tangled up in a mystery that reaches several centuries into the past.

Darcy decides to pursue the murder investigation at hand and the subsequent mysteries that emerge because of her mother’s association with the victim. However, she expects the investigation to be a one-time thing.

Her experience as a reporter perfectly positions Darcy to pursue leads, collect clues and catch the bad guys. However, Darcy has no interest in running after murderers and solving centuries-old mysteries.

However, Darcy’s involvement in her first investigation opens her up to another case. And it isn’t long before Darcy’s reputation as a sleuth is cemented and she is coerced into using her investigative skills for the good of her community.

The Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series perfectly fits the cozy mystery genre. The books take place in a small town. Innocent as the town might appear, Levi has many secrets seething beneath.

Fortunately for the residents of the town, you have a pair of unlikely sleuths that know where to look to sniff out the bad guys. A number of the mysteries that play out in the Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series are directly related to the mother and daughter team.

While the ladies are initially just external parties using their sleuthing skills to give the victims of crimes some much-needed justice, Flora’s heritage eventually becomes a central aspect of the series.

Flora not only learns that she was adopted but that there might be more going on with regards to her mother’s first marriage. Flora’s family tree becomes a lingering plot in the background.

Darcy, on the other hand, spends many a story working to overcome her grief over the death of her husband. Eventually, though, Darcy catches the eye of the Sheriff of Levi, who makes it his goal to help the ladies out during their sleuthing, not only because of the passion he has for Darcy but also because he believes the ladies are some of the best detectives in their small town.

The Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series doesn’t shy away from dark and disturbing murders and mysteries. However, the books do not play with any overtly gory imagery. For that reason, these books have the capacity to appeal to readers of all ages.

A distinct draw of these books is the relationship between Darcy and Flora. The ladies are good-natured, kind and compassionate. They cannot help but give a helping hand to those members of their community that have been wronged.

And their interfering attitude often gets them into a lot of trouble. Darcy and Flora will bicker every once in a while. But they will also fight for and support one another through the hard times.

Because the Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series is categorized as Christian fiction, it isn’t a surprise that Flora and Darcy make mention of faith and family. However, these books never get preachy. The author’s goal is to create a duo of protagonists that manifest Christian values which they use to share their goodwill with their friends, family, and neighbors.

+The Author

Blanche Day Manos is a native of rural Oklahoma. As a child, the author was obsessed with English and journalism. Blanche was certain that she was destined to pursue writing as a career.

However, after graduating from Northeastern State University, life took over and dragged Blanche away from her publishing dreams. For several years, Blanche Day Manos was too busy teaching, getting married and having children.

Blanche’s foray back into writing came in the form of the many articles and short stories she was given the opportunity to write for her local newspapers and magazines. Meeting Barbara Burgess was a Godsend for Blanche.

She was surprised to find just how much she had in common with Barbara, and it wasn’t long before the two embarked on a journey to produce the Darcy and Flora Cozy Mystery series.

Barbara Burgess was a trial court administrator before she retired and started producing suspense novels. Barbara typically draws upon her experience in the courtroom to write her stories.

+The Cemetery Club

Darcy Campbell decides to go back to her small home town in Oklahoma when her husband dies. Darcy wants to use the days spent with her mother Flora Tucker to recover from her grief.

Darcy’s peace is shattered when she stumbles across a dead body in the cemetery. The victim, Ben, was Flora’s friend. When Darcy and Flora realize that there’s a killer in town, they make it their mission to find him before he kills again. The decision turns out to be folly because it puts Darcy and Flora in the crosshairs of some very dangerous men.

+Grave Shift

Darcy and Flora have barely had time to their breath following their last mystery when a desperate mother asks them to find her missing daughter. The pair takes the case and eventually stumbles upon criminal activities in their home town.

The local Sheriff knows just how dangerous things are getting in Levi. But no one can dissuade Darcy from her goal once she sets her sights on a target.