Elizabeth Linington / Dell Shannon Books In Order

Publication Order of Ivor Maddox Books

Publication Order of Jesse Falkenstein Books

Publication Order of Lieutenant Luis Mendoza Books

Publication Order of Vic Varallo Mystery Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Author Barbara “Elizabeth” Linington was born on March 11, 1921 in Aurora, Illinois. She was regarded as the Queen of Procedurals (to Ed McBain’s King of Procedurals) for being one of the first female authors to pen procedurals. She died at the age of 67 on April 5, 1988 in Arroyo Grande, California.

Linington wrote under a few pen names, some of which include: Egan O’Neill Lesley Egan, Dell Shannon, and Anne Blaisdell, she wrote under her own as well.

Besides crime, Linington was also interested in things like: the occult, archaeology, languages, antique weapons, and gemstones. She was also with the John Birch Society as an active member, and was a conservative political activist.

For her novels “Nightmare” and “Knave of Hearts”, she got runner up scrolls from the Mystery Writers of America after being nominated for Edgar Awards in the Best Novel category.

Linington’s work is from the mystery, thriller, and historical fiction genres. Her debut novel, “Case Pending” (which is the first book in the “Lieutenant Luis Mendoza” series) was published in the year 1960. Her final novel “Sorrow to the Grave” was published in the year 1992, and was the final of four novels that were released posthumously.

Besides writing about Luis Mendoza (who is the star of over thirty novels), she also wrote the “Ivor Maddox” series, the “Jesse Falkenstein” series, and the “Vic Varallo” series, as well as some stand alone novels.

“Case Pending” is the first novel in the “Lieutenant Luis Mendoza” series, which was released in the year 1960. The first book that introduces one of the first Latino police officers to be written about and is an early police procedural novel.

The female’s beaten body was found in an empty lot, somewhere in a Southern California city. Detective Sergeant Hackett did not like Lieutenant Luis Mendoza, he did respect how Mendoza began finding out who the killer was. There were little clues to be found, even after the victim was identified to be Elena Ramirez. She had peroxided hair and was killed going home from the roller-skating rink. Later, there was the doll, a big, expensive doll that vanished it seemed.

What Mendoza does not realize, is there is young Martin Lindstrom, who is big for his age and a good student. He found a blood spot on a sleeve of his jacket. Martin thought miserably, not again. His hard working mother tells him just to be quiet and forget it. Just get on with your homework, she says.

Fans of the novel like the way these straddle the line between a traditional mystery and police procedural storytelling. Some like the way that the series stars a Hispanic male, as it breaks new ground, and the way he is a great guy, yet still flawed. Characters in this are well drawn and the reading goes by quite nicely.

“Ace of Spades” is the second novel in the “Lieutenant Luis Mendoza” series, which was released in the year 1960. Mendoza, the Mexican lieutenant of the Los Angeles Police Department, specializes in homicide. He has wealth, brains, an uncanny flair, Abyssinian cats, and a strong passion for justice.

Mendoza’s newest case comes into homicide through Stolen Property’s back door, in this case the old fashioned jalopy that belongs to Alison Weir the redhead.

The story quickly becomes tangled up with museums, importers, and a mysterious woman known only as Madam K.

A chance piece of paper starts as exciting, detective series of events that quickly leads to some high tension. All while Mendoza figures out that the the woman he loves’ life is now in danger.

Fans of the novel find that this one is just as good this time around as the first time they read it. Some readers cannot recommend these books enough, and enjoy reading about Mendoza and continue rooting for him the entire way through.

“Extra Kill” is the third novel in the “Lieutenant Luis Mendoza” series, which was released in the year 1961. Lieutenant Luis Mendoza is tasked this time with solving a double homicide, one that is shrouded in strange rites.

Acting on one of his famous hunches, he is pulled in, behind all the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Into the the Temple of Mystic Truth. It is here that he finds two cultists by the name of Cara and Martin Kingman. They wind up being way less than spiritual.

Fans of the novel find that this author never disappoints her readers, and this one is no exception to that at all. This is another book that will make you root for Luis the entire time he works the case. The threads of this story are drawn together expertly to make for a delightful climax.

“Knave of Hearts” is the fourth novel in the “Lieutenant Luis Mendoza” series, which was released in the year 1962. It was bad enough that Luis’ violent fight with girlfriend Alison Weir, who is the only woman he ever came close to settling down with. He accuses her of trying to tie him down, which causes them to break up. Also on hand is the case of a rapist killer that is currently terrorizing the city of Los Angeles. One of this killer’s crimes had possibly sent an innocent guy off to the gas chamber.

At the same time, Alison is subjected to a parade of suitors (by some friends like Sgt Hackett and his wife) that are well meaning, but pallid fare after a guy like Luis.

One of Mendoza’s famous hunches leads toward a solution for the case, but it points far too close to home. None other than Alison is headed toward disaster with this one.

Fans of the novel found that despite the serious subject matter, there are touches of tenderness and humor showing through in this one. It was interesting for some to see how cases were worked back in the sixties. Some find that it is always great to read these books, either for the first or second time, as they have aged really well.