Elizabeth Penney Books In Order

Publication Order of Apron Shop Books

Publication Order of Cambridge Bookshop Books

Publication Order of Amish Inn Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Antique Shop Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler Books

Publication Order of Secrets of the Castleton Manor Library Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Elizabeth Penney is a cozy mystery writer with more than two dozen novels. She was raised in Maine and holds a BS and MBA. Penney is part of the Women’s fictions Writers Association, and she also owns Penny Productions.

She also worked as a consultant and nonprofit executive. The author has also written short stories, business articles, and screenplays with her husband.

Hems and Homicide
Iris Buckley goes back to her hometown after the death of her grandfather. With her grandmother, Anne Buckley, they are eagerly waiting to open their new shop in Blueberry Cove, where they’ll sell aprons they make with their hands.

They’ll also be selling other vintage items, which will add a personal touch to Iris’ online business. Their shop will be named Ruffles & Bows and is set to open on Memorial Day, but the room needs a lot more work before opening for the customers to shop.

They are ready to begin the renovations and meet their contractor and Ian Stewart in the building to kick start the work. However, their trip to the basement gives them a disturbing discovery.

There is a complete skeleton with an identifiable headscarf. After staring at it, Anne thinks she knows the dead person as a friend she saw around 40 years ago. She believes it’s her long lost friend who vanished in the 1970s

Not long after the police begin working on the case, they find another body in the shop. The body belongs to their landlord, who has been fighting over a property with Anne for many years. Considering their history and the location of the body, she is the primary suspect.

Now the chances of opening the Ruffles & Bows shop are becoming minimal; Iris, with the help of her friend Madison, is set to clear Anne’s name despite where the clues may lead them. Might Anne be responsible for the murder? Are the two murders connected in any way?

The story is fast-paced and well weaved as the red herrings and clues keep the reader on their toes, trying to find out whether the two mystery murders are connected. It’s amazing how Anne has always been close to her granddaughter, and it’s so inspiring how they come up with the wonderful idea of starting a new business together as a team.

Iris and Madison are a fantastic duo, and both push one another in various ways, just like real friends. While in high school, Iris had a crush on Ian, and the feeling hasn’t faded completely; Madison also appears to have some interest in her. The author has done a superb job creating an outstanding cast of the primary characters.

Chapter and Curse
Chapter and Curse is the debut in the Cambridge Bookshop series. Molly and her mother, Nina, feel they need a change in their lives. Molly’s father had passed away, and they needed something to keep them busy while getting used to the loss.

Fortunately, they receive a letter from Violet Marlowe, Nina’s aunt, inviting them to Cambridge to help in operating the family bookstore. They see that as an ideal opportunity to start another life in a different place.

The bookshop is known as Thomas Marlowe Manuscripts and Folios, and it’s one of the prominent and oldest bookstores in the town, with a steady flow of customers. By the time Molly and Nina arrive in Cambridge, it’s already spring, and the famous Literary Festival in the whole of Cambridge is on the way.
The two are so focused on bringing more income to the bookstore, and Molly sees it as a good idea to invite Persephone Brightwell, Aunt Violet’s classmate, a famous poet. He is to do poetry reading in the shop during the festival, bringing more poet lovers to the shop.

However, things don’t go as planned, and amid the event, a mystery happens when a guest is found dead, and it’s evident that Molly’s aunt’s knitting needle was used as the murder weapon. Now it’s up to Molly and the help of some friends to try clearing Violet’s name and prove her innocence while trying to keep the shop running.

She stumbles upon secrets that form a web of murder, blackmail, and deceit during her investigations. The author has captured Cambridge with her vivid descriptions, making the story more realistic.

She has also created tremendous characters that add flesh to the settings. Molly is an intelligent lady in love with books and has great ideas that can help in bringing more revenue to the shop.

The mystery is well-plotted, and the twists and turns will have you guessing who the mastermind is. Elizabeth Penney has outdone herself in creating a cozy story in a well-developed community and amazing descriptions of the town and the bookstore job.

Be sure to get lots of suspects and a few red herrings. The storyline moves well, and Penney did a superb job of balancing the backstory and the current mystery.

A Novel Murder
A Novel Murder is the first in the Secrets of Castleton Manor. The story begins with Faith Newberry accepting her dream job in Lighthouse Bay for a librarian position. The manor is like a retreat center allowing bibliophiles to point out their favorite genres and meet the writers in a relaxing resort environment.
Since the surroundings are pet-friendly, the resort allows pets, so Faith’s kitty feels at home. At first, Faith didn’t get the job since another applicant, Doris Lincoln, was picked for the position but stayed only a couple of months.

When she questions why she left so briefly, she is told she went on an exotic vacation. Faith was contacted to replace her and but things have started going wrong.

As she gets used to her librarian job, she finds out that some first editions appear fake. She begins to wonder why all of a sudden, the old librarian disappeared. Might she have discovered something? Is it possible that she had plans to tell someone what she’d found, something terrible happened to her?
As Faith is investigating the missing librarian, she learns that there is someone who is trying to stop her. At first, she finds her purse buried in bushes near her house and later discovers something weird in a hidden passageway. Might her dream job be a nightmare?

Faith has to work fast in her investigations to clear her name as she is suspected of committing the crime. Together with Aunt Eileen and members of the Cad le House Book Club, embark on sleuthing adventures and mysteries of Castleton Manor.

Faith is a wonderful character, and Watson, her cat, is a fantastic sidekick as it helps in giving some helpful clues.