Hat Shop Mystery Books In Order

Publication Order of Hat Shop Mystery Books

Jenn McKinlay is the pen name of the well known author Lucy Lawrence. With her writing various genres she uses other names as well- Josie Belle and Lucy Lawrence. Her specialty is mystery and thrillers.

Ms. McKinlay lives a relaxed, well-rounded life. She’s into making doodles and doing fun crafts with her children. She’s well experienced, having taken her first decoupage class when she was a twelve year old girl.

Living in Scottsdale, Arizona, Ms. McKinlay is with her musician husband, Chris and they have two sons. They round out the household with dogs, cats, and fish.

Ms. McKinlay shares a few noteworthy points about her life. First listed is the life skill of daydreaming. She believes it is highly underrated. She had her heart set on being a jockey but at nine year old she knew she would be too tall. Like her very supportive mother, she has topped out at six-foot tall! She has flown many times with her father, a glider pilot. She is very excited to have her own flight log book.

In The Hat Shop Mystery Series by Jenn McKinlay we are introduced to the delightful duo of Scarlett Parker and her cousin Vivian Tremont. These two adventurous gals live across “the pond” from each other with Scarlett in Florida and Vivian in London.

Vivian runs Mimm’s Whims ladies’ hat shop on Portobello Road in London. Their mutual, dearly departed grandmother bequeathed the the sweet shop to the two girls. Their mutual adventures take flight from there.

In the first offering of the Hat Shop Mystery Series, Cloche and Dagger, Scarlett’s love life takes a dive in the loo, as her British cousin would describe it, after the breakup goes viral with a humiliating video. Cousin Viv urges Scarlett to escape Florida and lay low in London.

Scarlett hops the next plane to hide out amongst the hats at their millinery business. Surprises are immediate and but not all pleasant. Viv isn’t at the airport to greet her cousin, rather Harrison Wentworth, the decidedly handsome business manager from the shop is there.

The next surprise, not pleasant, is her cousin Vivian, who, though whimsical at times, is missing. Those who know Vivian best don’t seem too concerned, but Scarlett is very concerned. Surely Vivian would have at least waited to greet her American cousin before she decided to scamper?

When one of Vivian’s posh clients shows up very much dead, un-poshly naked, wearing only the cloche hat Viv designed for her, everyone is concerned. Is the dear cousin in danger? Maybe Vivian is in hiding for her own safety.

A Hat Shop Mystery Book Number 2 is Death of a Mad Hatter. The ladies’ hat shop on Portobello Road is very busy. There’s an afternoon tea fundraiser for the local children’s hospital, with an Alice in Wonderland theme, coming up soon and the demand for the duo’s hats is high.

The Grisby family is hosting the fete and their goal is to raise enough money to build a new hospital wing named after their patriarch. They will be passing the hat in a fanciful way and expect an excellent turnout and collection.

There’s a tea party crasher who’s taking the fun out of the fundraising. Traces of poison are found on Viv and Scarlett’s hat they made for the Grisby heir. He’s not going to have the privilege of seeing that new wing named after him. He’s been poisoned and he’s dead.

The police are more interested in the ladies as suspects than haberdashers. As the ladies try to avoid being blamed for this curious mystery, they need to find whomever is willing, and mad enough, to kill. At the drop of a hat.

Mim’s Whims is a fashionable shop, located on the fanciful and famous Portobello Road. The fashionable London hat shop for ladies is valued for the hats and for the two cousins who run it.

In the third Hat Shop Mystery story, At the Drop of a Hat, the two cousins have a customer bringing in a an old hat box. Ariana Jackson is soon to be wed and her desire is to have the ladies restore the bridal hat and veil her mother wore for her own wedding. Scarlett and Vivian’s grandmother made the beautiful item over thirty years ago and the ladies are thrilled to be able to refresh this treasured vintage hat for the newest nuptials.

Scarlett goes to Ariana’s office to discuss the restoration costs. When she seeks her out, Ariana is outside and her boss is dead on the ground. This is not a good look for Ariana.

She claims to have no knowledge of how and why her boss was murdered. However the police investigation unveils Ariana’s possible motive for murder. The wedding is on hold with the bride-to-be under lock and key. Scarlett and Vivian are determined to find the true murderer before the hat for the bride-to-be gets boxed up for good with no wedding to go to.