Riley Spartz Books In Order

Publication Order of Riley Spartz Books

Riley Spartz is the main character in a series of mystery books written by a bestselling American author of mystery and thrillers Julia Kramer. Riley is a TV investigative reporter. Julie Kramer began Riley Spartz series in2008 when Stalking Susan, the first book in the series was published. Riley Spartz series lasted six books concluding in 2014 when Delivering Death was published.

Riley Spartz series has seen Julie Kramer win and also nominated for several awards. She has won RT Book Reviewer, Minnesota Book Award and Daphne du Maurier award for the best first mystery novel. Additionally, the author has also been a finalist in Shamus, Barry, Anthony, Mary Higgins, and RT Best Amateur Sleuth Awards.

Stalking Susan

Stalking Susan is the first book in Riley Spartz series written by Julie Kramer. The book is set in a place called Twin City and features a protagonist Riley Spartz, a TV investigative journalist working for Channel 3- a fictional television channel. Riley is out to investigate puzzling mystery crime of a serial killer targeting women named Susan.

Having worked as an investigative reporter herself, Julie Kramer is a woman who knows more than just the world of TV reporting. Before starting her career as a TV producer for NBC (Dateline, Nightly News, Today Show) where she covered stories including the 35W bridge collapse, 9/11 and Larry Craig airport incidence, Julie has won various awards for the multiple roles behind the big screen.

It was a report that she did for WCCO with her partner Caroline Lowe- for two homicides cases that were her greatest inspiration for writing her Riley Spartz debut book, Stalking Susan. The two homicides involve two unrelated women named Susan on St. Paul two years apart but on the same day. Susan Granger in her late 20’s was murdered on 17th May 1983 and Susan Jean Rheineck a teen in her 16 was killed n 17th May 1985. The two cases have remained unsolved up to date.

In her first book, Stalking Susan, the two murder victims last names, ages, occupations, time and death scenes have been changed, but their first names remain unchanged- hence the title Stalking Susan.

The novel main character is an investigative journalist Riley Spartz. She is smart but also fierce. Even though the author admits that she shares similarities with her heroine- Riley Spartz is actually a combination of the characters of the colleagues Julie Kramer worked with over the years she served as an investigative reporter. The author also stated that three of her former colleagues were her greatest source of inspiration in creating Riley Spartz. The three workmates include Kevyn Burger, Trish Van Pilsum, and Caroline Lowe.

Julie Kramer focused on developing a television investigative reporter as the type of annoying bimbo who gets killed as the plot starts dragging. Not only does Julie make her heroine a respectable woman but she also wanted her character to expose what she often terms as the desperate world of TV ratings.

Riley is always haunted by her personal demons as well as overwhelming professional pressures. She has an annoying news director to handle and a soon to expire contract and investigative stories with a high rating potential to write. The characters featured in Stalking Susan are all fictional but are somehow an accurate reflection of the people that the author has ever worked with or against- but some are the author’s pure imaginations.

Missing Mark

The second book in Riley Spartz series by bestselling author mystery and thriller books is a thrilling and excellent read just like the first in the series Stalking Sam. Set in Twin Cities, Minneapolis we find Riley Spartz trying to come up with a great story for the upcoming even dubbed Sweeps Week when television ratings are much more important than ever.

Reading through the adverts in the local newspapers, she spots, and adverts that quickly captures her attention. She responds to the advert on the pretense of wanting to buy a dress to find out why the bride intended for the dress never got to wear the clothing. But she soon discovers that the bride to be was left at the altar while the bridegroom vanished about half a year ago and Riley is genuinely shocked to find out that no efforts have been taken to find the missing groom.

While Riley is looking into the disappearance mystery, she comes to learn very shocking secrets about the bridegroom and several people in the local town. Secrets that anyone is willing to do keep them deeply buried. She also learns that her boss is not interested in the lost groom story but wants her to write a story about the kidnapping of a prominent lake bass from Underwater Adventures, a radical human rights activist.

Silencing Sam

Silencing Sam is the third book in Riley Spartz series by Julie Kramer series. Riley Spartz finds herself the primary suspect in the killing of a newspaper columnist who had written a lousy bonne bounce about her in his column. The two had been seen arguing before the gossip columnist death.

Even much worse, a new television reporter from Texas is making away with all the good stories and irritating Riley Spartz to death with his intimidating attitude- even referring to Riley as a little lady.

Even though Riley is not allowed to look into Sam Pierce case, she is still determined to solve this murder mystery. All in all, she continues working on a report of someone trying to sabotage the wind turbine located on a local farm south of the Twin Cities where he beloved parents live.

Minnesotans are usually good people but at times they can be pushed beyond their limit, and that is where Riley finds herself. As closes in on the murderer her dear life is put on the cross-hairs and realizes what an investigative reporter will do for ratings and social media followers. Unfortunately, Riley Spartz doesn’t want to play this game of cat and mouse and as the showdown takes place- she finds herself in the midst of what nightmares are made of.