A to Z Mysteries books in order
Order: from the publisher's list (penguinrandomhouse.com); positions shown where the list confirms them
Last checked: October 9, 2026, against penguinrandomhouse.com
-
1997 · Book
Start hereFirst book in the main order, first published in 1997. Cover from Google Books -
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
powered by Google
About this series: sourced facts
Each fact is shown with its source and the date it was checked.
The series at a glance
Random House published the first book, The Absent Author, in 1997.
Source: lccn.loc.gov, checked 2026-11-06What the story is
Dink Duncan and his two friends look into the apparent kidnapping of a famous mystery author, Wallis Wallace.
Source: lccn.loc.gov, checked 2026-11-06About the author
Wikidata lists Ron Roy as born in 1940 in Hartford.
Source: wikidata.org, checked 2026-11-06Edition facts
The pictures are by John Gurney.
Source: lccn.loc.gov, checked 2026-11-06Common questions
What order should I read a series in?
Start with publication order, the order the books first came out. When a series also has a story order that differs, the series page shows both and says why, so you can choose.
Which book should I start with?
Look for the Start here marker. It sits on the first book of the main list, unless the author's own page recommends a different first book, and the reason is printed beside it. It is not a ranking or a review.
What if an order looks wrong?
Tap Report a problem under the list and say which book looks out of place. No account or email is needed. Each report is checked against the sources, and the page is corrected if the report is right.
Does this site earn money from the links?
It can. If you buy through a store link, this site may earn a small amount. That never changes the list: which books are listed, their order, and the fixed order of the store buttons stay the same.
Where do these facts come from?
One page shows the sources and how the facts are checked.