Scumble River Murder Mystery Series Books, in Order - by Denise Swanson, Featuring School Psychologist Skye Denison

Featuring amateur sleuth and professional high school psychologist Sky Dennison, by Denise Swanson.

This is a general intro to the Scumble River Mystery series, set in fictional Scumble River, Illinois, by Denise Swanson. I will also review each book separately.

So far, I've reviewed Murder of a Botoxed Blonde; Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry; Murder of a Royal Pain; and, Murder of a Wedding Belle, here on Hubpages.

I don't read fiction much, but when I do, I like it to be murder mysteries --- preferably cozy.

From the moment I picked up Murder of a Botoxed Blonde, --- the first Scumble River Mystery I ever read (though not the first in the series) I fell in love with Scumble River and with Skye. Skye and her best friend, Trixie Frayne, get a chance to spend Thanksgiving weekend at the Scumble River Spa. Skye doesn't consider it much of a "chance" because she's not interested in spas anyway.

For one thing, Skye is chubby. That's a big plus (size) for me. I'm chubby myself. And, she lives in a small farming town in Illinois.

I was hooked.

A chubby lady detective, who is also a high school psychologist.

A farm town in the Midwest.

Sounded great.

Skye is hopping around in the hallway in an aluminum foil wrap, trying to find out what the hideous scream was. She had fallen asleep while wrapped in seaweed with aluminum foil on top. She was dreaming she was a Thanksgiving turkey roasting in the oven, possibly due to the hot lights beating down on the aluminum foil --- plus the fact that the masseuse had disappeared.

Skye is trying to find out what the horrible scream was.

Turns out the scream was just a red herring --- her best friend, Trixie, was getting a Brazilian "wax" --- but by that time, you're already introduced to the characters and the setup. They were all at a spa, and the food was so meager they had to smuggle in chips, pop and pizza. The spa is in a proverbial old abandoned mansion at the proverbial edge of town.

Skye's mom, May; --- her dad, Jed; --- and brother, Vince, a womanizing hairdresser --- who perhaps may finally be hooking up with Loretta, Skye's sorority sister from college--- appear in many of the books. There's also her godfather, "Uncle" Charlie Patukis, the owner of the Up a Lazy River Motel. Her uncle, Dante Leofanti --- May's brother --- is the mayor of Scumble River.

Loretta also makes some appearances, but not in each book.

I love Skye's family.

Except for that one aunt, in Murder of a Sweet Old Lady. Nobody would want her as a family member.

(I have not written a Hub review of Murder of a Sweet Old Lady because I read it a long time ago. I will have to re-read before I write a review.)

Then, there's the Doozier family: --- Earl, the patriarch; --- his brother, Elvis; --- Earl's wife, Glenda, plus several more. They provide some good-hearted comic relief. They also sometimes actually provide the key to solving the mystery.

I do plan to post reviews for each one of the series, though --- eventually. I haven't even read them all yet. But, on that sad day when I do finish the series --- which I hope will NOT be soon --- I want to just go back and start the series all over again. Perhaps in order.

The author, Denise Swanson, also has a little note at the front of Cherry, where she shares the Scumble River timeline. I don't know if this is the order in which she wrote them. I guess it must be. In any event, she explains that Scumble River time is a little behind regular time, so Scumble Riverites “age more slowly”.

Yet another reason for me to go there.

There's a free preview chapter of Bookstore Babe at the end of Wedding Belle. Read my Wedding Belle hub if you want to know more.

Sounds great!. Can't wait!

So far, I've read Botoxed Blonde, Smart Cookie, Sweet Old Lady, Sleeping Beauty, Chocolate-Covered Cherry, Wedding Belle , and a couple whose names I'm not sure of. I'm thinking Small-Town Honey and one other. I'll review each in a separate hub. Obviously, I'll have to first re-read the ones whose names I'm not sure of --- it was so long ago. I'm always looking for an excuse to re-read a Scumble River Mystery.

Then, I can get back to the fun part --- reading some more in the series.

[Why all the underlines? Well, there apparently is no way to italicize OR underline the fonts in a Hub headline. A book title has to be either underlined or italicized --- unless they changed that rule. I realize this isn't a real underline anyway, but --- it's about as close as I can get. Please let me know if there's a better way.]

There's a free first chapter of Murder of a Bookstore Babe at the end of Murder of a Wedding Belle. Each of the novels has a first chapter of the next one coming up.

That first chapter looks really good, and funny.

To find out more, go to my Hub that reviews Murder of a Wedding Belle. I include a little bit about that first chapter of Bookstore Babe.

I'm writing this in June of 2011. Bookstore Babe will be out in August, and a new Scumble River Mystery --- Murder of a Creped Suzette --- will be out in October of 2011.

Just in time for Halloween!

. . . this reminds me --- I also have another book review of a murder mystery that revolves around Halloween --- from a different, but also very good, series. The book is called Decaffeinated Corpse, and is part of the Coffee House Mystery series, by Cleo Coyle.

The Coffeehouse Mystery series is, in some ways, a Greenwich Village version of the Scumble River Mysteries. A smart, funny amateur sleuth who is surrounded by friends and relatives and others who love her. Yet, she's a little bit sarcastic and critical. And, slightly misunderstood --- even by those who care the most. Also, a boyfriend who is a cop. And, a love triangle that never stops surprising you!

Leave a comment, if you'd like. I'm interested in reading your opinions.

See you in Scumble River, Illinois.