Frances Crane Reading Order

26 books (1941–1965)

The Pat and Jean Abbott Mystery series consists of 26 complete detective novels published between 1941 and 1965, following the investigations of amateur sleuths Pat and Jean Abbott. Frances Crane's mysteries should be read in publication order, beginning with The Turquoise Shop and continuing through the full chronological sequence. The series spans from wartime through the post-war era, concluding with the final entry in 1965, and each book can be enjoyed as a self-contained mystery while contributing to the overall series arc.

Start with The Turquoise Shop, the first of 26 books in the Pat and Jean Abbott Mystery series.

#	Title
1	The Turquoise Shop 1941Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	The Golden Box 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	The Yellow Violet 1942Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	The Applegreen Cat 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
5	The Pink Umbrella / The Pink Umbrella Murder 1943Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
6	The Amethyst Spectacles 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
7	The Indigo Necklace / The Indigo Necklace Murders 1944Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
8	The Cinnamon Murder 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
9	The Shocking Pink Hat 1946Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
10	Murder on the Purple Water 1947Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
11	Black Cypress 1948Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
12	The Flying Red Horse 1949Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
13	The Daffodil Blonde 1950Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
14	Murder in Blue Street / Death in the Blue Hour 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
15	The Polkadot Murder 1951Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
16	13 White Tulips 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
17	Murder in Bright Red 1953Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
18	The Coral Princess Murders 1954Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
19	Death in Lilac Time 1955Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
20	Horror on the Ruby X 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
21	The Ultra-Violet Widow 1956Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
22	The Buttercup Case 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
23	The Man in Gray / The Grey Stranger 1958Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
24	Death-Wish Green 1960Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
25	The Amber Eyes 1962Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
26	Body Beneath a Mandarin Tree 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible

4 books (1961–1968)

Frances Crane's four mystery novels span from 1961 to 1968 and should be read in publication order beginning with The Reluctant Sleuth, followed by Three Days in Hong Kong, A Very Quiet Murder, and Worse Than a Crime. Though each book stands alone as an independent story, reading them in sequence provides the intended experience of Crane's work from this period. The series is now complete.

Start with The Reluctant Sleuth, the first of 4 books in the Standalone Novels series.

#	Title
1	The Reluctant Sleuth 1961Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
2	Three Days in Hong Kong 1965Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
3	A Very Quiet Murder 1966Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible
4	Worse Than a Crime 1968Buy 🇺🇸🎧 Audible