Applewick Village Mystery Books in Order

The Applewick Village Mystery books bring Sue Fortin's suspense instincts into cozy territory. The setting is a cluster of English villages, Applewick, Appledown, Applemere, and Appleside, known together as the Apples. At the heart of the series are the Fairfax sisters, Esme, Bella, and Isla, along with their father Frank. They live in a place that looks peaceful from the outside, but as these books quickly prove, village life can hide just as many grudges and secrets as any city thriller.

The first book, Death at Applewick Schoolhouse, sets up the series clearly. When local headteacher Max Bartholomew is found murdered, Frank Fairfax becomes the prime suspect. That is more than enough to pull the sisters into the investigation. Their amateur sleuthing is driven by loyalty as much as curiosity, and that family stake gives the story extra warmth. This is not mystery for mystery's sake. They are trying to protect one of their own.

Village gossip is practically a fourth investigator.

That is a big part of the charm. The Apples feel lived in, with school connections, old relationships, local resentments, and everyone carrying a bit of history. In a setting like this, information travels fast, but not always accurately. A casual remark, an old grudge, or something spotted from a kitchen window can matter as much as formal police work. Fortin uses that well, building her puzzles out of community ties rather than forensic detail.

The second book, Death at Applewick Manor, continues that pattern by pulling the Fairfax sisters into another local murder, this time tied to the manor. The details of the case change, but the appeal stays consistent: a familiar cast, a tight village network, and a fresh reason for the sisters to start asking awkward questions. Each book works as its own mystery, but the ongoing pleasure comes from spending more time in the village and with the Fairfax family.

Tone matters here. These are cozy mysteries, so although the stakes are real, the reading experience is not grim or hard-boiled. There is a sense of place, family banter, and the satisfaction of watching clever amateur sleuths piece together what the professionals have missed. Fortin keeps the plots moving, but she also makes room for the small details that make village fiction fun, local institutions, longstanding feuds, and the way everybody seems to know everyone else's business.

If you like amateur sleuths who have skin in the game, this series should fit nicely.

Start with Death at Applewick Schoolhouse to meet the sisters and the village properly. From there, Death at Applewick Manor builds on that cozy foundation and gives you more of what the series does best, murder, motive, gossip, and family teamwork in a very English village setting.