Garden Gate Mystery Books in Order

The Garden Gate Mystery series shows Susan Sleeman working in a lighter, cozier mode. Instead of tactical teams and federal agents, these books follow Paige Turner, a landscape designer and radio gardening host whose life would be much simpler if dead bodies would stop appearing around her. But they do, and Paige cannot resist digging into the truth.

The gardening theme is baked into everything.

Paige runs a shop called The Garden Gate and hosts a call-in show called Through the Garden Gate, so the series is full of plants, projects, community chatter, and enough garden puns to let you know the books are having a little fun. At the same time, the murders are real, the stakes matter, and Paige often finds herself in genuine danger while trying to clear a friend's name or her own.

The tone sits firmly on the cozy side, with quirky side characters, local drama, and a small-town setting where everybody seems to know at least half of your business. Attorney Adam Hayes becomes an important part of Paige's world, and the push and pull between sleuthing, work, and romance gives the series a nice rhythm. There is also the kind of oddball supporting-cast energy cozy readers usually enjoy.

What makes these books work is the contrast. Paige is not a cop. She is a smart, stubborn woman with a gardening business, a microphone, and too much curiosity. That means the mysteries stay approachable, and the amateur-sleuth angle feels natural instead of forced.

If you like cozy mysteries with a strong hobby theme, wordplay, and a heroine who keeps stumbling into trouble and refusing to back away, this series is an easy fit. Start with Nipped in the Bud and let Paige handle the rest, shovel in hand if necessary.