Ghostly Fashionista Mystery Books in Order

The Ghostly Fashionista mysteries mix cozy sleuthing with a cheerful paranormal twist. The series follows Amanda Tucker, a retro fashion designer in Abingdon, Virginia, whose new studio in Shops on Main comes with an unexpected extra, the ghost of Maxine Englebright, a stylish young woman who died in 1930 and has strong opinions about both clothes and crime.

Max is not subtle.

That is part of what makes these books fun. In Designs On Murder, Amanda is simply trying to open her fashion design studio when Max appears and a fellow tenant is killed. From there, the series settles into its rhythm. Amanda wants to focus on her business, her customers, and her family, but Max keeps nudging, prodding, and outright insisting that a suspicious death needs their attention.

The fashion angle gives the books their texture. Amanda is not just any amateur sleuth. She is a designer who notices details, fabric, construction, period style, and how people present themselves to the world. That eye for appearance naturally feeds the mysteries. Costumes for a school production in Perils and Lace, holiday trouble in Christmas Cloches and Corpses, antique buttons in Buttons and Blows, masquerade gowns in Secrets and Sequins, and estate-sale discoveries in Corsets and Casualties all grow directly from Amanda's world.

Abingdon and Shops on Main matter too. The setting is full of fellow small business owners, older buildings, town history, and a sense that the past is always closer than it looks. That helps the ghostly element feel playful rather than random. Max belongs here. She is not a horror figure. She is a bright, bossy companion with unfinished business and a real affection for the people around Amanda.

The series also does a nice job with family and community. Amanda's relationships, her grandfather, her assistant Zoe, Max's lingering ties, and the people who pass through the shop keep the books from feeling gimmicky. The ghost is memorable, but the world around her has enough weight to support the premise.

If you like paranormal cozies that stay light on scares and strong on setting, this series is easy to recommend. Expect murders rooted in local life, fashion details that actually matter, and a heroine who would probably have a much calmer week if she did not keep listening to a flapper ghost. Thankfully for readers, she usually does.