James Murray Mysteries Books in Order

Department store clerk and aspiring writer James Murray discovers his friend Bess murdered at work. Following a threatening note, he investigates alongside screen star Buddy Rogers, while a parallel narrative gives his hardboiled counterpart another case.

Young screenwriter James Murray investigates fires, thefts, and other sabotage disrupting a Hollywood studio's productions. In a parallel version of 1930s Los Angeles, his hardboiled counterpart must discover who is trying to blame him.

A visit to Los Angeles's new observatory draws James Murray into the kidnapping of a scientist. As he investigates German speaking abductors, his hardboiled counterpart follows a parallel mystery involving threats and a mysterious numbered document.

Struggling after his girlfriend's departure, James Murray investigates threats against baseball players whose secrets are being used for extortion. His hardboiled counterpart pursues the same kind of danger in a parallel version of 1930s Los Angeles.

James Murray and journalist wife Arden St. Johns investigate a medium holding séances for Hollywood elites. Claims that an actress's dead niece seeks revenge draw them into a mystery mirrored by James's hardboiled fictional counterpart.

This reference guide explains the historical settings, real people, cultural references, and authorial choices behind five James Murray mysteries. Entries connect the novels' fictional characters and incidents with the places and personalities of 1930s Los Angeles.