Jensen Beach Mystery Books in Order
Part ofRodney Riesel Books in OrderThis page lists the Jensen Beach Mystery books by Rodney Riesel in order, with quick summaries, series background, and tips on where to start.
Last updated: January 17, 2026
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Publication Order
5 books
Five Days to Live
by Rodney Riesel
2023
A frightening deadline hangs over Jensen Beach when someone has only five days to live, or disappear for good. John Burton and Kurt Powell dig through motives and alibis, knowing their timing matters as much as their clues. If they’re late, the case ends permanently.
A Blast From the Past
by Rodney Riesel
2022
John Burton thought he moved to Jensen Beach to leave the spotlight behind. When an old connection resurfaces, he and Kurt Powell are dragged into a mystery tied to long-held grudges. To solve it, John has to face the past he’s been avoiding.
Dead Asleep
by Rodney Riesel
2021
John Burton just wants a lazy week by his new pool in Jensen Beach, margarita in hand. The peace doesn’t last. When trouble spills over from next door, John and Kurt Powell get drawn into a mystery that turns their waterfront routine upside down.
TV or Not TV
by Rodney Riesel
2020
After John Burton and Kurt Powell stop a young boy from being hit near a school bus, the bus driver vanishes days later. Kurt insists on playing private detective again, and the two friends find themselves chasing a case nobody else seems eager to solve.
As Seen on TV
by Rodney Riesel
2019
John Burton is a familiar face who’s trying to live quietly in Jensen Beach, Florida. When a mystery appears in his new backyard, he and his friend Kurt Powell start asking questions, and quickly learn that small-town secrets don’t stay small for long.
Series background & context
The Jensen Beach Mystery series centers on John Burton, a familiar face who’s trying to trade noise for quiet in a waterfront Florida town. Jensen Beach looks like an easy place to settle in, sunshine, neighbors, drinks by the pool, and a routine that finally feels calm.
That calm never lasts.
John isn’t a cop, but he can’t help noticing when something feels off. His friend Kurt Powell is even worse, in the best way, the kind of guy who hears one odd detail and immediately wants to play private detective. Together they stumble into local cases that start as everyday concerns and quickly turn serious.
The first book, As Seen on TV, sets up John’s attempt at a fresh start and the way his past can still follow him. TV or Not TV kicks off with a moment of civic-minded help, stopping a child from being hit near a school bus, and then the story turns when the bus driver disappears. In Dead Asleep, John just wants a lazy week pool-side, but trouble from next door derails his plans and pulls him right back into investigation mode.
The tone is light on its feet, with plenty of Florida atmosphere, but the stakes are real. These mysteries lean on neighborhood dynamics, casual conversations that suddenly matter, and the way small towns can amplify both kindness and suspicion. John and Kurt aren’t trying to be heroes, but once they start asking questions, they’re hard to shake.
As the series continues into later cases like A Blast From the Past and Five Days to Live, the sense of momentum grows. The mysteries keep John moving between relaxation and urgency, between being a guy who just wants peace and a guy who can’t stop digging.
If you like amateur sleuth stories with modern coastal life, this series is an easy fit. Start at As Seen on TV if you want the full setup and character rhythm from page one. If you’re here for the puzzles and the beach-town vibe, you can also jump into a later case and follow along, John and Kurt will catch you up as they go.
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