June's Journey Mystery Books in Order

The June's Journey Mysteries bring the popular 1920s hidden object game to the page, giving heroine June and her friends a full length whodunit to inhabit. Carlene O'Connor keeps the glamorous, jazz age feel of the original while crafting a traditional mystery that works even if you have never played the game.

The first novel, Death Wasn't Invited, is set in Paris in 1922. The upcoming marriage between the influential Auclair and Picard families is the talk of the city, promising to cement ties between two powerful dynasties. June is delighted to attend the engagement party with her close friends Nate and Jack, expecting champagne, gossip, and a chance to people watch among the grand houses along the Seine.

Nate, however, has another agenda. He is there to try to stop the wedding, convinced that going through with it would be a terrible mistake. Before he can act, he is stabbed during the festivities with Jack's knife, and Jack is swiftly arrested. June knows Jack well enough to be certain he is no killer, but the evidence is lined up against him and the families involved would rather avoid scandal than dig deeper.

Determined to save her friend, June begins her own investigation, moving between smoky jazz clubs, artist studios, gilded salons, and the more dangerous alleys of the city. She uncovers old family debts, political maneuvering, and betrayals that stretch far beyond a single evening's celebration. The deeper she goes, the more it becomes clear that someone is willing to kill again to keep the truth buried.

Stylistically, the book tips its hat to golden age detectives like Agatha Christie, with a contained circle of suspects, hidden motives, and a heroine who notices the details others miss. At the same time, O'Connor brings her usual interest in relationships and setting to bear, showing June juggling loyalty, attraction, and her own sense of justice in a world that does not always take young women seriously.

Because the novel introduces its own mystery, readers can jump in here without any background in the June's Journey game. Fans of the game will recognize familiar characters and enjoy seeing them in a new medium, while mystery lovers who simply like historical settings, smart amateur sleuths, and Parisian atmosphere will find plenty to enjoy. Future installments promise to follow June on further travels, but Death Wasn't Invited stands on its own as a complete, stylish case.