Moreno & Hart Mysteries (Allison Brennan) Books in Order

The Moreno and Hart books follow Scarlet Moreno and Krista Hart, two former cops who open a private investigation firm after barely surviving a disastrous sting operation. That history matters from the first chapter. These women are not fresh-faced sleuths learning the ropes. They already know what violence looks like, and they already know someone once wanted them dead.

Scarlet is the harder edge of the pair, more guarded, more willing to assume the worst. Krista is no less determined, but she is often the better people reader and the better fit for situations where charm matters. Together they give the series its real spark. The banter is fun, but the loyalty is what keeps the books moving.

Each mystery stands on its own. In Crash and Burn, a bartender friend becomes a murder suspect. Hit and Run splits the partners across two dangerous cases that start to echo each other in unsettling ways. Frosted drops Krista into a claustrophobic resort mystery when her actor ex-husband claims he is being stalked. Lost and Found finally pushes the old sting operation back to the front and makes the long-running conspiracy impossible to ignore.

Southern California is more than scenery here. Beach towns, bars, wealthy neighborhoods, police politics, and mountain hideaways all help shape the mood. The setting looks sunny, but the books keep finding the rot underneath. That contrast works well for a private-eye series.

There is romance, but it stays in the background where it belongs. Scarlet's history with Detective Alex Bishop adds tension because trust never comes easy. Krista's dynamic with R.J. Flynn brings a little more spark and humor. Neither thread takes over the books.

What you are really getting is a compact mystery series with solid partnership energy and a satisfying bigger arc underneath the weekly case. Read these in order if you can. The series is short, but the payoff is better when you watch Scarlet and Krista work their way back toward the truth that nearly killed them.