Nancy Mehl Books in Order
See all Nancy Mehl books in order, with series lists, brief summaries, reading order notes, and tips on where to start her Christian suspense and cozy mysteries.
Last updated: January 17, 2026
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Publication Order
46 books
Shattered Sanctuary
by Nancy Mehl
2025
Haunted by a tragic shooting that ended her police career, bestselling mystery author Erin Delaney retreats to a Smoky Mountains cabin. When a carefully staged murder scene appears nearby, she joins the local chief and Kaely Quinn to hunt a meticulous serial killer.
Dark Design
by Nancy Mehl
2025
After a real life murder mimics a killing in her bestselling novel, Erin Delaney travels to Virginia to help Kaely Quinn and the FBI. A "Novel Killer" is recreating deaths from crime books, and Erin herself may be next on his list.
Cold Vengeance
by Nancy Mehl
2024
When a famous true crime podcaster vanishes while investigating an unknown serial killer, River Ryland and Tony St. Clair are hired to find her. Their search exposes a hidden pattern of deaths and puts them directly in the sights of a remorseless predator.
Cold Threat
by Nancy Mehl
2024
Twenty years after a snowman ornament marked a string of murders, similar crimes erupt in a small Iowa town. River Ryland and Tony St. Clair join Tony’s detective father to learn whether an old case was bungled or a copycat is killing again.
Cold Pursuit
by Nancy Mehl
2023
Former FBI profiler River Ryland, still battling PTSD, opens a private investigation firm with Tony St. Clair in St. Louis. Their first case, a four year old missing teen, leads them into a deadly tangle of secrets, a relentless killer, and River’s unresolved past.
When Angels Whisper
by Nancy Mehl
2022
It is Christmastime in Sugarcreek when a string of local thefts culminates in a break in at the Swiss Miss. As Cheryl Cooper hunts the thief, her young daughter insists an angel has visited her, forcing Cheryl to consider both earthly and heavenly mysteries.
Free Fall
by Nancy Mehl
2022
Asked to profile a missing woman, Alex Donovan uncovers a pattern of disappearances involving similar victims. When the abductor demands direct contact with her, she agrees, setting up a high risk exchange that could rescue the captives or claim her own life.
Night Fall
by Nancy Mehl
2021
FBI analyst Alex Donovan joins the hunt for a murderer leaving bodies on freight trains and cryptic graffiti on railcars. Recognizing symbols from a warped group in her past, she must face childhood trauma while racing to stop the so called Train Man.
Dead Fall
by Nancy Mehl
2021
A sniper targeting people linked to a controversial research project puts Alex Donovan and Logan Hart under intense pressure. As shots ring out in unexpected places, they struggle to predict the next move of a killer who always seems one step ahead.
Dead End
by Nancy Mehl
2020
When a condemned killer hints at more undiscovered victims, Kaely Quinn and fellow agent Noah Hunter are sent to dig for the truth. The clues may tie back to Kaely’s own notorious father, forcing her to confront what she believes about him and herself.
Birds Eye View
by Nancy Mehl
2020
A hot air balloon ride over Lancaster County gives Martha Classen a shocking view of what looks like a kidnapping below. With only a lost camp charm as a clue and no official missing person report, the sisters investigate on their own.
A Slowly Developing Story
by Nancy Mehl
2020
When a vintage camera sold to Secondhand Blessings contains an undeveloped roll of film, the Classen sisters uncover photos tied to a decades old Amish disappearance. As they chase the story, sibling tensions and a charity baking project complicate their search for the truth.
Waves of Doubt
by Nancy Mehl
2019
Priscilla Grant invites a reclusive Vineyard historian to speak at the museum, but the woman and valuable artifacts go missing the night of the event. As odd graveyard disturbances surface, Priscilla must connect the mysteries before the island’s trust in her is washed away.
Fire Storm
by Nancy Mehl
2019
Kaely Quinn travels to small town Nebraska to support her mother through cancer treatments and consult on a rash of suspicious wildfires. As flames creep closer and tensions flare, she must identify an arsonist before the next blaze turns deadly.
Anothers Treasure
by Nancy Mehl
2019
Back in Bird in Hand, Pennsylvania, the Classen sisters reopen Secondhand Blessings in their family barn. After a donor accuses them of stealing a hidden heirloom from her parents’ estate, they must solve a clever riddle to save their shop’s new reputation.
Mind Games
by Nancy Mehl
2018
FBI behavior analyst Kaely Quinn’s unorthodox methods already make colleagues wary when a reporter outs her as a serial killer’s daughter. After he receives a poem predicting a string of murders ending with Kaely, she must catch a brazen killer who seems obsessed with her.
Blind Betrayal
by Nancy Mehl
2018
Deputy U.S. Marshal Casey Quinn’s simple assignment, escorting a reporter to testify before a grand jury, explodes into a deadly chase. Cut off from support, Casey and her fellow marshals must keep their witness alive while exposing a dangerous conspiracy.
Maiden of the Mist
by Nancy Mehl
2017
Settling into her inherited lighthouse on Martha’s Vineyard, Priscilla Grant is unnerved by nightly appearances of a glowing "Weeping Woman" on the cliff. When wartime medals and art vanish from a local museum, she suspects the ghost story is hiding a very human scheme.
Horse Sense and Sensibility
by Nancy Mehl
2017
Horses across Sugarcreek are disappearing, including Cheryl’s own mount and the Millers’ prized Samson. While tracking horse thieves with Levi, Cheryl also uncovers an old diary about an impossible Amish English romance that challenges her to face her own feelings.
Dark Deception
by Nancy Mehl
2017
Years after surviving a brutal serial killer, a woman learns the wrong man may be in prison. Two U.S. Marshals hide her in rural Missouri while they reopen the case, but a cunning predator is determined to finish what he started.
Simply Vanished
by Nancy Mehl
2016
As Cheryl Cooper’s birthday approaches, an old laundry chute in the Swiss Miss Gift Shop reveals clues about a woman who disappeared decades earlier. With her visiting family stirring up tensions, Cheryl must solve the cold case before it tears relationships apart.
Fatal Frost
by Nancy Mehl
2016
U.S. Marshal Mercy Brennan is assigned to a joint task force that puts her in the crosshairs of a powerful St. Louis gang. Stranded by an ice storm with her ex boyfriend and a fellow officer, she must outwit both the weather and hired killers.
All Abuzz at the Honey Bee
by Nancy Mehl
2016
A rash of bank burglaries has Sugarcreek on edge, and Naomi Miller’s husband loses the family savings when thieves hit their home. At the same time, strange after hours disturbances at the Honey Bee Cafe spark rumors of a haunting. Cheryl Cooper must uncover the human culprit.
Rising Darkness
by Nancy Mehl
2015
Leaving a troubled Mennonite past behind, reporter Sophie Wittenbauer chases a tip about an old unsolved crime that leads straight to Sanctuary. Posing under a false name, she searches for a hidden fugitive while fearing her own secrets will be exposed.
Deadly Echoes
by Nancy Mehl
2015
Teacher Sarah Miller finally enjoys a quiet life in Sanctuary, until her long lost sister is murdered in a crime eerily like their parents’ deaths. Working with Deputy Paul Gleason, Sarah digs into the past and draws a killer’s attention.
Blessing in Disguise
by Nancy Mehl
2015
Newly arrived in Sugarcreek, Cheryl Cooper is puzzled when unrecorded, high quality items appear in her gift shop inventory. Are they anonymous blessings or something more troubling? As notes warning her to "take care" begin to surface, she digs for the real motive behind the gifts.
Gathering Shadows
by Nancy Mehl
2014
Ambitious TV reporter Wynter Evans never stops grieving her brother’s disappearance. When she spots a photo of a boy who looks just like him, she follows the lead to Sanctuary, Missouri, and uncovers buried secrets someone will kill to protect.
Unforeseeable
by Nancy Mehl
2013
Engaged to new pastor Levi Housler, Callie Hoffman thinks her future in Kingdom looks bright. Then a body is found near town, tied to a serial killer, and unsettling truths surface. Callie must decide whom to trust when safety and loyalty collide.
A Wedding to Dye For
by Nancy Mehl
2013
On the night of her rehearsal dinner, an ice storm traps Hilde Higgins and her wedding party inside a Victorian boarding house. When the substitute pastor is found dead with a knife in his back, Hilde must solve a chilling, closed in whodunit.
Unbreakable
by Nancy Mehl
2012
Gentle Hope Kauffman has always accepted her Mennonite community’s pacifist beliefs. When attacks on Kingdom residents escalate and an outsider urges the town to arm itself, Hope is caught between tradition, conscience, and a growing sense that the rules may no longer be enough.
Inescapable
by Nancy Mehl
2012
Five years after fleeing her strict Mennonite hometown, Lizzie Engel is facing a stalker, threats, and false accusations in Kansas City. With no safe options, she returns to Kingdom, Kansas, and discovers that danger, and unexpected grace, have followed her.
Bumping Off Binky
by Nancy Mehl
2012
Styling hair for the dead rarely surprises Hilde Higgins, until she finds beloved hospital clown Binky Tuttwiler lying murdered in full costume. With her clown boyfriend under suspicion, she sifts through circus acts and grudges to unmask the real killer.
Simple Choices
by Nancy Mehl
2011
Life in Harmony, Kansas, is shifting as development, romance, and old conflicts collide. While the community debates its future, long buried truths come out, and residents must decide whether to cling to safe routines or risk brave new choices.
Blown Away
by Nancy Mehl
2011
Hilde Higgins hates clowns, so discovering her new boyfriend secretly performs as one is bad enough. When another clown turns up dead, the evidence points his way, and Hilde races to uncover the truth before he is charged with murder.
Simple Secrets
by Nancy Mehl
2010
City graphic designer Gracie Temple inherits a house in Harmony, Kansas, and walks into a tangle of Mennonite traditions and long held grudges. A hidden secret about her father, strange warnings, and a quiet fruit farmer force her to choose where she belongs.
Simple Deceit
by Nancy Mehl
2010
After deciding to stay in Harmony, Gracie Temple takes freelance work for a land developer and suddenly finds herself blamed for changes threatening the town. As accidents and sabotage mount, she must uncover who is stirring up trouble and why.
Missing Mabel
by Nancy Mehl
2010
Funeral home hairstylist Hilde Higgins is sure the woman in the casket is not Mabel Winnemaker. Accused of theft and a cover up, she must track down the real body and untangle a small town scheme before her reputation is buried.
There Goes Santa Claus
by Nancy Mehl
2008
When a man in a Santa suit is found dead on Ivy Towers’s roof, Winter Break erupts with rumors that she and Amos are to blame. Clearing their names means untangling holiday grudges and figuring out who wanted Santa out of the picture.
For Whom The Wedding Bell Tolls
by Nancy Mehl
2008
As Ivy Towers prepares for her wedding, a suspicious death threatens to overshadow the celebration. With gossip flying and tensions high, she and Amos must solve one more mystery if they hope to start married life with clear consciences.
Cozy in Kansas
by Nancy Mehl
2008
This omnibus gathers three Ivy Towers mysteries in one volume, following Ivy from her first return to Winter Break through treasure hunts, weddings, and Christmas chaos. It’s an easy way to read the full arc of her small town sleuthing.
Bye Bye Bertie
by Nancy Mehl
2008
Working hard to revive Miss Bitty’s Bygone Bookstore, Ivy Towers discovers a map hidden in an old music box, tied to a legend of lost gambler’s gold. Following its trail uncovers buried secrets, family wounds, and danger in quiet Winter Break.
In The Dead of Winter
by Nancy Mehl
2007
Samantha "Ivy" Towers returns to Winter Break, Kansas, to bury her beloved aunt and settle a dusty bookstore. When clues suggest Aunt Bitty’s fatal fall was no accident, Ivy and sheriff Amos Parker hunt a killer hiding behind small town smiles.
Sinner's Song
by Nancy Mehl
2006
Memrie Austin works safely behind a desk at a downtown social services agency, until a series of killings among the homeless forces her onto the streets. As a murderer calling himself the Deliverer targets vulnerable people, Memrie must face both danger and her own shaken faith.
Malevolence
by Nancy Mehl
2005
Widowed Icy Curtis hopes a move to Wichita will bring peace after her husband’s death in Chicago. Instead she finds her boss at a women’s shelter murdered, cryptic messages written in blood, and a stalking evil that seems terrifyingly personal.
Nutrition for the Golden Years
by Nancy Mehl
2002
A practical guide for seniors and caregivers, this book explains how aging affects nutritional needs and offers simple strategies for healthy eating. Nancy Mehl covers warning signs of poor nutrition, realistic meal planning, lifestyle tips, and basic recipes geared toward older adults.
Graven Images
by Nancy Mehl
2001
Cally Jo McAllister was four when she watched her mother’s murder from the top of the stairs, silently seeing the killer’s face. Years later, buried memories resurface, and disturbing events suggest the murderer may be closer to her adult life than she ever imagined.
Where should I start?
If you want FBI profiler suspense: Mind Games → Fire Storm → Dead End
If you like high-stakes serial killer thrillers: Night Fall → Dead Fall → Free Fall
If you prefer small town romantic suspense: Inescapable → Unbreakable → Unforeseeable
If cozy small town mysteries sound fun: In The Dead of Winter → Bye Bye Bertie → For Whom The Wedding Bell Tolls → There Goes Santa Claus
If you enjoy Amish country whodunits: Blessing in Disguise → Simply Vanished → All Abuzz at the Honey Bee → Horse Sense and Sensibility
Author bio
Nancy Mehl grew up in Kansas, where small towns, church life, and long Midwestern summers quietly shaped the stories she would later tell. She loved writing early on, but a high school accusation of plagiarism shook her confidence and pushed that dream to the side for a while.
Before publishing fiction, she worked a string of very down to earth jobs. She spent time at a bank and a radio station, then moved into social services, helping run programs for people in government housing. One assignment asked her to design a food program for seniors, and the mix of practical need, paperwork, and real people gave her a front row seat to lives that rarely make the news.
Those years in social work did more than pay the bills. They left her with a deep respect for people who slip through the cracks and for the helpers who show up quietly, day after day. When she finally returned to writing, that compassion turned into characters who are wounded but still willing to fight for hope.
Her first contracts came from a small Christian publisher that wanted mysteries set among Old Order Mennonites. Nancy dove into research and created towns like Kingdom and Harmony, where faith, family, and fear of the outside world are always rubbing up against each other. In series such as Inescapable, Unbreakable, and Unforeseeable, she used quiet Kansas settings to explore what happens when danger slips past even the best intentions.
Over time her stories shifted toward faster paced suspense, but she never left those roots behind. Series like Finding Sanctuary and Defenders of Justice blend law enforcement investigations with the questions ordinary people ask when life is suddenly unsafe. A U.S. Marshal on the run from a gang, a teacher forced to reopen an old murder, a town hiding too many secrets, all of them carry Nancy’s steady interest in how faith and fear collide.
Later she moved her focus to the FBI’s Behavioral Analysis Unit. In the Kaely Quinn books, starting with Mind Games, and in The Quantico Files that begin with Night Fall, she follows profilers who know how to read the minds of killers but still have to untangle their own pasts. A real life former profiler has advised her on the details, which lets Nancy ground big, scary plots in procedures that feel believable.
More recently, in Cold Pursuit and the Ryland & St. Clair series, she has written about former FBI analysts who leave the Bureau and open a small investigative firm in St. Louis. Those stories let her explore private investigations, family scars, and the cost of chasing evil for a living. Erin Delaney, the ex cop and crime novelist in her newer series, adds another angle, showing what happens when writing about danger and facing it in person suddenly overlap.
Today Nancy lives in Missouri with her husband, Norman, and their energetic puggle, Watson. She is open about being a bit of a homebody. Most days you will find her in a comfortable chair near a window, watching birds and squirrels at the edge of the woods while she works on her next chapter.
Through more than fifty novels and several awards along the way, one thread has stayed the same. She writes because she believes stories can offer both a good scare and a real sense of comfort. Her characters walk through gang wars, serial killers, and small town whisper campaigns, but again and again they discover that they are seen, loved, and not completely alone.
Ask her why she keeps going, and the answer is simple. She hopes that somewhere a reader who feels stuck or afraid will turn the last page with a little more courage than they had when they started.
Edited by
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