Santa Fe Cafe Mysteries Books in Order

At the center of the Santa Fe Cafe Mysteries is Rita Lafitte, chef at Tres Amigas Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Rita wants a manageable life, good food, steady work, and time with her daughter, Celia. What she keeps getting instead is murder, usually at the exact moment a local celebration, family visit, or holiday event should be going smoothly.

The setting does a lot of the work here. Santa Fe is not just a backdrop with nice weather. Its adobe streets, art scene, neighborhood gossip, and deep food traditions shape the way the books move. Myers builds each mystery around a holiday, Day of the Dead in Bread of the Dead, Cinco de Mayo in Cinco de Mayhem, and Christmas in Feliz Navidead. That gives the series a festive rhythm, but it also lets food, ritual, and community gatherings become part of the danger. Green chile, pan de muerto, tamales, flan, and holiday treats keep showing up as clues, comforts, and reasons for people to gather.

Rita is a good guide because she feels grounded. She is a working chef and a mother first, not someone itching to play detective. When she investigates, it is usually because the official explanation does not add up or because someone she cares about is at risk. Her best partner in these cases is Flori, her octogenarian boss, whose curiosity and nerve make her an ideal trouble magnet. Friends, family, and regulars at the cafe keep the world lively, and the bond between Rita and Celia gives the series a warm center.

Food is never just decoration.

In the first book, Rita is preparing for a Day of the Dead bread contest when a nearby death refuses to look like suicide. The second turns Cinco de Mayo and Santa Fe's food cart scene into the background for a very personal murder case. The third drops Rita into the middle of Christmas festivities after an actor dies during an outdoor performance. Across all three books, the stakes stay close to home. Rita is not trying to solve abstract crimes. She is protecting her workplace, her friends, and the fragile peace of everyday life.

These books sit comfortably in the cozy tradition, but they have a strong sense of place and a real affection for older women, working people, and messy local communities. Expect recipes, humor, holiday bustle, and a heroine who would rather be cooking than chasing suspects, but will absolutely do both if she has to. Read them in order if you can, because the relationships and rhythms of Rita's world get better with each visit.