Shepherd Sisters Mysteries Books in Order

The Shepherd Sisters Mysteries are small-town cozies set in Carson, Michigan, a Lake Michigan community where the beach, Main Street, and local art scene are never far from the action. At the center is Savanna Shepherd, a former art authenticator who returns home after her engagement and Chicago career fall apart. She takes a job as an elementary-school art teacher, reconnects with her family, and soon discovers that home can be every bit as complicated as the city.

Savanna has a trained eye for things that are off, whether that means a forged painting, a strange detail at a crime scene, or a story that doesn't add up. Her sisters make the investigations a true family affair. Skylar is the practical attorney in the group, while Sydney runs a dog-grooming and gourmet-treat shop. Their different strengths, and their willingness to show up for one another, give the series its warm center.

The first book, Out of the Picture, begins when Savanna takes on a mural commission for longtime family friend Caroline Carson. Suspicious accidents, a death, and unsettling questions about artwork pull Savanna into a case that tests both her art knowledge and her trust in the people around her. In Behind the Frame, the town's Art in the Park festival becomes the backdrop for vandalism and murder.

Family is the engine.

Later books keep finding new corners of Carson to explore. Still Life and Death brings trouble to a flower shop and puts one of Savanna's uncles under suspicion. A Brush with Murder moves the danger onto Lake Michigan during a sailing regatta, while A Stroke of Murder mixes a winter festival, a museum crime, and wedding plans. The mysteries change, but art, community history, and old grudges keep creating fresh problems.

There is a gentle romantic thread too, especially in Savanna's relationship with local doctor Aidan Gallager. It grows alongside the mysteries instead of taking them over. Readers can expect small-town friendships, family teasing, beloved pets, art-world details, and crimes with enough suspects to keep the solution uncertain.

Begin with Out of the Picture, which introduces the sisters and Carson at a turning point in Savanna's life. Reading in order is the best way to follow the relationships, returning characters, and the changes in the Shepherd family.