Stevie Diamond Mystery Books in Order

The Stevie Diamond Mystery series stars Stephanie Diamond, known as Stevie, a twelve-year-old detective living in Vancouver. She is smart, stubborn, funny, and absolutely certain that she can solve cases adults have missed. She is not a polished grown-up sleuth in miniature. She makes mistakes, jumps to conclusions, and has to keep going when a case gets embarrassing.

That is part of the appeal.

Stevie's closest partner is Jesse. Together, they investigate stolen money, a missing neighbour, smugglers at a tree-planting camp, suspicious accidents, and strange crimes that turn up during family visits, jobs, and even a movie shoot. Their cases begin in familiar places, such as a kitchen, a day camp, a dog daycare, or a family reunion, then grow more complicated as Stevie follows a trail of clues.

The first book, How Come the Best Clues Are Always in the Garbage?, starts with the theft of money belonging to an environmental group. When the police cannot help, Stevie takes over and follows the evidence toward a fast-food restaurant, nearby homes, and a dumpster that she would rather not inspect. The title captures the series well. These mysteries are brisk, funny, and never too precious about the unglamorous work of detecting.

The books move through Vancouver and beyond. In How Can a Frozen Detective Stay Hot on the Trail?, Stevie is in Winnipeg during a bitter winter, investigating a theft involving valuable carnivorous plants. The setting matters, whether it is prairie cold, a wilderness camp, a packed family house, or the busy confusion of a film set. Bailey gives Stevie practical obstacles as well as a mystery to solve.

The tone is lively rather than grim. There are real consequences and genuine danger, but the stories are powered by Stevie's wisecracks, Jesse's reactions, oddball suspects, and clues that invite readers to play along. Stevie is brave, though not fearless, and her confidence has to be earned again in every case.

Across the series, readers get a strong friendship at the center. Jesse and Stevie can irritate each other, but they depend on one another when things get risky. Stevie also has to deal with parents, relatives, younger children, and other people who do not always appreciate her detective methods. Those everyday complications keep the books grounded.

Begin with How Come the Best Clues Are Always in the Garbage? for Stevie's first official case, then read in order as her skills and world expand. The series suits readers who like traditional clue-solving, quick chapters, capable kids, and mysteries that balance suspense with a lot of humor.