Susan Gillard Books in Order

Heather Shepherd investigates a ballet dancer's murder while preparing the grand opening of Donut Delights. With many suspects and little evidence, she must earn skeptical officers' trust while juggling her bakery and a possible new family member.

A tornado strikes Hillside, leaving an elderly widow dead near her chicken coop. When Detective Ryan Shepherd discovers the storm didn't kill her, Heather helps investigate a murder with no obvious motive or clear starting point.

Honey Trickle calls Heather Shepherd for help, then is murdered on Heather's front porch. With her friend Amy's boyfriend among the suspects, Heather investigates while a competing bakery threatens to take away her loyal customers.

A customer dies after drinking a milkshake from Donut Delights, and Heather's best friend Amy delivered it. Newly qualified as a private investigator, Heather works to clear Amy while keeping her busy bakery's orders moving.

Another murder at the Kenny house draws Heather Shepherd into a case involving her rival Geoff Lawless's family. With little evidence and troubling behavior between Geoff and his sister, Heather must untangle who benefits from the death.

The owner of Heather Shepherd's favorite burger restaurant is murdered, and her employee Jung becomes the main suspect. Heather investigates unofficially to help clear him, balancing bakery orders with uncooperative people and the threat of another killing.

A birthday celebration ends with news that a family member has been shot in a park. Police suspect a drug deal, but his relatives disagree, asking Heather to investigate the contradictions and help clear his name.

During a donut delivery, Heather Shepherd finds a nail salon owner dead and the woman's former boyfriend nearby. She investigates while preparing for her private investigator qualification, trying to balance urgent bakery orders with a murder case.

Heather Shepherd sees an old school friend arguing with a former classmate before the friend is found dead beneath bonfire wood. Several acquaintances become suspects, complicating Heather's investigation as Hillside prepares for its Fourth of July celebrations.

Heather's Venice honeymoon is interrupted when an actor she argued with is found dead in a canal. With police questioning her and Ryan, she searches for the killer while trying to preserve their time together.

Heather discovers a local businessman has been murdered at home, despite Ryan's attempt to give her a Christmas break from investigating. All the suspects were present, but FBI involvement makes her search for answers more difficult.

A detective's daughter is found dead, and he names Heather Shepherd as his prime suspect. With Ryan removed from the investigation, Heather must use her new forensic knowledge to clear herself while keeping Donut Delights running.

A murder involving a hardened fudge ball sends Heather Shepherd to her rival's donut shop. Geoff Lawless is missing, leaving Heather to follow competing leads and determine who turned one of his creations into a weapon.

A reporter's murder postpones Hillside's televised baking competition just as Heather prepares to enter. Her investigation leads among jealous friends, workplace tensions, and an elusive suspect while the town waits for the event to resume.

A newcomer dies after eating a fudge ball at Geoff Lawless's shop, and Kent's aunt becomes a suspect. Heather investigates amid burglaries, a car following her, and a nervous bakery rival who keeps getting in the way.

Heather witnesses her car being stolen, then learns it was used in a fatal hit-and-run involving a disliked Hillside gossip. With plenty of possible motives but confusing evidence, she searches for the driver during the Christmas season.

A scream during a dog walk leads Heather Shepherd to a dead body and a snake in a widely disliked man's home. Sorting through alibis and local eccentricities becomes essential to understanding how the victim died.

An elderly movie star is murdered at Hillside Manor while his famous children contest his will. Heather Shepherd investigates numerous suspects with reasons to want him dead, hoping to resolve the case before the New Year arrives.

A guest at Heather's Paris engagement party is poisoned by one of her donuts, and assistant Angelica becomes a suspect. With her wedding approaching, Heather investigates to clear her friend's name while dealing with unwelcome press attention.

A judge's murder threatens to cancel Hillside's archery competition and end Jung's chance to win. Heather investigates numerous suspects while her rival conducts his own inquiries and construction at Donut Delights complicates the bakery's busy schedule.

Heather's public rivalry with another donut shop owner makes her a prime suspect when he's found murdered. Investigating health inspections and questionable business practices becomes her way to clear her name and find the real killer.

Hairstylist Kelly Carlson is found beaten to death in her salon, leaving Heather with few clues. She investigates whether the killer knew Kelly and what prompted the attack, while the police reveal little about their case.

A museum curator's murder draws Heather into a case that seems to involve greed, until the evidence unsettles her assumptions. Her new bakery assistant is among the suspects, adding personal complications to her search for the truth.

A gingerbread workshop brings Heather Shepherd face to face with another murder. The victim is a popular businesswoman with few close connections, leaving Heather and Amy to investigate scarce evidence and a puzzling shortage of suspects.

Heather's birthday outing to a skydiving venue becomes an investigation when she encounters a crime scene and a grieving mother. Many suspects belong to the victim's family, making an apparently close circle harder to untangle.

After her secret donut recipe book is stolen, Heather finds the suspected thief dead in her rival's shop. Now a murder suspect herself, she investigates while dodging police questions and trying to protect her bakery's future.

A fire near Donut Delights turns out to be arson, drawing Heather Shepherd into another investigation. Numerous suspects and unhelpful officers complicate her efforts while she prepares to reopen her renovated bakery and faces unexpected family visitors.

Heather's loyal customer Eva is attacked and hospitalized, and her new assistant becomes a suspect. Heather seeks the culprit while juggling a busy bakery and wedding plans, despite her detective fiance's objections to her involvement.

Heather finds Amy's boyfriend Kent unconscious at the scene of a new murder. With Amy suspected and Kent suffering memory loss, she investigates against Ryan's wishes while her friend's increasingly anxious behavior makes the case harder.

While catering a Halloween party, Heather discovers the host's body on the back porch. The killer appears to be one of the guests, leaving her to untangle evasive behavior, family tensions, and a mysterious visitor.

Donut maker Heather Janke becomes a suspect when her former assistant Christa dies under suspicious circumstances. To protect herself and learn what happened, Heather investigates the deceit surrounding Christa's death and searches for a possible killer.

A visit to Hillside Manor reveals that nursing aide Betty Shivers has been found dead outside. Heather and Ryan investigate threats from another employee and an ex-boyfriend who refused to accept that their relationship was over.

Preparing to open her new Key West donut shop, Heather takes a break for a scuba outing. When the instructor dies before her eyes, she investigates jealous partners and professional rivalry to determine who sabotaged the lesson.

Heather and Amy's double date takes a grim turn when their waiter is murdered. A secret code and unexplained money complicate the search for a motive, while tensions in Amy's relationship add to Heather's concerns.

Preparing her daughter's birthday party, Heather is drawn into an apartment superintendent's disappearance. Evidence suggests murder, but the body and the victim's dogs are missing, leaving her to investigate before the celebration and amid difficult weather.

Heather finds Detective Hoskins's wife Millie unexpectedly pleasant, then learns evidence links her to a stabbing. Working with Amy and Hoskins, she must determine whether Millie is a victim of circumstances or hiding a murderous side.

A guest is poisoned at a local bed-and-breakfast where Heather hopes to supply donuts. Believing another guest is responsible, she investigates the victim's wife, secretary, and fellow visitors to discover who tampered with the breakfast jelly.

An exploding grill interrupts Heather's Memorial Day plans and leaves its owner dead. Learning he intended to change his will raises her suspicions, prompting an investigation into whether the explosion was an accident or a deliberate killing.

Checking on a frightened dog after Fourth of July fireworks leads Heather to a dead body. She and Amy investigate whether the celebrations concealed a gunshot and whether the dog can help them trace the killer.

Heather and her friends find a body during a sightseeing bike tour. When the death appears connected to Detective Smith's unsolved case, she and Ryan investigate the links between two victims and the possibility of a serial killer.

A New Year's Eve celebration turns deadly when a wealthy young man dies after a midnight kiss. Heather investigates whether his date triggered a fatal allergic reaction or another guest used the festivities to conceal a murder.

A florist Heather visited while choosing wedding flowers is murdered, apparently during a robbery. Heather suspects a contractor with possible mafia connections, but conflicting evidence forces her and Amy to look beyond their first theory before the killer escapes.

After accusing Heather and Amy of stealing his cases, private investigator Inspector Lemon dies in a suspicious car crash. His final words appear to implicate Amy, forcing Heather to examine his investigations and find who sabotaged his car.

Shopping for bridesmaid dresses turns into a murder investigation when the boutique owner is strangled. Heather and Amy sort through unhappy customers and wedding worries, determined to find the killer before the bride believes her celebration is cursed.

Leila discovers a corpse in her entrance hall with no idea how it arrived. Heather investigates the contractor's death, but her suspicions about a local villain don't match the evidence, and pursuing the truth could provoke a dangerous enemy.

A yoga class leads Heather and Amy to investigate a missing instructor. When he is found dead, they turn their attention to his students, looking for someone with both a motive and the strength to carry out the murder.

Heather's move to Key West is interrupted by two apparently unrelated deaths, a robbery victim and a man who suffered a heart attack. Learning they were business partners, she investigates whether one killer is responsible before her departure.

An outdoor team-building event becomes a murder case when a competitor falls to his death. Heather and her assistants investigate sabotaged ropes, workplace rivalries, and the activity organizer's secrets to discover who turned the outing into a killing.

A terrible review sends Heather and Amy to Salem to investigate, but the reviewer is murdered and Heather becomes a suspect. With help from a would-be psychic, she must discover who poisoned the victim and clear her name.

A young equestrian is murdered in his hospital room after a riding accident. Heather investigates a case with little evidence beyond grainy surveillance footage, while conflicting testimony and a varied list of suspects make identifying the killer difficult.

When a client fails to collect her dog from Jamie's mobile grooming business, concern turns to alarm after she is found strangled. Heather uncovers secrets about the victim, hoping the abandoned canine can help identify her killer.

Crime novelist Grayson Stark is murdered at home, and Heather looks for clues in his books. As slanderous newspaper articles complicate her personal life, she and Amy investigate the writer's death before the killer can strike again.

Moving her home and donut shop to Key West leaves Heather little time to settle in before a neighboring restaurateur is poisoned. When other business owners blame the newcomers, she investigates their secrets to clear her name.

Anonymous Christmas presents seem like a pleasant holiday mystery until one recipient dies from a poisoned gift. Heather must identify the person behind the deliveries and stop another deadly package from reaching a resident of Key West.

Heather contributes donuts to a school fundraiser, then returns to investigate the PTA president's poisoning. She and Amy face a growing list of suspects who could have tampered with the victim's drink, making access a crucial clue.

A Key West vacation is interrupted when Heather finds a murdered waiter beside her hotel's pool. Without help from the police, she and Amy question local characters and sift through misleading information before their flight home leaves the case unresolved.

Heather hires a designer to assess her friends' fire-damaged home, then discovers the renovator stabbed to death. She and Amy investigate former clients, family tensions, and suspicious repair offers while trying to help their friends rebuild.

Heather's inquiry into mysterious love poems is interrupted by a cupcake maker's murder. Despite the new police chief's reservations about her help, she examines kitchen clues, recipes, and possible motives to discover who stabbed the baker.

Heather and Ryan attend the opening of Hillside's new cinema and witness a murder among the guests. With little evidence and a victim whose background is unclear, Heather investigates whether the answer lies in the town's past.

A body at her new business partner's store threatens to put an innocent man behind bars. Heather and Amy investigate a charitable victim's death, searching for evidence that explains the crime and points beyond the most obvious suspects.

Heather's plans to move to Key West stall when a waitress is murdered and evidence implicates her new investor. She must determine whether her business partner is a killer before committing her family's future to their joint venture.

The owner of Hillside's Tourism Depot is murdered, and someone has tampered with evidence at the scene. Heather and newly qualified investigator Amy pursue scarce leads and puzzling family behavior while trying to uncover who is sabotaging their inquiry.

While Eva and Leila move back into their renovated home, an antiques dealer they visit dies in an apparent suicide. Heather suspects murder and investigates why someone would target the well-liked woman when robbery provides no clear explanation.

Heather investigates the murder of a new librarian whose apparently quiet life hides a troubled past. Most suspects have alibis, leaving an unfamiliar library visitor and scarce evidence as she tries to identify the killer before they leave Hillside.

Jamie's oldest friend seems pleasant despite his temper, until a chef's murder makes him the prime suspect. Heather investigates the kitchen, possible murder weapons, and other motives to discover whether he is responsible or being framed.

A Halloween cruise turns deadly when a man is stabbed on the dance floor. Trapped aboard with the killer, Heather questions former girlfriends, employees, and costumed partygoers, trying to uncover the identity hidden behind a murderer's mask.

A man's death while practicing deep-frying a Thanksgiving turkey appears accidental until Heather learns the equipment was tampered with. With relatives in town and several heirs set to benefit, she investigates who turned dinner preparations into murder.

Heather's lunch at a pizzeria ends with the discovery of its chef stabbed in the kitchen. A missing weapon, an apparently unmoved wife, and a lurking stranger complicate her search for the person behind the killing.

A sculptor is found impaled on an art project during a festive tree sculpture competition. Heather investigates rival artists, physical clues, and the possibility of a staged scene to discover who used the contest as cover for murder.

Catering a business brunch brings Heather to a hotel where the millionaire guest speaker is found smothered in bed. She and Amy investigate his enemies while trying to explain how a killer entered an apparently locked room.

Preparations for Hillside's tea and donut fair are interrupted by a double homicide in the forest. Heather investigates tampered evidence and an unreliable witness, while a treasure map found on one victim points to a much older mystery.

Heather's new donut shop faces a disruptive neighbor on opening day, followed by the shooting of a customer's son. She investigates gambling debts, poker acquaintances, and family connections while balancing the demands of getting her business started.

Roadkill Rodney arrives at Heather's home with news that his girlfriend Norma has been found dead in her store. Heather and Amy investigate numerous suspects, relying on an unusual murder weapon and a partial print for their few leads.

Amy's move into a new home takes a dark turn when a neighbor is murdered. Heather joins her to investigate local arguments and hidden histories, risking awkward accusations as they work to make Amy's new street safe.

A murder mystery dinner becomes a real crime scene when someone is stabbed. Heather questions actresses whose past romances provide motives, but their convincing performances and a star's interfering amateur investigation make separating truth from fiction difficult.

Investigating thefts at a retirement home draws Heather into a murder case after a gardener is killed. Evidence points toward Vincent's troublesome twin Vernon, forcing her to question whether a friend's relative is responsible for both crimes.

A college student's murder aboard a spring break boat interrupts Heather's busy season in Key West. A joint investigation with the Coastguard limits her access to information, but she pursues clues among the passengers to identify the killer.

After serving as a bridesmaid, Heather returns to the courthouse and discovers the clerk who performed the ceremony strangled. She quietly investigates possible links to the marriage while trying to keep the bride's celebration from falling apart.

A charity party in Sleepy Hollow is robbed by someone dressed as the Headless Horseman, followed by a pumpkin grower's decapitation. Heather investigates whether the town's legend is concealing a human killer before another victim loses their head.

A busy spring season at Donut Delights is interrupted when a party host is murdered. Heather investigates the guests and neighbors, weighing robbery against resentment over noisy gatherings to determine who used the crowded celebration as cover for a killing.

Heather's invitation to a Halloween costume party seems harmless despite a threatening phone call. When a guest is murdered, she looks closely at the victim's relatives and the disguises surrounding her, searching for the motive beneath the festivities.

Heather looks forward to watching her daughter perform in a Christmas pageant, until the director is murdered. Investigating backstage tensions and the victim's hidden life, she tries to identify the killer before the holiday production is ruined.

Mr. Rankle asks Heather to identify the vandals who pelted his shop with eggs before Halloween. When one of them is murdered, her grouchy neighbor becomes the prime suspect, forcing her to untangle mischief from a much more serious crime.

Heather hopes to concentrate on her donut shop and a friend's wedding proposal, but a waiter's murder interrupts her plans. Investigating his activities outside the restaurant, she searches for the hidden motives behind a killing committed in the middle of the night.

At a theater performance, Heather meets her assistant Luz's college-age son. When his former girlfriend is strangled, he becomes the leading suspect, and Heather investigates whether someone else had a reason to kill the young woman.

A beach Easter egg hunt using metal detectors turns deadly when a man is bludgeoned with one of the devices. Heather investigates the treasure-hunting club, including the possibility that a killer disguised as the Easter Bunny escaped unnoticed.

A school visit draws Heather into a search for missing supplies that becomes a murder investigation. When the librarian's death proves suspicious, she examines who could enter the storage closet and why anyone would want to harm the victim.

Detective Peters becomes a murder suspect after visiting a bar while heartbroken. With his fingerprints at the scene and no memory of the night, Heather challenges the assumptions of outside investigators as she searches for whoever killed the bartender.

A bank robbery and a banker's murder disrupt Heather's Christmas preparations. The victim's habit of denying loans and repossessing homes leaves many possible enemies, but she must discover who stabbed him while he was wrapping holiday gifts.

Helping with a friend's wedding brings Heather into a poisoning case when a cake maker dies. Questions about the victim's will and who will inherit her business complicate the investigation, while a wedding cake appears to have carried the poison.

Heather arrives at an art gallery for her friend's show and discovers a fire and the owner's body. Investigating threatening letters and another scheduled exhibition, she searches for the resentment that turned an evening of art into arson and murder.

A romantic cruise intended for Jamie's proposal becomes crowded after a misunderstanding brings their friends aboard. When the captain is murdered, Heather investigates crew members and passengers while trying to get everyone safely ashore and preserve the wedding plans.

Heather supports a holiday dog-adoption event, then checks on a missing volunteer at the shelter director's request. Finding the woman strangled with a leash, she investigates the men in her life while trying to keep the charitable event on course.

Mr. Rankle claims to have witnessed a murder from his window while recovering from a broken leg. Heather doubts his account, but discovering a victim whose death doesn't fit his story leaves her with an increasingly puzzling investigation.

Heather supplies donuts for a pirate museum's anniversary celebration, where a treasure expert is killed with a sword. Investigating with her friends, she considers robbery and other motives while sorting through suspects connected to the museum and its treasures.

Heather returns to Hillside, Texas, for a friend's wedding at a mansion newly opened to the public. Discovering a body among the festivities, she questions guests and employees discreetly while trying to identify the killer without disrupting the celebration.

The murder of a new bait-shop owner unsettles the street where Heather's donut business is thriving. With neighboring shopkeepers under suspicion, she investigates their grievances and hidden connections to determine whose hostility toward the newcomer led to murder.