Suzie Jensen Murder Mystery Books in Order

Suzie Jensen has been important to David DeLee's books for a long time, but this series lets her step out of Grace deHaviland's shadow and carry the case herself. That changes the feel in useful ways. Suzie is still brave and stubborn, but she is also more rooted in police procedure and more aware of the limits that come with working inside the system.

At the center of this branch is Discreet Fling, where Suzie teams with BCI agent Eugene Booker after a woman is beaten to death in downtown Columbus. The violence is ugly, but what really drives the story is the victim's private life, the secrets circling the case, and the danger Suzie steps into by refusing to look away.

Because Suzie is a sheriff's deputy, the tension is different from a Grace novel. Grace can cut corners and improvise in ways cops cannot. Suzie has to think about rules, chain of command, jurisdiction, and how much personal risk she can take before the case starts taking pieces out of her own life. That makes the mystery feel a little steadier and a little more procedural.

Eugene Booker is also a big part of why this corner of DeLee's world works. He gives Suzie a partner who understands the larger picture, while also letting the story lean into the back-and-forth between official investigation and instinct. If you already know these characters from the Grace books, this story deepens both of them.

So think of this page less as a giant long-running series and more as a spotlight on a strong recurring character. If Grace is the brawler, Suzie is the steady nerve. Discreet Fling shows what happens when she has to lead from the front.