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Quick answer: If you loved One for the Money, read Two for the Dough, A Is for Alibi, The Spellman Files and Dead Until Dark. All pair a spunky heroine with fast plots and a lot of humor.
Janet Evanovich's first Stephanie Plum novel introduces a laid-off lingerie buyer who becomes a bounty hunter. It mixes slapstick, romance and light mystery. The books below share that fun tone, with funny sleuths and brisk plots. Most are adult cozy or comic mysteries, and all are real, in-print books.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Two for the Dough | Janet Evanovich | Adult | the next Plum book |
| Hot Six | Janet Evanovich | Adult | series fans |
| A Is for Alibi | Sue Grafton | Adult | classic female sleuths |
| Indemnity Only | Sara Paretsky | Adult | tough heroines |
| The Spellman Files | Lisa Lutz | Adult | funny family mysteries |
| Dead Until Dark | Charlaine Harris | Adult | supernatural humor |
| Get Shorty | Elmore Leonard | Adult | crime comedies |
| Tourist Season | Carl Hiaasen | Adult | Florida chaos |
| The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling | Lawrence Block | Adult | bookish crime |
| Catering to Nobody | Diane Mott Davidson | Adult | foodie mysteries |
| Baltimore Blues | Laura Lippman | Adult | city mysteries |
| Murder with Peacocks | Donna Andrews | Adult | cozy comedy |
| The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | Adult | witty cozies |
| Bet Me | Jennifer Crusie | Adult | romantic humor |
| The Cat Who Could Read Backwards | Lilian Jackson Braun | Adult | cozy cat mysteries |
1. Two for the Dough by Janet Evanovich
Stephanie chases a fugitive in a funeral parlor and Ranger and Morelli compete for her. The sequel, equally silly and fast.
Best for: the next Plum book.
2. Hot Six by Janet Evanovich
A later Stephanie Plum adventure with explosions, Ranger and chaos. Good if you want the series at full speed.
Best for: series fans.
3. A Is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
Kinsey Millhone investigates a murder in California. A clean, smart start to the alphabet series.
Best for: classic female sleuths.
4. Indemnity Only by Sara Paretsky
Chicago detective V.I. Warshawski takes a case that turns deadly. Tougher than Plum, still witty.
Best for: tough heroines.
5. The Spellman Files by Lisa Lutz
A family of private detectives spy on each other. Quirky, sarcastic and fun.
Best for: funny family mysteries.
6. Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
A Louisiana waitress meets a vampire. Light, sexy and funny, the start of the Sookie Stackhouse series.
Best for: supernatural humor.
7. Get Shorty by Elmore Leonard
A loan shark heads to Hollywood and finds the film business. Snappy dialogue and dark comedy.
Best for: crime comedies.
8. Tourist Season by Carl Hiaasen
A group of eccentrics terrorize Florida tourism. Wild, satirical and fast.
Best for: Florida chaos.
9. The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling by Lawrence Block
A bookseller and part-time thief gets into trouble. Charming and witty.
Best for: bookish crime.
10. Catering to Nobody by Diane Mott Davidson
A Colorado caterer solves murders with recipes included. Cozy and tasty.
Best for: foodie mysteries.
11. Baltimore Blues by Laura Lippman
A reporter-turned-detective investigates a murder. Smart and local, with a lighter edge.
Best for: city mysteries.
12. Murder with Peacocks by Donna Andrews
A wedding planner faces chaos and murder. Silly, cozy and quick.
Best for: cozy comedy.
13. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Four retirees solve cold cases. Warm, funny and modern.
Best for: witty cozies.
14. Bet Me by Jennifer Crusie
A romantic comedy about a bet and a diner full of friends. Not a mystery, but just as funny.
Best for: romantic humor.
15. The Cat Who Could Read Backwards by Lilian Jackson Braun
A newspaper man and his clever Siamese solve a crime. Gentle and charming.
Best for: cozy cat mysteries.
How to Choose
For more Evanovich, start with Two for the Dough. For tougher detectives, pick A Is for Alibi or Indemnity Only. For humor, The Spellman Files or Tourist Season. For cozy settings, Catering to Nobody or The Thursday Murder Club. These books are quick and light, so they make good beach or travel reads and work well as audiobooks. Series readers should start at book one: One for the Money, then Two for the Dough. Pick a standalone like The Burglar Who Liked to Quote Kipling for a break. If you want romance mixed with mystery, choose Bet Me. If you want cozy food and recipes, choose Catering to Nobody.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to read the Stephanie Plum books in order?
It helps, since characters and relationships develop, but each book has its own case.
What is One for the Money about?
Stephanie Plum, newly broke, becomes a bounty hunter and chases her ex Joe Morelli.
Is there a movie?
A 2012 film starred Katherine Heigl, though fans often prefer the books.
Are these books family friendly?
Evanovich's books have mild language and some sexual references. Cozies such as Catering to Nobody are gentler.
What is the best funny mystery series?
Stephanie Plum, Sookie Stackhouse and the Spellman books are among the funniest.
Who are Ranger and Morelli?
They are Stephanie Plum's two love interests in the series, a mysterious bounty hunter and a Trenton police officer.
How many Stephanie Plum books are there?
There are more than 30 main novels, plus holiday specials and spin-offs.
Is One for the Money funny?
Yes. Slapstick, snappy dialogue and Stephanie's bad luck drive most of the jokes.
Where should a new reader begin?
Begin with One for the Money, since it introduces Stephanie, Morelli and Ranger, and the humor builds from there.