Denise Swanson - New York Times Best-Selling Author

Scumble River Mysteries
Collect the entire national best-selling series — featuring School Psychologist Skye Denison!
Books 1 - 11: Synopses
1: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
2: Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
3: Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
4: Murder of a Snake in the Grass
5: Murder of a Barbie and Ken
6: Murder of a Pink Elephant
7: Murder of a Smart Cookie
8: Murder of a Real Bad Boy
9: Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
10: Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
11: Murder of a Royal Pain
from Signet and Obsidian — divisions of Penguin
Downloadable Reading Group Guides
Links:
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Murder of a Wedding Belle
 Scumble River Mysteries 1 - 11 
Skye Writing Home Cookin'
Biography Interview
Awards Bibliography
Schedule an Engagement
Personal Appearances
Links and Press Kit
Denise Swanson on the Lam
E-mail to Denise Swanson
Scumble River is not a real town. The characters and events are entirely fictional, and any resemblance to living persons is pure coincidence.
Scumble River Mysteries

Music: Scumble River Portrait by David Stybr
1. Scumble River Legend, a Ballad for Small Orchestra (1 minute). How many book series have their own signature music? It's quirky, but so is Scumble River, Illinois.
2. Lazy River Waltz, for Woodwind Quartet and Piano (1Ό minutes). The Sun dawns on another slightly out-of-kilter day in Scumble River, Illinois.
3. Rolling River Rag, for Piano (4 minutes). Rags were inspired by the Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi Rivers, and now Scumble River too.
4. Prιlude to a Muse (and to Amuse), a Passacaglia for Rock Band, Percussion Ensemble and Harp (3½ minutes), performed by Vince Denison's band Pink Elephant (and friends). (for Murder of a Pink Elephant)
5. "Bad Boys and Blondes" Bossa Nova, for Brass Quintet and Percussion (1Ό minutes). It can only mean trouble in Scumble River, Illinois. (for Murder of a Real Bad Boy and Murder of a Botoxed Blonde)
6. Dance of the Three Witches, for Organ (1 minute). Which witch is which? (for Murder of a Royal Pain)
7. Wedding Belles, for Trumpet, Organ and Bells (1 minute). (for Murder of a Wedding Belle)

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Murder of a
Small-Town Honey

Book 1, July 2000: The first
Scumble River Mystery
buzzes with sweet suspense.

The book that began the
National Best-Selling,
Award-Winning Series!


ISBN 0-451-20055-1
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-3329-X

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When Skye Denison left Scumble River years ago, she swore she'd never come back. Now, having been fired from her job, jilted by her boyfriend and rejected by her credit cards, she has reluctantly returned....

Immediately, Skye's determination to keep a low profile as the new school psychologist is assaulted by an army of small-town busybodies and well-meaning family members who can't wait to pry into her life, dole out advice, and volunteer her services in the Chokeberry Days festival. And when the fair erupts in chaos and controversy, the Cow Chip Bingo sabotaged and the jelly contest ruined, Skye closes the event down altogether by finding a dead body....

The deceased, who at first appears to be the elderly host of a beloved children's TV program, and a dear, sweet thing, turns out to be quite different — a sexy young woman with a wild past and more secrets than are in Aunt Minnie's Jello Surprise. And if this stunning revelation weren't enough to intrigue Skye's inner snoop, soon her own brother is accused of the crime....

Agatha Award nominee: Best First Novel of 2000

"It's a charming dιbut novel that rings with humor, buzzes with suspense, and engages with each page turned."
— The Kankakee (Illinois) Daily Journal

Murder of a
Sweet Old Lady

Book 2, April 2001: The second
Scumble River Mystery
cooks up more suspense.

ISBN 0-451-20272-4
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-3674-4

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When she left Scumble River years ago, school psychologist Skye Denison thought she'd never be back. But after a run of bad luck in the big city, she has a new appreciation for the down-home charm of small-town life — and decides to start over in the town where she started out....

When Skye's beloved grandmother is found dead in her bed, the family consensus is natural causes. Still, Skye insists on an autopsy — an examination that proves the sweet old lady was, in fact, murdered! But who could have done the deadly deed? Skye is determined to find out, though her snooping doesn't sit well with the relatives.

Family tensions can mean only one thing: family secrets. And when a series of hooligan attacks on Skye's property leads to an outright physical assault, Skye has to wonder if by exposing the rotten roots of her family tree, she's one step closer to exposing the killer....

Mary Higgins Clark Award nominee, 2001

"Denise Swanson has once again combined a charming small town setting, delightful characters and a feisty heroine and a well-plotted mystery that will have readers looking forward to revisiting Scumble River again and again."
— The Mystery Reader

Murder of a
Sleeping Beauty

Book 3, April 2002: The third
Scumble River Mystery
dreams up more intrigue.

ISBN 0-451-20548-0
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-4402-X

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Sleeping Beauty is dead. Star of the school play, cheerleader, and beauty pageant queen, Lorelei Ingels was the most popular girl in school. But today, no one envies her....

While the principal and the police are busy with the politics of this high-profile case, Skye Denison counsels kids and combs for clues ... ever more convinced that high school is a truly dangerous place....

Finagling her way around crazy school administrators, stupid rules, pushy parents, and teens whose slang needs decoding, takes all of Skye's formidable ingenuity. And even ever-optimistic Skye knows that, in this case, finding the killer won't end this tale happily ever after....

"well-plotted and well-written ... a winning series..."
— MyShelf.com

Murder of a
Snake in the Grass

Book 4, April 2003: The fourth
Scumble River Mystery
picks up kicks on Route 66.

ISBN 0-451-20834-X
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-5629-X

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Scumble River is celebrating its bicentennial in style — with historical reenactments, bingo, a coal-tossing tournament, and a Crazy Craft race. Serving as the guest of honor is none other than the town founder's great- great- grandnephew, Gabriel Scumble. But his visit turns out to be short-lived when Skye's students Frannie and Justin find him dead with a pickax protruding from his chest.

Meanwhile, Skye's deceitful ex-fiancι, Luc St. Amant, has appeared out of the blue, creating turmoil in her love life. Does the real danger lie in the chance that Luc will drive away the men in Skye's life ... or in the possibility that there's a menacing connection between Luc's arrival and Gabriel Scumble's murder?

Trivia: Scumble River is a fictional small town in Illinois, like those in which Denise Swanson grew up; but Up A Lazy River Motor Court recalls a motel owned by family friends in Hot Springs, Arkansas, where she enjoyed summer vacations as a girl with her parents. She located that old motel during a book tour in October 2002, and an idealized version graces the cover of Murder of a Snake in the Grass.

"Combined with an easy, likable way with characterizations, and a plot that's clever enough to keep you guessing as well as some generous doses of humor, these books are always worth a read. I can't recommend anything more pleasant than a summer afternoon, a glass of lemonade, and a visit to Scumble River."
— Aunt Agatha's Bookstore

Murder of a
Barbie and Ken

Book 5, November 2003: The fifth
Scumble River Mystery
has icy consequences.

ISBN 0-451-21072-7
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-6126-9

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It all began innocently enough, when Skye and Simon joined The Grand Union of the Mighty Bulls, Scumble River's premier social club. But then Skye ended up wrapped in wallpaper, and the club leaders, Barbie and Ken Addison, ended up dead.

Barbie and Ken appeared to be living a dream life, but then who would want to kill such living dolls?

Daphne du Maurier Award: Finalist; Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, November 2003; BookSense 76 Pick & Romantic Times Magazine Top Pick

Rating: 4½ Stars½ (FANTASTIC — Keeper) "Top Pick!"
"Cleverly plotted, subtle and stylish, this one ends with a brilliant bang."
— Romantic Times Bookclub

Murder of a
Pink Elephant

Book 6, July 2004: The sixth
Scumble River Mystery
rocks and rolls.

ISBN 0-451-21210-X
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-6798-4

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The last things school psychologist Skye Denison expects to find in Scumble River are sex, drugs, and rock and roll. But when her brother, Vince, forms a band called Pink Elephant, the town goes wild — and things get very weird.....

First, a student is found in the locker room talking a shower ... with his clothes on. Then a groupie turns stalker, seducing the band members one by one. But when one of the Pink Elephants winds up murdered, the music stops dead. Who's to blame? Everyone seems to think it's Vince — and now Skye has to clear her brother's name....

Daphne du Maurier Award: 2nd Place; Barnes & Noble Best-Seller, July 2004

"Murder of a Pink Elephant is a cozy romp through mirth, mayhem and murder"
— www.mysteryplaceonline.com

Murder of a
Smart Cookie

Book 7, July 2005: In the seventh
Scumble River Mystery
that's how the cookie crumbles.

ISBN 0-451-21584-2
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-7765-3

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Yard sales bring out the worst in people. Nobody knows this better than Scumble River school psychologist Skye Denison, organizer of the First Annual Route 66 100-Mile Yard Sale. Neighborly folks get downright nasty, fighting over plastic knickknacks — even pulling rocking chairs right out from under little old ladies.

U.S. Route 66 in Scumble River, Illinois
When her own mother creams a woman for suggesting her pies aren't the flakiest, and a battle of the sexes breaks out among her parents, best friends, and students, Skye knows things have gotten out of hand. But the worst is yet to come. Skye's former summer-job boss, Cookie Caldwell, has just been found murdered. And although the sheriff suspects Skye did it, nobody knows for sure how this cookie will crumble....

Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Mystery Best-Seller List, July 2005; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association No. 1 Best-Seller

"The numerous folksy words of wisdom throughout as well as the jaw-dropping ending make this novel an absolute delight to read."
— B&N.com Ransom Notes

Murder of a
Real Bad Boy

Book 8, August 2006: In the eighth
Scumble River Mystery
the ladykiller turns up dead.

ISBN 0-451-21828-0
Large Print ISBN 0-7862-9282-2

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Still recovering from the breakup with her boyfriend and alienating half the people in town, school psychologist Skye Denison has sworn off men. Even so, she hires sexy contractor Beau Hamilton to renovate the old house she inherited. After all, who can ignore his qualifications? Golden hair, bronzed chest, muscular thighs — he's just too good to be true.

And when she discovers that Beau has a reputation for conning the ladies, she decides to fire him. But before she can, he turns up dead. Since even bad boys deserve justice, Skye must juggle a passionate police chief, a cagey brother with a secret, and a possibly haunted house to catch Beau's killer.

Entertainment Weekly magazine Mystery Best-Seller, Sep. 8, 2006; Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Mystery Best-Seller, Aug 2006

"A very satisfying addition to one of the best series you will ever read."
— The Amplifier (Kentucky)

Murder of a
Botoxed Blonde

Book 9, April 2007: The ninth
Scumble River Mystery gives
Skye Denison the full treatment.

ISBN 978-0-451-22141-4
Large Print ISBN 978-0-786-29680-4

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A health spa complete with tofu turkey and "Dress for Sexcess" lectures is the last place school psychologist Skye Denison wants to spend Thanksgiving. But when her best friend, Trixie Frayne, convinces her to take a complimentary weekend at the new Scumble River Spa, Skye accepts her fate and prepares to be slathered, wrapped and roasted.

Then an annoying quartet that includes both Skye's mom and her ex-boyfriend's mother impulsively joins her for a girls-only holiday, and Skye wonders just how bad things can get. She soon finds out — when she's confronted with treatments only a masochist would enjoy, a diet plan fit for a Barbie doll, and a troublesome trespasser searching for a cache of jewels supposedly hidden in the spa seventy years ago. Worst of all, a famous former model turns up dead in the Miracle Mud bath. It looks like no one will be leaving the spa until Skye can identify which of the eccentric guests, pesky local protesters or sneaky treasure hunters is also a killer deserving of special treatment — in the county jail.

Barnes & Noble Mass-Market Best-Seller List, April 2007; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association Best-Seller

"Swanson's Scumble River series is quite simply the best traditional mystery series being written today. Tight plotting and plenty of surprises keep this series on my must-read list."
— CrimeSpree magazine

Murder of a
Chocolate-Covered
Cherry

Book 10, April 2008: The tenth
Scumble River Mystery cooks up trouble.

ISBN 978-0-451-22368-5
Large Print ISBN 978-1-410-40771-9

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Skye Denison has never aspired to culinary excellence. In fact, she can't tell the difference between mousse and meringue. So when Grandma Sal's Soup-To-Nuts Cooking Challenge comes to town, competing is the last thing on her mind. But that's before she's bullied into entering by her mother, who has four recipes — one of which she has submitted under Skye's name.

Right from the start, trouble brews among the contestants, among the judges, and even Grandma Sal's own family. But a spiteful saboteur takes things too far when cocky contestant Cherry Alexander is discovered drowned in a chocolate fountain. Still struggling with the basics of cooking, Skye must catch a killer. And when it comes to suspects, there are just too many cooks in the kitchen from whom to choose....

Barnes & Noble Mass-Market National Best-Seller, April & May 2008; Borders Books Mass-Market National Best-Seller, April & May 2008; BookScan Best-Seller; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association Best-Seller

"Denise Swanson neatly seasons the cleverly crafted plot of Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry with a generous dash of romance as Skye's relationship with Scumble River's police chief, Wally Boyd, continues to simmer neatly along."
— Chicago Tribune

Murder of a
Royal Pain

Book 11, April 2009: The eleventh
Scumble River Mystery scares up intrigue.

ISBN 978-0-451-22658-7
Large Print: ISBN 978-1-60285-486-4
  Voice of America —
Radio Interview!
 
  (Click here if above link inactive)  

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When school psychologist Skye Denison stumbles over the body of pushy promfest chairperson Annette Paine during a Halloween fund-raiser, it looks like a clear-cut case of promicide. Annette was not the only prom mom desperate to see her daughter crowned queen — and her skirt-chasing hubby is no prince either.

Skye's anxious to investigate, but she keeps getting sidetracked by the overeager new social worker at school and also by her beau's emotional distance. Still, one question haunts her: Since Annette Paine was wearing a witch costume identical to Skye's, which witch was the intended victim? Will Skye realize too late that finding this killer is a matter of her own life and death?

Barnes & Noble Mass-Market National Best-Seller, April & May 2009; Independent Mystery Booksellers' Association Best-Seller

"To me this book was a great surprise because while I've enjoyed the entire series, this book added a bit of an edge to take it up another notch. What a wonderful achievement, eleven books into a series, to hit a sparkling home run. Effortlessly blending humor with great storytelling and wonderful characters, this is a standout in a long series."
— Robin Agnew, owner, Aunt Agatha's Bookstore, Ann Arbor, Michigan


Denise Swanson and her Scumble River Mystery series
Downloadable Reading Group Guides in MS-Word DOC files:
To download a file: Right-click a selection, then select "Save Target As"
1: Murder of a Small-Town Honey
2: Murder of a Sweet Old Lady
3: Murder of a Sleeping Beauty
4: Murder of a Snake in the Grass
5: Murder of a Barbie and Ken
6: Murder of a Pink Elephant
7: Murder of a Smart Cookie
8: Murder of a Real Bad Boy
9: Murder of a Botoxed Blonde
10: Murder of a Chocolate-Covered Cherry
11: Murder of a Royal Pain
12: Murder of a Wedding Belle

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Created 25 December 1999 * Updated 21 June 2010
© 2010 Denise Swanson * Der Webmeister:
David Stybr

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