Delilah Dickinson Books In Order

Publication Order of Delilah Dickinson Books

Delilah Dickinson is the protagonist in a series of cozy mystery novels written by bestselling American author Livia Reasoner under the pseudonym, Livia J. Washburn.

Livia Reasoner has written different books under various pseudonyms such as L.J. Washburn and Livia J. Washburn. She has been writing critically acclaimed, award-winning western, romance, mystery and historical novels for more than thirty years. The author began writing in collaboration with her beloved husband, James Reasoner but later branched out to narrate her stories as well. Besides writing, Washburn enjoys arts, photographs, cooking, but also loves a circular saw, a pile of lumber and building project. As a trained carpenter, she framed houses, built many bookshelves than she can remember, some of which have been filled with the novels that she has authored.

Washburn began the publication of Delilah Dickinson series in 2008 when Frankly My Dear, I’m Dead the first novel in the series was published. Delilah Dickson is a sassy Southern divorcee who owns a literary tour business. The series concluded in 2012 after the publication of For Who the Funeral Bell Tolls novel was published.

Frankly, My Dear, I’m Dead

Frankly My Dear, I’m Dead is the first novel in Delilah Dickinson series by Livia J. Washburn. The book introduces readers to Delilah Dickinson, a sassy southern divorcee starting her literary-tour business. Her initial voyage involves Gone With the Wind. Delilah, her twin nieces, Augusta and Amelia and her son in law, Luke are guiding the tour group around Movie museum and Margaret Mitchell home when one of her clients, a German tourist accuses another, Elliot Riley of trying to steal her camera.

Delilah manages to solve the confrontation and smoothes things over, and the groups head over to Fontenoy Hall, a plantation that provides overnight accommodations, food, and some of the characters from Gone With the Wind in period costume.

The group is happy about this expedition until when Riley stumbles upon the body of Rhett Butler, also known as Steven Kelley. When the cops arrive and hold both actors and tourist for questioning, Delilah decides to turn into an amateur sleuth and salvage her clients. Steven, the man in charge of the drama department at a nearby local college who supplied the student actors and the costume, enjoyed quite a good reputation with coeds cheated Scarlet to his Rhett.

Even though frozen out by the cops, Delilah keeps on hunting for possible clues and discovers enough that puts her life in danger.

Huckleberry Finished

Delilah Dickinson travel business is a hit, and now after an alarmingly adventurous tour across the Old South of Gone with the Wind, she is ready to embark on relaxed steamboat adventure down the Mississippi, Huckleberry Finn. However, when one of her passengers is found dead, Delilah decides that she will have to get to the bottom of this mystery, without hesitation- and discover why Ben Webster was murdered, broken neck and all.

Delilah investigations lead her to discover that the dead man had caused quite a ruckus, made several enemies before he died by trying to scam a roulette dealer.

Delilah knows well about the existence of the Steamship’s no-nonsense head of security- who is mean and definitely is dirty. However, could the man be the killer? It is all enough to make Delilah wish that she was floating lazily down the Mississippi with Jim and Huck, but when someone breaks and vandalizes her cabin, she sets out to find out the person behind the mess, as well as Ben’s killer.

Her investigations leave her with a suspects list longer than Mississippi is wide and not to mention the fact that she has taken quite a shine to Mark himself, or rather, Mark Lansing- the sexy actor playing Huck Finn’s character for her clients. However, things are not as they seem when Delilah at the wheel and one more mysterious murder turns into something dangerous and things begin to take a twisted turn on the yonder steamboat. Fortunately, Delilah’s bold daughter, Melissa is only a call away because she will need all the help she can get to keep both the boat and the passengers from one end that could be described by a single word- explosive.

Delilah is a literary travel agent, meaning that she arranges travel experiences based on prolific author and books. However, what was first supposed to be just an overnight gambling cruise on the Mississippi River turns into a murderous trip for not only Delilah but also for her group. Just a few hours after they arrive on the boat, Delilah is called in by the head of security- Logan Rafferty. One of her clients in the steamboat has been causing a commotion in the casino claiming that the roulette dealer “fixed the wheel.” The head of security agrees to let Webster (the man causing chaos) to leave the ship when they arrive in Hannibal rather than pressing charges on him, but when the man does not show up, Delilah becomes worried.

Webster is discovered in the engine room with a broken neck. With over hundred guests and crew aboard the ship, the suspect list is endless. Delilah joins forces with Mark Lansing, Mark Twain’s impersonator and the two begin their investigations to find out who killed Webster and what his motive was.

In the course of searching for clues, Delilah finds out that the dead man was not the man he said he was and that there is something very fishy about Logan Rafferty, and that there was another murder of a young woman precisely twelve months earlier on the Southern Belle. After her room is vandalized and her laptop stolen, Delilah turns to her only daughter Melissa to handle internet search on her fellow passengers.

The second novel in Delilah Dickinson series is a brilliant read, quick paced plot that takes place over the course of 48-hours; there is plenty of action, many references to the prolific works of Mark Twain, engaging primary and secondary characters. This is a classic mystery with the vividly described setting, a tough lady amateur sleuth in a small local town police department.