Susan* recently asked this question:
“… do you have a page for Card Game / Gambling Mysteries? I looked, but I couldn’t find one, … I’ve found several Poker / Bridge based mysteries.”
At first I thought that I did have a Mystery Books with Cards Theme already done, but when I looked, it turns out I had the wrong type of Card in mind: Card Making Cozy Mystery theme. Still on my quest, I came up with two other possibilities: Crossword Puzzles and Bunco Mystery Books and Sudoku Mystery Books. (As Groucho Marx used to say: Close, but no cigar.)
Mystery Books with a Cards Theme (Poker, Bridge, Gambling, & Card Games Mysteries):
Jackie Chance: Poker Mystery Series
Jessie Chandler: Bingo Barge Murder (Shay O’Hanlon Caper mysteries, book #1)
Agatha Christie: Cards on the Table
Debra H. Goldstein: Carrie Martin and the Mah Jongg Players Mystery Series
Honor Hartman (aka Miranda James, Jimmie Ruth Evans, & Dean James): Bridge Club Mystery Series
Marlys Millhiser: Nobody Dies in a Casino
Gail Oust: Bunco Babes Mystery Series
Please post a comment if you know of any other mystery authors who write Poker Mysteries, Bridge Mysteries, Gambling Mysteries, or any other Card Game Mysteries.
Thanks!
Judith says
Would Gail Oust’s Bunco Babes fit in this category?
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Judith, a while ago I added Bunco to the Crossword Puzzle theme mysteries, which I clearly shouldn’t have done. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to put it on this list, also.
Alfred says
Danna not really a series but Agatha Christie has a book called Cards on the Table. It is about a Bridge group and murder with Hercule Poirot
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thank you so much, Alfred. I absolutely don’t know how this one escaped me!
TXRed says
I looked here specifically to see if Christie’s bridge-playing mystery was listed under the card-playing theme. I thought Cards on the Table was THE perfect mystery for those who know how to play bridge. No spoilers here, but knowing bridge can let you solve the crime…
Glynnis says
Susan Moody writes a series about an English bridge instructor named Cassie Swann that should be on your list.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Thanks, Glynnis, for telling us about Cassie Swann.
Susan* says
The recent discussion on the number of Sherlock Holmes books written ‘post’ Conan Doyle reminded me that there are two Holmes mysteries that fit this theme.
‘Sherlock Holmes: Bridge Detective’ & ‘Sherlock Holmes: Bridge Detective Returns’. Both by Frank Thomas.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Susan*, I’ll go add Frank Thomas to the list of Authors Who Have “Adopted” a Long-Standing Mystery Series. Thank you.
Sarah T says
Are there any cozy mysteries about board gamers as a hobby or board game shop owners? I love board games and would love to read a cozy mystery with that as the theme.
Danna - cozy mystery list says
Sarah, hmm, that’s an interesting niche – I don’t think I’ve seen that one before, though I could be missing something obvious.
Noah says
I’ve been searching for the same thing (cozy mystery novel about board games) and noticed this one was just published: “Board to Death” by CJ Connor.
Mark S Haskett says
Gambling and… religion, really? When evangelist Jimmy Talbot opens a Gospel-themed casino in downtown Vegas, estranged half-brother and detective Levi Talbot is assigned to investigate the bomb threat and string of grisly murders connected to it. Both mystery novel and social commentary, CALVARY CASINO (available on Amazon) is ultimately a page-turning parable on reconciliation and redemption.