1649 ratings | 42 reviews | avg rating:3.69

Denise’s Year In Books

Denise’s 2025 Year in Books

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Denise Swanson’s Followers (1,136)

Denise’s Bookshelves

to-read (322)
currently-reading (33)
read (1746)
did-not-finish (0)
apocolyptic (17)
books-i-ve-written (27)
contemporary-romance (97)
cozy-mystery (6)
erotic-romance (22)
light-paranormal (19)
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Denise’s Friends (72)

Susie

1,609 books | 442 friends

Natasha

1,854 books | 40 friends

Jody Reads Smut

2,762 books | 775 friends

Lisa

3,413 books | 286 friends

Nicole

3,959 books | 12 friends

Vicky Beltz

7,046 books | 64 friends

Linda

3,442 books | 249 friends

Bam cooks the books

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Denise Swanson

Goodreads Author

Born

in The United States

Website

http://www.deniseswanson.com/

Twitter

DeniseSwansonAu

Genre

Mystery, Romance

Member Since

December 2013

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Denise Swanson lives in rural Illinois with her husband, classical composer David Stybr.

After 22 years as a practicing school psychologist, she's happiest sitting in her scree porch reading. However, when the weather turns too cold, she's willing to leave the Midwest to cruise the sunny Caribbean.

Denise is an animal lover, but her home is currently furless, since her kitty of 20 years passed away in August of 2016. Instead, she enjoys watching the wildlife out her office window. ...more

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Combine Editions
Denise Swanson’s books

Average rating: 3.9 · 45,197 ratings · 4,317 reviews · 56 distinct works • Similar authors

	Murder of a Small-Town Honey (A Scumble River Mystery, #1) 3.78 avg rating — 3,496 ratings — published 2000 — 12 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Tart of Darkness (Chef-to-Go Mystery, #1) 3.60 avg rating — 3,180 ratings — published 2018 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Dead in the Water (Welcome Back to Scumble River, #1) 3.81 avg rating — 2,021 ratings — published 2017 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder of a Sleeping Beauty (A Scumble River Mystery, #3) 3.96 avg rating — 1,855 ratings — published 2002 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder of a Sweet Old Lady (A Scumble River Mystery, #2) 3.94 avg rating — 1,859 ratings — published 2001 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Leave No Scone Unturned (Chef-to-Go Mystery, #2) 3.90 avg rating — 1,836 ratings — published 2019 — 10 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Little Shop of Homicide (Devereaux Dime Store, #1) 3.76 avg rating — 1,606 ratings — published 2012 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder of a Barbie and Ken (A Scumble River Mystery, #5) 3.90 avg rating — 1,519 ratings — published 2003 — 7 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder of a Bookstore Babe (Scumble River Mystery, #13) 3.90 avg rating — 1,451 ratings — published 2011 — 11 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Murder of a Snake in the Grass (A Scumble River Mystery, #4) 3.92 avg rating — 1,415 ratings — published 2003 — 9 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Denise Swanson…

3 posts
Denise Swanson's Blog: Denise's Details

Fear

I'm afraid of a lot of things. Big cities, doctors, and the DMV all make me nervous. But I don't like feeling weak so I make myself do things that I fear. Goodreads is one of those things.

The talk among authors is that Goodreads can be a mean place for writers to hang out and I don't do mean very well. But as I said, I dislike feeling weak so here I am.

I've been sticking to my own page, but yeste Read more of this blog post »

8 likes · Like • 3 comments • flag

Published on April 28, 2015 05:59 • Tags: fear, goodreads, listopia

View all 3 posts »

Series by Denise Swanson

A Scumble River Mystery (19 books)
by

Denise Swanson (Goodreads Author)

3.91 avg rating — 27,571 ratings

Chef-to-Go Mystery (4 books)
by

Denise Swanson (Goodreads Author)

3.77 avg rating — 6,233 ratings

Devereaux's Dime Store (7 books)
by

Denise Swanson (Goodreads Author)

3.91 avg rating — 5,480 ratings

Welcome Back to Scumble River (5 books)
by

Denise Swanson (Goodreads Author)

3.97 avg rating — 4,971 ratings

Forever Charmed Mysteries (2 books)
by

Denise Swanson (Goodreads Author)

3.92 avg rating — 570 ratings

More series by Denise Swanson…

Denise is Currently Reading

Denise Swanson is currently reading

Broken Sanctuary: An EMP Post Apocalypse Prepper Survival Thriller (EMP Survival in a Powerless World Book 159)

by Marie Wilkens

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Jun 13, 2026 06:21PM

Denise Swanson is currently reading

Darkness Over Lancaster: An EMP Post Apocalypse Prepper Survival Thriller (EMP Survival in a Powerless World Book 160)

by Joey Wells

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Jun 01, 2026 07:28PM

Denise Swanson is currently reading

Unprepared: The Next Chapter

by Norita Sieffert PhD

bookshelves: currently-reading

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Apr 25, 2026 07:41PM

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Denise’s Recent Updates

Denise Swanson is currently reading Broken Sanctuary: An EMP Post Apocalypse Prepper Survival Thriller (EMP Survival in a Powerless World Book 159) by Marie Wilkens	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 13, 2026 06:21PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Broken Sanctuary by Marie Wilkens. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Broken Sanctuary by Marie Wilkens <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book liked it Lambs: World Gone Down (Survivors: Volume 1): A thrilling novel of dinosaur apocalypse and the brave men and women fighting for survival in a savage new world by Benton Ford	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 13, 2026 06:17PM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Lambs by Benton Ford. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Lambs by Benton Ford <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book liked it EMP Silent Grid: An EMP Post Apocalypse Prepper Survival Thriller by William Stone	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 10, 2026 08:13PM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of EMP Silent Grid by William Stone. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — EMP Silent Grid by William Stone <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson has read Hold the Line by Hazel Holmes	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 04, 2026 03:12PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hold the Line by Hazel Holmes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hold the Line by Hazel Holmes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book really liked it Challenged by the Ex-Military Lumberjack: A Curvy Girl Age Gap Instalove Romance (Curvy Wives of Blackwater Falls Book 1) by Zoey Rose	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 03, 2026 01:20PM · 3 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Challenged by the Ex-Military Lumberjack by Zoey Rose. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Challenged by the Ex-Military Lumberjack by Zoey Rose <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book liked it Falling for the Obsessed Boss (Curvy Wives of Willow Creek, #1) by Zoey Rose	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 02, 2026 02:58PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Falling for the Obsessed Boss by Zoey Rose. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Falling for the Obsessed Boss by Zoey Rose <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson is currently reading Darkness Over Lancaster: An EMP Post Apocalypse Prepper Survival Thriller (EMP Survival in a Powerless World Book 160) by Joey Wells	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 01, 2026 07:28PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Darkness Over Lancaster by Joey Wells. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Darkness Over Lancaster by Joey Wells <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson has read Infernal Contagion Boxset: The Complete Series - Books 1-9 by Phil Maxey (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jun 01, 2026 07:15PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Infernal Contagion Boxset by Phil Maxey. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Infernal Contagion Boxset by Phil Maxey <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book liked it Gateway to Chaos #1-4 by T.L. Payne	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 20, 2026 07:06PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Gateway to Chaos #1-4 by T.L. Payne. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Gateway to Chaos #1-4 by T.L. Payne <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Denise Swanson rated a book liked it The Journey – The A-Virus Episodes 1-4 – A thrilling post-apocalyptic survival story (The A-Virus Collected Episodes Book 1) by Alex Williams	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
May 14, 2026 07:09PM · 2 likes · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Journey – The A-Virus Episodes 1-4 – A thrilling post-apocalyptic survival story by Alex Williams. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Journey – The A-Virus Episodes 1-4 – A thrilling post-apocalyptic survival story by Alex Williams <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Denise's books…

Quotes by Denise Swanson (?)

“If you don't see it with your own eyes or hear it with your own ears, don't invent it with your small mind and share it with your big mouth.”
― Denise Swanson

9 likes

“Men are like horoscopes,” Trixie cut Skye off. “They always tell you what to do and are usually wrong.”
― Denise Swanson, Murder of a Royal Pain

tags: relationships

4 likes

“Try not to let your mind wander ... it's too small and fragile to be out by itself.”
― Denise Swanson, Murder of a Pink Elephant

3 likes

See all Denise Swanson's quotes »

Polls

What is your favorite cozy mystery series?

Donna Andrews, Murder With Peacocks (Meg Langslow)

16 votes, 17.4%

Krista Davis, The Diva Runs Out of Thyme (Domestic Diva)

11 votes, 12.0%

Rhys Bowen, Her Royal Spyness (Her Royal Spyness)

11 votes, 12.0%

Jenn McKinlay, Sprinkle with Murder (Cupcake Bakery)

10 votes, 10.9%

Miranda James, Murder Past Due (Cat in the Stacks)

7 votes, 7.6%

Elizabeth Peters, Crocodile on the Sandbank (Amelia Peabody)

6 votes, 6.5%

Laura Bradford. Hearse and Buggy (Amish Mystery)

5 votes, 5.4%

Denise Swanson, Murder of a Small-Town Honey (Scrumble River)

5 votes, 5.4%

Dorothy L. Sayers, Whose Body? (Lord Peter Wimsey)

5 votes, 5.4%

Ngaio Marsh, A Man Lay Dead (Roderick Alleyn)

4 votes, 4.3%

Carolyn Hart, Death On Demand (Death on Demand)

4 votes, 4.3%

Earlene Fowler, Fool's Puzzle (Bennie Harper)

2 votes, 2.2%

Lea Wait, Twisted Threads (Mainely Needlepoint)

2 votes, 2.2%

Spencer Quinn, Dog on It (Chet and Bernie)

2 votes, 2.2%

Kathi Daley, Romeow and Juliet (Whales and Tails)

1 vote, 1.1%

Nancy Atherton, Aunt Dimity's Death (Aunt Dimity)

1 vote, 1.1%

Barbara Ross, Clammed Up (Maine Clambake)

0 votes, 0.0%

92 total votes

6 comments

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Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
Cozy Mysteries : Theme Read - July 2010	109	210	Jul 28, 2010 10:11AM
Cover to Cover Ch...: CindyAnn's 2010 List	12	40	Dec 05, 2010 04:44PM

Denise’s Friend Comments

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message 1: by Donna

Sep 02, 2017 07:31PM

Denise, I am happy to be your friend of Good Reads. I have entered the giveaway for your new book.
I love cozy books.
Donna

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Denise Swanson’s Followers (1,136)

Denise Swanson

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