First published in 1941, this book introduced the sleuthing pair of Jean Holly (later Jean Abbott) and Pat Abbott whose adventues took them all over the globe. This novel is set in a fictionalized versin of Taos, New Mexico.

The Turquoise Shop

Mystery, Thriller & Suspense

Crane, Frances

Mystery

Rue Morgue

The second Pat and Jean Abbott mystery, set in a fictionalized version of the author's home town of Lawrenceville, Ill. When Jean Holly (still unmarried)leaves Taos to tend to family matters in her home town, Pat follows and soons become involved in the murder of the town tyrant. First published in 1942.

The Golden Box: A Pat & Jean Abbott mystery by Frances Crane

The Indigo Necklace

Literature & Fiction

Literary

Literary Licensing, LLC

Pat and Jean Abbott get mixed up in murder in New York City as Pat prepares to leave for the European theater during the early days of World War II.

The Pink Umbrella

Pat and Jean Abbott are back home in San Francisco at the end of World War II when an old friend of Pat's becomes a murder suspect. First published in 1946.

The Shocking Pink Hat: A Pat and Jean Abbott Mystery

Parenting & Relationships

Family Relationships

Rue Morgue Press

The Turquoise Shop (An American Mystery Classic)

Review "This story has, in short, a picturesque background and some real interest in its plot." ― New York Times Product Description In a small arts community in mid-century New Mexico, a wealthy patron is accused of murderIn a small, artsy New Mexico town, the arrival of a wealthy stranger from back East is enough to get folks talking. Even a few years after Mona Brandon landed in Santa Maria, the rumor mill still churns with tid-bits about her money, her influence, and ― when a corpse is discovered in the nearby desert that may or may not be her husband ― her secret and suspicious past.From the counter at her local jewelry and art shop, Jean Holly has a front row seat for all this gossip and more, after her acquaintance with Pat Abbott, the detective investigating the apparent murder, turns romantic. With his deductive reasoning and her local knowledge combined, they have everything they need to discover whodunnit. But will they be able to put the pieces together and solve the mystery before the killer strikes again?With characters and a setting inspired by Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Taos art colony, The Turquoise Shop is a delightful Golden Age mystery adorned with Southwestern historical detail. It is the first novel in the popular and long-running Pat and Jean Abbott series, which charmed mid-century audiences with over twenty-five installments and which was adapted for multiple radio programs in the 40s and 50s. About the Author Frances Crane (1890-1981) was an American author and a former writer for The New Yorker. Crane was invited to leave Nazi Germany in the late 1930s after writing a number of unfavorable articles about Adolf Hitler. After settling in Taos, Crane introduced private investigator Pat Abbott and his future wife Jean in her first novel, The Turquoise Shop (1941). The Abbotts investigated crimes in a total of 26 volumes, each with a color in the title, with settings around the country and globe.Anne Hillerman is the New York Times bestselling author of the Leaphorn, Chee & Manuelito novels, a continuation of the series created by her father Tony Hillerman.

United States

American Mystery Classics

Review\n"This story has, in short, a picturesque background and some real interest in its plot." 
― New York Times\nIn a small arts community in mid-century New Mexico, a wealthy patron is accused of murder 
In a small, artsy New Mexico town, the arrival of a wealthy stranger from back East is enough to get folks talking. Even a few years after Mona Brandon landed in Santa Maria, the rumor mill still churns with tid-bits about her money, her influence, and ― when a corpse is discovered in the nearby desert that may or may not be her husband ― her secret and suspicious past. 
From the counter at her local jewelry and art shop, Jean Holly has a front row seat for all this gossip and more, after her acquaintance with Pat Abbott, the detective investigating the apparent murder, turns romantic. With his deductive reasoning and her local knowledge combined, they have everything they need to discover whodunnit. But will they be able to put the pieces together and solve the mystery before the killer strikes again? 
With characters and a setting inspired by Mabel Dodge Luhan and the Taos art colony, The Turquoise Shop is a delightful Golden Age mystery adorned with Southwestern historical detail. It is the first novel in the popular and long-running Pat and Jean Abbott series, which charmed mid-century audiences with over twenty-five installments and which was adapted for multiple radio programs in the 40s and 50s.

Black Cypress; Bedrooms Have Windows; the Hollow Needle

A.A. Fair

and George Harmon Coxe

Thrillers & Suspense

Walter J. Black / Detective Book Club, New York

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Crane, Frances. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Crane, Frances