Madoc & Janet Rhys Books In Order

Publication Order of Madoc Rhys Books

Charlotte MacLeod was a renowned author of cozy mysteries. MacLeod has penned more than 30 whodunits, which feature warm, witty and downright wacky amateur detectives who solve murders and mysteries using exceedingly weird means such as bees, ancient spears, quick time and any other weird means. Macleod also penned down numerous juvenile books, a biography and a myriad of short stories. Despite the fact that Charlotte Macleod spent most of her time in Boston, she has resided in Maine ever since the year 1985. Widely known for her hat, ladylike manner, impeccable grammar and white gloves, Charlotte MacLeod was an impeccable match for the cozy genre.

Charlotte MacLeod’s mysteries eschewed graphic violence, gore, vulgar language and sex and also reveled in an exceedingly dizzy place, a little romance, outrageous characters and lots of laughs. MacLeod wrote exclusively for who did not want guts and blood or anything of the sort. According to MacLeod’s sister, Alexandria Baxter, who was not only responsible for proofreading her works but also typewriting her manuscripts told the local Portland Press that they used to drink tea while eating molasses cookies. According to Kathi Maio, a renowned film critic, who termed Charlotte Macleod as one of the most gifted cozy mystery writers. MacLeod managed to sell more than one million copies of her books, two book series under her real names, the Sarah Kelling mystery series and the Peter Shandy mystery series.

MacLeod has also written two book series using her pseudonym, Alisa Craig; they include the Madoc Rhys mystery series and the Grub and Stakers mystery series. MacLeod’s first adult mystery protagonist is Shandy, who was a horticulture professor at the Balaclava Agricultural College. Shandy was exceedingly famous developing the Balaclava Buster and also for solving screwballs crime as well during his free time. Another protagonist is Kelling, who was an exceedingly young and underprivileged widow of a prominent family who was more than determined to remain at Beacon Hill by running an accommodation house. She eventually gets married to an art thief with whom they begin to solve mysteries many at times in disguise, while at the same time trying to manage the exceedingly outrageous family.

Ever since she was young, MacLeod loved reading and penning down her own stories. When she was 10 years old, MacLeod entered a newspaper contest, where she won and her story was printed. After completing her education at the School of Practical Art, MacLeod began working as an advertising copywriter for Stop and Shop supermarkets before joining N.H Miller & Co, a Boston based advertising firm. During the weekends, Charlotte MacLeod began penning down short stories. When MacLeod turned 40, she began working on books. MacLeod’s first adult mystery was titled Rest You Merry, which featured the protagonist Shandy was published in the year 1978 and was followed by the second instalment, the Family Vault.

Madoc & Janet RHys Series

A Pint of Murder is the first book in the Madoc Rhys book series. The book begins as one Agatha Treadway has just died due to food poisoning, supposedly from the food that she prepared herself. Agatha’s neighbour and good friend, Janet Wadman does not believe that Agatha died due to food poisoning. Irrespective of her exceedingly old age, Mrs. Treadway was not only independent but also self-sufficient as well. Agatha Treadway was widely known for her canning skills. The idea and notion that anything Agatha Treadway canned would lead to botulism is exceedingly absurd especially to Janet.

After the sudden demise of the doctor who was conducting autopsy on Agatha’s body, Janet begins to suspect that it is the same person who killed Agatha is the one orchestrated the death of the doctor. The doctor died shortly after obtaining a sample of the poisoned food. As things begin to heat up, the Mounties are summoned to look into the mystery. It is at this point that we are introduced to Mountie Madoc. With that said, the dialogue in A Pint of Murder is witty. The romance between the main characters, Madoc and Janet is exceedingly wonderful as it is portrayed from Madoc’s point of view. Both Janet and Madoc are loveable characters.

The author, Charlotte MacLeod has done an excellent job of describing the small town life and the place as well. Apart from an exceedingly interesting mystery, there are also plenty of red herrings and a few romances, which do not interfere with the plot in any way. Murder Goes Murmuring is the second book in the Madoc and Janet Rhys book series. In this book, the protagonist is still Madoc Rhys, a Canadian Mounty who comes from an exceedingly respectable family in Wales. Madoc has recently been engaged to Janet. The two become manipulated by Madoc’s mother so that they could spend their holiday with eccentric family in Canada. However, a few moments after the arrival of the couple, Granny Crandycake passes away. However, in her memory, the family should continue with the Christmas celebrations.

After a little bit of digging, Madoc comes to the conclusion that Granny did not die under mysterious circumstances. As it is the case with a majority of the cosy mysteries, Murder Goes Murmuring takes place in an secluded family estate that has been cut off from the rest of the world by a huge blizzard. The food, the high tea, the setting, the quirky characters and the revelry makes this book an interesting read. A Dismal Thing to Do is the third book in the Madoc and Rhys book series. After witnessing an exceedingly strange explosion, Janet Rhys becomes a killer’s next target. The book begins as Janet Rhys is travelling through the woods in Canada. It does not take long before she sees a truck lose control and run through a snow back, flipping sideways in the process.

Janet Rhys springs into action and dashes to the nearby barn to see if she could get something that she could use to rescue the person who was trapped inside the truck. Janet eventually hears and explosion and rushes to the scene only to discover that the truck has exploded to pieces. She also discovers that the truck driver has run away with her car.