Charlotte MacLeod Books In Order

Publication Order of Professor Peter Shandy Books

Publication Order of Sarah Kelling & Max Bittersohn Mysteries Books

Publication Order of Madoc Rhys Books

Publication Order of Grub-And-Stakers Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Short Stories/Novellas

Publication Order of Short Story Collections

Publication Order of Non-Fiction Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Charlotte MacLeod is a mystery writer who has penned down more than 30 whimsical Whodunits which feature, exceedingly witty, warm and downright weird amateur sleuths who solve murder by ancient spears, quicklime, stinging bees and any other innovative means. MacLeod died when she was aged 82 years old. MacLeod also penned down numerous juvenile books, a biography and a myriad of short stories, who passed away at a nursing home. The author had spent a majority of her life in Boston but she has resided in Maine ever since the year 1985. Charlotte is widely known for her ladylike manner, white gloves, hat and impeccable grammar.

Charlotte MacLeod is a perfect match for the cozy mystery genre, something that is opposite to the hard-boiled private eye mysteries. Charlotte Macleod’s cozy whodunit eschewed gore, sex, graphic violence, vulgar languages and reveled in an exceedingly dizzy place, a little romance, outrageous character, lots of laughs and a little romance. MacLeod wrote specifically for the readers who did not want guts and blood. Kathi Maio, a film critic who works in Sojourner Magazine, has characterized both the author and her work as one of the most gifted mystery writers of this age. Macleod has managed to sell more than one million copies of her books. She penned down two series using her real names, the Sarah Kelling Mystery series, and Peter Shandy mystery series.

She has also penned two more book series using her pseudonym of Alisa Craig, known as the Madoc Rhys mystery series. The Madoc Rhys mystery series features a Royal Canadian police officer while the Grub and Staker’s mystery series is the story about the residents of Lobelia Falls, which is located in Canada. Charlotte Macleod’s very first protagonist is one Shandy who was mainly a horticulture professor who served at the Balaclava Agricultural College. Shandy was widely known for developing a rutabaga, the Balaclava Buster and the infamous Balaclava junction’s troubled man, who loved to delve into mysteries during his free time. Kelling was an exceedingly young and impoverished widow of a renowned Boston family, who was more than determined to remain at Beacon Hill. To support his life at Beacon Hill, Kelling ran a boarding house.

She, later on, got married to one Max Bittersohn, an art theft investigator. Together, Max and Kelling began to look into crimes. Many at times they investigated in disguise, while at the same time trying to manage their exceedingly outrageous family. Macleod described one of Kelling’s relative, in the novel, The Balloon Man as an exceedingly trim and sprightly man who was only 5 and a half feet tall, with exceedingly bright colors and possessed an inquiring mind of a fact-finding reporter. Cousin Brooks was a man with so many talents and was particularly respected on the theme of the crested grebe. In the year 1994, Charlotte Macleod wrote her very first non-fiction title; A Biography of Mary Roberts Rinehart. Her main subject in the book was an early 20th-century playwright and mystery writer whose biography had been an inspiration to Charlotte MacLeod when she was still a child.

Macleod was born on 12 November 1922 in New Brunswick Canada. Macleod and her entire family later on relocated to Boston. In the year 1951, she became a United States citizen in the year 1951. As a lover of books, MacLeod began penning down her stories. At the age of 10, Macleod competed in a newspaper contest where she managed to win the 1 dollar prize when the newspaper selected her story for printing. After MacLeod completed her education at the School of Practical Art, which is now referred to as the Boston Art Institute, Charlotte MacLeod served as an advertising copywriter. First, she worked as an advertising copywriter for one of the local Supermarkets before later on moving to N.H Miller, an advertising firm. She eventually retired in the year 1982 as the vice president of the N.H Miller Advertising Firm.

During her weekends, Charlotte MacLeod penned down short stories. When she was 40 years, she moved back to books. Charlotte MacLeod began working on mystery stories for juvenile because she believed that the number of mystery books for children, especially girls was not enough. Rest You Merry was the first adult mystery novel by Charlotte MacLeod. The following year, Charlotte published her next adult mystery novel, which featured the protagonist Kelling, The Family Vault. A high discipline author, Charlotte MacLeod began working on her new books on Sunday. She wrote at 6 a.m., before rewriting them in the afternoon. To avoid running out of the house due to errands. Charlotte MacLeod mostly worked using her bathrobe.

Furthermore, apart from churning out mysteries, Charlotte MacLeod also edited two anthologies; Christmas Stalking and Mistletoe Mystery series. Charlotte MacLeod also served as the past president and the co-founder of the Crime Writers League. As one of the most decorated mystery writers, MacLeod received a Nero Wolf Award and five mystery awards as well.

Charlotte MacLeod Best Books

The Family Vault is one of the best performing books by Charlotte MacLeod. Family Vault is the first installment in the Kelling and Bittersohn book series. The book begins as Charlotte MacLeod introduces the readers to the protagonist, Sarah Kelling. Sarah has lived an exceedingly privileged life in one of the highest social spheres of Boston. She resides in Boston Hill, and she is part of an exceedingly famous family. While Sarah has not been pampered so much, she has still been sheltered from the day-to-day grind that most people know and has been living in a bubble for more than 26 years.

Sarah is married to a man who is almost twice her age, whom she shares one of the biggest houses in Boston Hill with. As time goes by, Sarah discovers that the garden is filled with snakes and several other dark things. In a short while, an elderly man passes away, and plans are made to bury the man in the family’s vault that no person has seen for so many years. Once the vault was opened, a body was found in the vault, thereby leading to the revelation of the various family secrets. All in all, this is an extremely nice and easy cozy mystery series.