Charlotte MacLeod Books

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Charlotte MacLeod was a Canadian-American author that wrote mystery novels. Born in 1922 in Bath, New Brunswick, the author moved to the US as an infant, eventually becoming a naturalized citizen in 1951.

Like many successful authors, Charlotte was an avid reader during her childhood, and it did not take her long to ignite a passion for telling stories. The author was just ten years old when she won a newspaper contest, earning $1. She also got her story printed in the newspaper.

She went on to enroll at the School of Practical Art (which became the Art Institute of Boston), using the skills she gained to become a copywriter in the advertising industry and contributing her talents to ‘Stop and Shop Supermarkets’ in Boston.

Charlotte eventually climbed the ranks at N.H. Miller and Company to become the vice president. The author was still working in advertising when she started experimenting with fiction. She began by writing short stories, which she penned on the weekend.

Charlotte transitioned to books in her 40s, taking an interest in juveniles because the market had failed to satisfy the needs of girls that wanted to read mysteries.

By the time she retired in 1982, Charlotte had several published novels under her belt. Some people will remember her for Shandy, her first adult mystery protagonist, a horticulture professor.

Others can’t get enough of Sarah Kelling and Max Bittersohn, a husband and wife team that investigates crimes.

‘Had She But Known’ is Charlotte’s most notable nonfiction book. It explores a 20th Century writer and playwright that inspired the author during her childhood. Interestingly, the playwright in question was a contemporary of Agatha Christie.

People would often compare Charlotte to Christie because she was an aging author living in rural Maine with her three cats. The author’s loyal followers took note of her ladylike mannerisms, which included her penchant for wearing hats and gloves.

Alexandria Baxter was Charlotte’s sister. Besides playing the role of business manager, she would type and proofread the author’s novels. Alexandria revealed in an interview that her sister wanted to reach readers with little or no interest in blood and guts.

While her characters were outrageous and Charlotte’s stories advanced at a dizzying pace, she steered clear of vulgar language, sex, and unnecessary violence, which placed her work squarely in the cozy mystery genre.

Her work day began at 6 a.m. She would spend the morning writing. In the afternoon, she did rewrites. Sundays were for starting new books. Maine was Charlotte’s home during the final years of her life.

She struggled with Alzheimer’s disease before finally passing away in 2005, leaving a sister and brother behind. The author’s love for storytelling was so strong that she would have continued to write novels even if no one was reading them.

Fortunately, she saw plenty of success during her lifetime. Her books sold over a million copies. She also secured a readership abroad in countries like Japan.

Charlotte MacLeod Awards

Charlotte won Nero and American Mystery Awards. She received nominations for Edgar Allan Poe and Anthony Awards.

Best Charlotte MacLeod Books

The film critic Kathi Maio once commended the author for writing highly entertaining mystery fiction. Charlotte’s best books include:

Rest You Merry: Jemima Ames had nothing good to say about Shandy’s living room. The wife of Shandy’s best friend, Jemima thought the tenured professor of Agrology had done a poor job of decorating his home for Christmas.

The overbearing woman was trying to remove Shandy’s vulgar Christmas display when she died. The police were quick to dismiss her death as an accident. But Shandy was not convinced, and neither was Jemima’s husband. They won’t rest until they find a satisfying explanation for the woman’s death.

The Family Vault: Sarah Kelling will fight anyone who claims she’s lived a pampered life. However, she can’t deny that her existence has been more privileged than most. Attached to an infamous extended family and married to a man twice her age, Sarah’s days are relatively ordinary, even though she shares her large home with the clan’s difficult matriarch.

When an elderly relative dies, the decision to bury her in the family vault creates complications when a dead body appears. Now the family’s secrets are rising to the surface.

When Does The Next Charlotte MacLeod book come out?

Charlotte MacLeod doesn't seem to have an upcoming book. Their newest book is The Fat Lady's Ghost and was released on July, 23rd 2019.

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