Charles Todd is a pseudonym used by the American writing duo of Caroline and Charles Todd. Mother and son, they are well-known for their crime novels, particularly those featuring Inspector Ian Rutledge, a Scotland Yard detective in post-World War I England. Caroline, who passed away in 2021, left behind a legacy that Charles continues to honor through their work.
Caroline and Charles Todd are based in the United States, but their novels are predominantly set in Britain, particularly during the World War I era. They have written a series of novels around Ian Rutledge, a veteran who returns home to serve as a police inspector. The duo has also created the Bess Crawford series and two standalone mystery novels. Their writing combines historical themes with intriguing storylines, resonating with many readers.
Caroline and Charles come from a family with a rich storytelling tradition. They spent many evenings listening to their fathers and grandfathers share stories, and Caroline's grandmother told captivating ghost stories. This heritage has significantly influenced their writing, enabling them to create compelling narratives set in times before their own. Their shared interest in World War I was sparked by an uncle who served as a flyer during the war. Charles's love for history, particularly the American Civil War, WWI, and WWII, has also contributed to their storytelling.
Caroline and Charles both have unique backgrounds that enrich their writing. Caroline has a BA in English Literature and History, and a Masters in International Relations. Charles has a BA in Communication Studies with an emphasis on Business Management, and a culinary arts degree. Charles is a sailing enthusiast and has had a career as a business consultant, while Caroline loves to travel, garden, and paint in oils. They both enjoy sports and have a passion for animals, with a history of adopting rescues. Despite the challenges of writing together, they have created a successful partnership, with Caroline giving Charles a hard time and Charles crashing Caroline's computer in retaliation.
Inspector Ian Rutledge Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Test of Wills
1994
2
Wings of Fire
1998
3
Search the Dark
1999
4
Legacy of the Dead
2000
5
Watchers of Time
2001
6
A Fearsome Doubt
2002
7
A Cold Treachery
2005
8
A Long Shadow
2006
9
A False Mirror
2007
10
A Pale Horse
2007
11
A Matter of Justice
2008
12
The Red Door
2009
13
The Kidnapping
2010
14
A Lonely Death
2011
15
The Confession
2011
16
Proof of Guilt
2013
17
Cold Comfort
2013
18
Hunting Shadows
2014
19
A Fine Summer's Day
2015
20
No Shred of Evidence
2016
21
Racing the Devil
2017
22
The Piper
2017
23
The Gatekeeper
2018
24
The Black Ascot
2019
25
A Divided Loyalty
2020
26
A Fatal Lie
2021
27
A Game of Fear
2022
28
A Christmas Witness
2025
29
A Day of Judgment
2026
Bess Crawford Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
A Duty to the Dead
2009
2
The Girl on the Beach
2010
3
An Impartial Witness
2010
4
A Bitter Truth
2011
5
An Unmarked Grave
2012
6
A Question of Honor
2013
7
An Unwilling Accomplice
2014
8
The Maharani's Pearls
2014
9
A Pattern of Lies
2015
10
The Shattered Tree
2016
11
A Casualty of War
2017
12
A Forgotten Place
2018
13
A Cruel Deception
2019
14
A Hanging at Dawn
2020
15
An Irish Hostage
2021
16
The Cliff's Edge
2023
Standalone Novels
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Murder Stone
2003
Short Stories/Novellas
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Walnut Tree
2012
2
A Guid Soldier
2015
Short Story Collections
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Tales
2015
Mysterious Profiles Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike
2022
2
Jack Taylor
2022
3
Elvis Cole and Joe Pike (By: Robert Crais)
2022
4
Jack Taylor (By: Ken Bruen)
2022
5
Jack Reacher
2022
6
Charlie Parker
2022
7
Jack Reacher (By: Lee Child)
2022
8
Charlie Parker (By: John Connolly)
2022
9
Hieronymus Bosch
2022
10
Hieronymus Bosch (By: Michael Connelly)
2022
11
Lincoln Rhyme
2022
12
Alex Delaware
2022
13
Lincoln Rhyme (By: Jeffery Deaver)
2022
14
Tess Monaghan
2022
15
Alex Delaware (By: Jonathan Kellerman)
2022
16
Charlie Resnick
2022
17
Tess Monaghan (By: Laura Lippman)
2022
18
Charlie Resnick (By: John Harvey)
2022
19
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus
2022
20
Inspector Morse
2022
21
Peter Decker and Rina Lazarus (By: Faye Kellerman)
2022
22
Dismas Hardy
2022
23
Inspector Morse (By: Colin Dexter)
2022
24
Bob Lee Swagger
2022
25
Dismas Hardy (By: John Lescroart)
2022
26
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast
2022
27
Bob Lee Swagger (By: Stephen Hunter)
2022
28
Lou Boldt
2022
29
Aloysius X. L. Pendergast (By: Douglas Preston)
2022
30
Spenser
2022
31
Lou Boldt (By: Ridley Pearson)
2022
32
Spenser (By: Robert B. Parker)
2022
33
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt
2022
34
John Rebus
2022
35
Charlotte and Thomas Pitt (By: Anne Perry)
2022
36
John Rebus (By: Ian Rankin)
2022
37
Mallory
2022
38
Jane Whitefield
2022
39
Mallory (By: Carol O'Connell)
2022
40
Ian Rutledge: A Mysterious Profile
2022
41
Jane Whitefield (By: Thomas Perry)
2022
42
Ian Rutledge
2022
43
Amos Walker
2022
44
Precious Ramotswe
2022
45
Amos Walker (By: Loren D. Estleman)
2022
46
Precious Ramotswe (By: Alexander McCall Smith)
2022
47
Maisie Dobbs
2022
48
The Lincoln Lawyer
2022
49
Maisie Dobbs (By: Jacqueline Winspear)
2022
50
Ben Kincaid
2023
51
The Lincoln Lawyer (By: Michael Connelly)
2022
52
Repairman Jack
2023
53
Condor ( By: James Grady)
2023
54
Ben Kincaid ( By: William Bernhardt)
2023
55
Repairman Jack (By: F. Paul Wilson)
2023
56
Joe Pickett (By: C.J. Box)
2024
57
Peter Diamond (By: Peter Lovesey)
2024
58
Nathan Heller (By: Max Allan Collins)
2024
Bibliomysteries Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Book of Virtue
2012
2
The Book of Virtue (By: Ken Bruen)
2012
3
Pronghorns of the Third Reich
2012
4
Pronghorns of the Third Reich (By: C.J. Box)
2012
5
The Book Thing
2012
6
The Book Thing (By: Laura Lippman)
2012
7
The Book Case (By: Nelson DeMille)
2012
8
The Book Case
2012
9
An Acceptable Sacrifice ( By: Jeffery Deaver)
2012
10
An Acceptable Sacrifice
2012
11
Death Leaves a Bookmark
2012
12
Death Leaves a Bookmark (By: William Link)
2012
13
The Final Testament
2013
14
The Final Testament (By: Peter Blauner)
2013
15
Rides a Stranger
2013
16
Rides a Stranger (By: David Bell)
2013
17
The Long Sonata of the Dead (By: Andrew Taylor)
2013
18
The Long Sonata of the Dead
2013
19
The Book of Ghosts
2013
20
The Book of Ghosts ( By: Reed Farrel Coleman)
2013
21
The Compendium of Srem (By: F. Paul Wilson)
2014
22
The Compendium of Srem
2014
23
What's in a Name?
2014
24
What's in a Name? ( By: Thomas H. Cook)
2014
25
Remaindered (By: Peter Lovesey)
2014
26
Remaindered
2014
27
The Sequel (By: R.L. Stine)
2014
28
The Sequel
2014
29
The Gospel of Sheba (By: Lyndsay Faye)
2014
30
The Gospel of Sheba
2014
31
Book Club (By: Loren D. Estleman)
2014
32
Book Club
2014
33
The Nature of My Inheritance (By: Bradford Morrow)
2014
34
The Nature of My Inheritance
2014
35
It's in the Book (By: Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane)
2014
36
It's in the Book
2014
37
The Scroll
2014
38
The Scroll (By: Anne Perry)
2014
39
The Book of the Lion
2015
40
The Book of the Lion (By: Thomas Perry)
2015
41
The Little Men (By: Megan Abbott)
2015
42
The Little Men
2015
43
Condor in the Stacks
2015
44
Condor in the Stacks (By: James Grady)
2015
45
Mystery, Inc.
2015
46
Mystery, Inc. (By: Joyce Carol Oates)
2015
47
Every Seven Years
2015
48
Every Seven Years (By: Denise Mina)
2015
49
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart)
2015
50
From the Queen
2015
51
The Travelling Companion
2016
52
The Travelling Companion ( By: Ian Rankin)
2016
53
Citadel
2016
54
Citadel (By: Stephen Hunter)
2016
55
Reconciliation Day
2016
56
Reconciliation Day (By: Christopher Fowler)
2016
57
Dead Dames Don't Sing (By: John Harvey)
2016
58
Dead Dames Don't Sing
2016
59
The Haze
2016
60
The Haze (By: James W. Hall)
2016
61
Hoodoo Harry (By: Joe R. Lansdale)
2017
62
Hoodoo Harry
2017
63
The Pretty Little Box
2018
64
Seven Years
2018
65
Seven Years (By: Peter Robinson)
2018
66
The Hemingway Valise (By: Robert Olen Butler)
2018
67
The Hemingway Valise
2018
68
The Last Honest Horse Thief
2018
69
The Last Honest Horse Thief (By: Michael Koryta)
2018
70
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository
2018
71
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository (By: John Connolly)
2018
72
The Girl Who Did Say No (By: David Handler)
2020
73
The Girl Who Did Say No
2020
74
The Traitor (By: Martin Edwards)
2022
75
The Traitor
2022
76
The Dark Door (By: Lisa Unger)
2022
77
The Dark Door
2022
78
The Honeymoon Trap
2022
79
The Honeymoon Trap (By: Peter Swanson)
2022
Bibliomysteries Series in Chronological Order
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
The Book of Virtue
2012
2
The Book of Virtue (By: Ken Bruen)
2012
3
The Scroll
2014
4
The Scroll (By: Anne Perry)
2014
5
Pronghorns of the Third Reich
2012
6
Pronghorns of the Third Reich (By: C.J. Box)
2012
7
An Acceptable Sacrifice
2012
8
An Acceptable Sacrifice ( By: Jeffery Deaver)
2012
9
Death Leaves a Bookmark
2012
10
Death Leaves a Bookmark (By: William Link)
2012
11
Seven Years
2018
12
Seven Years (By: Peter Robinson)
2018
13
The Book Thing
2012
14
The Book Thing (By: Laura Lippman)
2012
15
The Book of Ghosts ( By: Reed Farrel Coleman)
2013
16
The Book of Ghosts
2013
17
Book Club
2014
18
Book Club (By: Loren D. Estleman)
2014
19
The Long Sonata of the Dead (By: Andrew Taylor)
2013
20
The Long Sonata of the Dead
2013
21
The Final Testament (By: Peter Blauner)
2013
22
The Final Testament
2013
23
Rides a Stranger
2013
24
Rides a Stranger (By: David Bell)
2013
25
What's in a Name?
2014
26
What's in a Name? ( By: Thomas H. Cook)
2014
27
It's in the Book (By: Max Allan Collins, Mickey Spillane)
2014
28
It's in the Book
2014
29
The Nature of My Inheritance
2014
30
The Nature of My Inheritance (By: Bradford Morrow)
2014
31
Remaindered
2014
32
Remaindered (By: Peter Lovesey)
2014
33
The Compendium of Srem (By: F. Paul Wilson)
2014
34
The Compendium of Srem
2014
35
The Gospel of Sheba
2014
36
The Gospel of Sheba (By: Lyndsay Faye)
2014
37
The Sequel
2014
38
The Sequel (By: R.L. Stine)
2014
39
The Book of the Lion (By: Thomas Perry)
2015
40
The Book of the Lion
2015
41
The Little Men
2015
42
The Little Men (By: Megan Abbott)
2015
43
Every Seven Years
2015
44
Every Seven Years (By: Denise Mina)
2015
45
Citadel
2016
46
Citadel (By: Stephen Hunter)
2016
47
Condor in the Stacks
2015
48
Condor in the Stacks (By: James Grady)
2015
49
Mystery, Inc.
2015
50
Mystery, Inc. (By: Joyce Carol Oates)
2015
51
The Travelling Companion
2016
52
The Travelling Companion ( By: Ian Rankin)
2016
53
The Haze
2016
54
The Haze (By: James W. Hall)
2016
55
Dead Dames Don't Sing
2016
56
Dead Dames Don't Sing (By: John Harvey)
2016
57
Reconciliation Day
2016
58
Reconciliation Day (By: Christopher Fowler)
2016
59
Hoodoo Harry
2017
60
Hoodoo Harry (By: Joe R. Lansdale)
2017
61
The Pretty Little Box
2018
62
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository (By: John Connolly)
2018
63
The Caxton Private Lending Library & Book Depository
2018
64
The Hemingway Valise (By: Robert Olen Butler)
2018
65
The Hemingway Valise
2018
66
The Last Honest Horse Thief (By: Michael Koryta)
2018
67
The Last Honest Horse Thief
2018
68
The Book Case (By: Nelson DeMille)
2012
69
The Book Case
2012
70
From the Queen (By: Carolyn Hart)
2015
71
From the Queen
2015
72
The Girl Who Did Say No
2020
73
The Girl Who Did Say No (By: David Handler)
2020
74
The Traitor
2022
75
The Traitor (By: Martin Edwards)
2022
76
The Dark Door (By: Lisa Unger)
2022
77
The Dark Door
2022
78
The Honeymoon Trap (By: Peter Swanson)
2022
79
The Honeymoon Trap
2022
Music and Murder Mystery Books
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Hotel California (By: Heather Graham, John Gilstrap, Reed Farrel Coleman, Andrew Child, Amanda Flower, Don Bruns, Rick Bleiweiss, Jennifer Dornbush)
2022
2
Thriller (By: Heather Graham, Jeffery Deaver, William Kent Krueger, Don Bruns, Dahlia Rose, David R. Slayton)
2023
3
Back in Black (By: Heather Graham, Reed Farrel Coleman, Ward Larsen, Tori Eldridge, Andrew Child, Don Bruns)
2024
4
Bat Out of Hell (By: Don Bruns)
2025
5
Bat Out of Hell (With: Heather Graham, John Gilstrap, Andrew Child, Don Bruns, Rick Bleiweiss, Dave Bruns, C.J. Kudlacz)
2025
Charles Todd Anthologies
#
Title
Year
Goodreads
Amazon
1
Death Do Us Part
2006
2
A Study in Sherlock
2011
3
Deadly Pleasures
2013
4
Crimespree Magazine #58
2015
5
Death Knell V
2016
6
Malice Domestic 11
2016
7
Silent Night, Deadly Night
2016
8
Murder, They Wrote: Five Bibliomysteries by Edgar Award-Winning Authors
2018
9
Odd Partners
2019
10
Private Investigations: Mystery Writers on the Secrets, Riddles, and Wonders in Their Lives