VJ Books Presents Author Charles Todd!
 Charles and Caroline Todd (1934-2021) were a mother-and-son writing team (as Charles Todd) who lived on the east coast of the United States. 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 that means he can boil more than water. Caroline had been married (to the same man) for umpteen years, and Charles is divorced.
Charles and Caroline have a rich storytelling heritage. Both spent many evenings on the porch listening to their fathers and grandfathers reminisce. And a maternal grandmother told marvelous ghost stories. This tradition allows them to write with passion about events before their own time. And an uncle/great-uncle who served as a flyer in WWI aroused an early interest in the Great War.
Charles learned the rich history of Britain, including the legends of King Arthur, William Wallace, and other heroes, as a child. Books on Nelson and by Winston Churchill were always at hand. Their many trips to England gave them the opportunity to spend time in villages and the countryside, where there's a different viewpoint from that of the large cities. Their travels are at the heart of the series they began ten years ago.
Charles's love of history led him to a study of some of the wars that shape it: the American Civil War, WWI and WWII. He enjoys all things nautical, has an international collection of seashells, and has sailed most of his life. Golf is still a hobby that can be both friend and foe. And sports in general are enthusiasms. Charles had a career as a business consultant. This experience gave him an understanding of going to troubled places where no one was glad to see him arrive. This was excellent training for Rutledge's reception as he tries to find a killer in spite of local resistance.
Caroline had always been a great reader and enjoyed reading aloud, especially poetry that told a story. The Highwayman was one of her early favorites. Her wars are WWI, the Boer War, and the English Civil War, with a sneaking appreciation of the Wars of the Roses as well. When she was not writing, she's traveling the world, gardening, or painting in oils. Her background in international affairs backed up her interest in world events, and she's also a sports fan, an enthusiastic follower of her favorite teams in baseball and pro football. She loved the sea, but was a poor sailor. (Charles inherited his iron stomach from his father.) Still, she never met a beach she didn't like.
Both Caroline and Charles shared a love of animals, and family pets have always been rescues.
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Charles Todd Bibliography
Inspector Ian Rutledge Series
-
A Test of Wills - 1996
- Wings of Fire - 1998
- Search the Dark - 1999
- Legacy of the Dead - 2000
- Watchers of Time - 2001
- A Fearsome Doubt - 2002
- A Cold Treachery - 2005
- A Long Shadow - 2006
- A False Mirror - 2007
- A Pale Horse - 2008
- A Matter of Justice - 2009
- The Red Door - 2010
- A Lonely Death - 2011
- The Confession - 2012
- Proof of Guilt - 2013
- Hunting Shadows - 2014
- A Fine Summer's Day - 2015
- No Shred of Evidence - 2016
- Racing the Devil - 2017
- The Gate Keeper - 2018
- The Black Ascot - 2019
- A Divided Loyalty - 2020
- A Fatal Lie - 2021
- A Game of Fear - 2022
- Cold Comfort - 2013 (0.5)
- A Guid Soldier - 2015 (0.6)
- Original Sins (Anthology) - 2010 (12.3)
- The Kidnapping - 2010 (12.5)
- The Piper - 2017 (19.5)
Bess Crawford Series
- A Duty to the Dead - 2009
- An Impartial Witness - 2010
- A Bitter Truth - 2011
- An Unmarked Grave - 2012
- A Question of Honor - 2013
- An Unwilling Accomplice - 2014
- A Pattern of Lies - 2015
- The Shattered Tree - 2016
- A Casualty of War - 2017
- A Forgotten Place - 2018
- A Cruel Deception - 2019
- An Irish Hostage - 2021
- The Walnut Tree - 2012 (4.5)
- The Maharani's Pearls - 2014 (6.5)
- A Hanging at Dawn - 2020 (11.5)
Stand-Alone Novels
- The Murder Stone - 2003
- The Walnut Tree - 2012
Charles Todd Awards and Honors
- A Test of Wills - 1996 – won the Barry Award from the Deadly Pleasures Mystery Magazine. The Independent Mystery Booksellers Association named A Test of Wills one of the 100 favorite mysteries of the 20th Century, and it received a starred review in Publishers Weekly and was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
- Wings of Fire - 1998 – a New York Times Notable Book of the Year.
- Search the Dark - 1999 – was the winner of the 1999 Reviewers Choice Award for Best Historical Mystery from the Romantic Times Magazine.
- Legacy of the Dead - 2000 – earned the Todd's a third The New York Times Notable book listing and an Anthony Award nomination.
- A Cold Treachery - 2005 – received a Publishers Weekly: Starred Review.
- An Unmarked Grave - 2012 – received an Agatha Award nomination for Best Historical Novel.
- A Question of Honor - 2013 – won the Agatha Award for Best Historical Novel.
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