Ellie Haskell Books in Order

The Ideal Path Through Chitterton Fells

If you are looking for a mystery series filled with eccentric characters, witty dialogue, and a cozy English village setting, Dorothy Cannell's Ellie Haskell series is a delightful destination. Spanning thirteen novels published between 1984 and 2009, the series follows Ellie Simons (later Ellie Haskell) as she grows from an insecure interior decorator into a confident mother, wife, and amateur detective. Alongside her is a cast of unforgettable sidekicks, most notably her chef husband Ben Haskell, her formidable housekeeper Mrs. Roxie Malloy, and the dotty Tramwell sisters.

Unlike some long-running mystery series where the timeline is fractured or jumps around, the Ellie Haskell series is straightforward: the publication order and the chronological order are identical. To fully appreciate Ellie's personal growth, the evolution of her relationships, and the running jokes that build over decades, you should read the books in the order they were written.

The Complete Ellie Haskell Books in Order

Here is the complete sequence of Ellie Haskell novels in their recommended reading order:

1. The Thin Woman (1984)

   The novel that started it all introduces us to Ellie Simons, an overweight, single interior decorator who is dreading a family reunion at the gothic Merlin's Court. To stave off her family's pity and mockery, she hires Bentley "Ben" Haskell, a handsome chef and aspiring writer, to pose as her fiancé. What starts as a charade turns into a genuine romance, a complex treasure hunt, and a murder mystery. This debut was named one of the "100 Favorite Mysteries of the Twentieth Century" by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association.

2. The Widow's Club (1988)

   Now married, Ellie and Ben return in a story that earned nominations for both the Agatha and Anthony Awards. Ellie becomes intrigued by the local gossip surrounding a suspicious number of deaths among unfaithful husbands in Chitterton Fells. Her investigation leads her to a mysterious organization known as the Widow's Club, which specializes in helping wronged wives rid themselves of their spouses.

3. Mum's the Word (1990)

   Ellie is pregnant and dealing with the impending trials of motherhood, but crime doesn't take a maternity leave. When Ellie's father-in-law is accused of murder, she must juggle morning sickness and clues to clear his name. This book marks a major transition in Ellie's life and introduces the complications of family dynamics to her sleuthing.

4. Femmes Fatal (1992)

   Ellie joins a local women's group in Chitterton Fells, only to discover that the group's members are harboring deadly secrets. The plot blends cozy elements with a satirical take on suburban social circles, highlighting Cannell's talent for dry humor and social commentary.

5. How to Murder Your Mother-In-Law (1994)

   Dealing with in-laws is a classic comedic trope, but in Ellie's world, it is a matter of life and death. When Ben's mother arrives and begins causing chaos, Ellie finds herself fantasizing about murder—until someone actually takes the fantasy literally. Ellie must find the real killer before she is blamed for the crime.

6. How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams (1995)

   Ellie investigates a bizarre murder mystery that parodies romantic tropes and the publishing industry. When a local romance novelist's dream man ends up dead, Ellie is drawn into a web of literary jealousy and eccentric suspect pools.

7. The Spring Cleaning Murders (1998)

   This installment shines a spotlight on Roxie Malloy, Ellie's housekeeper. When Mrs. Malloy announces she is leaving her job to take care of her new granddaughter, Ellie is devastated. However, the search for a replacement is interrupted when a local woman is murdered during a spring cleaning campaign, forcing Ellie and Mrs. Malloy to team up once again.

8. The Trouble with Harriet (1999)

   Ellie's long-lost father shows up on her doorstep, but he isn't alone. He brings along a series of strange secrets and a group of quirky companions, leading to a mystery that threatens to disrupt the peace of Ellie's household.

9. Bridesmaids Revisited (2000)

   Ellie is forced to confront her past when she is invited to a reunion of her old school friends. The nostalgia quickly sours when one of the bridesmaids is murdered, and Ellie must sift through decades of schoolgirl rivalries and buried secrets to find the culprit.

10. The Importance of Being Ernestine (2002)

    Taking its title and cues from Oscar Wilde's classic play, this novel sees Ellie and Mrs. Malloy hired to investigate the ancestry of a wealthy heiress. The investigation leads to family secrets, impersonations, and, inevitably, murder.

11. Withering Heights (2007)

    A brilliant parody of classic Gothic romances like Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre. Ellie, accompanied by her precocious niece Ariel, travels to a remote, windswept mansion to investigate a series of ghostly occurrences and family curses.

12. Goodbye, Ms. Chips (2008)

    Set against the backdrop of a local school, Ellie is drawn into the mysterious disappearance of a beloved teacher. The book offers a cozy yet suspenseful look at academic politics and small-town secrets.

13. She Shoots to Conquer (2009)

    The final novel in the series sends Ellie to a crumbling English manor that is acting as the set for a modern reality television show. When one of the contestants is murdered, Ellie must navigate the superficial world of television production to find a very real killer.

The Essential Companion: Down the Garden Path (1985)

While the 13 main novels form the core of the Ellie Haskell series, there is one crucial companion book that fans should know about. Published in 1985, between The Thin Woman and The Widow's Club, Down the Garden Path is a standalone mystery that does not feature Ellie Haskell. Instead, it follows Tessa Fields, a young orphan determined to discover her true parentage by infiltrating a country estate.

What makes this book essential for Ellie Haskell fans is the introduction of the eccentric, dotty sisters Hyacinth and Primrose Tramwell. They act as mentors to Tessa in this book, and they would later become major recurring characters in the main series, running their own "Flowers Detection Agency" and assisting Ellie in her sleuthing. Reading Down the Garden Path is highly recommended after the first book, as it enriches the world of Chitterton Fells and provides the origin story for the series' most beloved supporting characters.

What to Know Before You Start

Dorothy Cannell’s work is characterized by its lighthearted, humorous, and satirical tone. Unlike darker cozy mysteries that focus heavily on the details of police procedures, the Ellie Haskell books are driven by character relationships and comedic misunderstandings. Ellie’s evolution is particularly notable: in the early books, she struggles with her weight and self-esteem, but through her marriage to the food-loving Ben and her success as a sleuth, she develops a robust self-confidence that was ahead of its time for the 1980s mystery genre.

The relationship between Ellie and her housekeeper, Roxie Malloy, also forms the emotional and comedic backbone of the later novels. What begins as a professional arrangement grows into a partnership of equals, with Mrs. Malloy often stealing the show with her brash opinions and loyalty. If you enjoy cozy mysteries with a heavy dose of British wit, romantic comedy, and eccentric village life, reading the Ellie Haskell series in order is a thoroughly rewarding experience.