Elliot Roosevelt Books in Order

Where to Start: The Eleanor Roosevelt Mysteries

For most readers, the ultimate starting point for Elliott Roosevelt’s fiction is his debut cozy mystery, Murder and the First Lady (1984). This book introduces his mother, Eleanor Roosevelt, as an active, sharp-witted amateur sleuth. The series consists of twenty books where the First Lady solves murders within the White House and during her travels around the globe.

While the books jump around in the chronological history of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidency, it is highly recommended to read them in publication order. The books are designed to be self-contained whodunits, meaning you can easily pick up any volume and understand the plot. Reading them in the order they were published allows you to enjoy the evolution of the writing style and easily spot the transition between Elliott Roosevelt’s own writings and the posthumous novels continued by ghostwriter William Harrington.

Eleanor Roosevelt Mysteries in Publication Order

The Eleanor Roosevelt Mysteries span from 1984 to 2001. After Elliott Roosevelt’s death in 1990, the remaining twelve books in the series were published posthumously, using outlines he left behind or written entirely by ghostwriter William Harrington:

1. Murder and the First Lady (1984) – Eleanor investigates to clear a staff member accused of murder.
2. The Hyde Park Murder (1985) – Set in the Roosevelt family estate, Eleanor tackles stock-swindling and murder.
3. Murder at Hobcaw Barony (1986) – Set at Bernard Baruch’s South Carolina estate with guest stars like Humphrey Bogart.
4. The White House Pantry Murder (1987) – Set during Christmas 1941, featuring Winston Churchill as a guest during a murder investigation.
5. Murder at the Palace (1987) – Eleanor travels to London during the Blitz to assist Scotland Yard.
6. Murder in the Oval Office (1989) – A locked-room mystery set inside the President’s office.
7. Murder in the Rose Garden (1989) – Eleanor uncovers Washington secrets after a prominent blackmailer is found dead.
8. Murder in the Blue Room (1990) – The final mystery published during Elliott’s lifetime, set in the White House.
9. A First Class Murder (1991) – Eleanor solves a poisoning aboard the French liner Normandie.
10. Murder in the West Wing (1992) – Eleanor is called to investigate a mysterious death in the executive offices.
11. Murder in the Red Room (1992) – A prominent politician is killed during a state dinner.
12. Murder in the East Room (1993) – The First Lady uncovers a conspiracy during a White House reception.
13. A Royal Murder (1994) – Eleanor is caught up in royal intrigues and murder.
14. Murder in the Executive Mansion (1995) – A murder occurs during the busy war years.
15. Murder in the Chateau (1996) – Set in a French chateau toward the end of World War II.
16. Murder at Midnight (1997) – Eleanor investigates a midnight murder on the White House grounds.
17. Murder in the Map Room (1998) – Set during the critical Cairo Conference of 1943.
18. Murder in Georgetown (1999) – Eleanor looks into the murder of a young woman in the historic DC neighborhood.
19. Murder in the Lincoln Bedroom (2000) – A mysterious death occurs in one of the White House’s most famous rooms.
20. Murder at the President’s Door (2001) – The final book in the series, which explicitly credits ghostwriter William Harrington.

Chronological Timeline vs. Publication Order

Elliott Roosevelt’s series does not follow a strict historical timeline. For example, The White House Pantry Murder is set in December 1941, right after the attack on Pearl Harbor, whereas Murder in the Oval Office shifts back to 1934. The books act as historical snapshots of different eras of FDR’s presidency, including the Great Depression and World War II. Trying to read the books chronologically can be confusing because the character dynamics and the real-world historical context do not build on each other from book to book. Stick to the publication order for the best experience.

The Ghostwriting Mystery

A fascinating meta-mystery surrounding the series is its authorship. Elliott Roosevelt passed away on October 27, 1990, after completing the first eight books. The subsequent twelve novels were published under his name over the next decade. It is widely acknowledged that these books were ghostwritten by William Harrington, an accomplished mystery author in his own right. Harrington worked from drafts, notes, or outlines left by Roosevelt. The final book, Murder at the President’s Door, was the only one that formally acknowledged Harrington’s role before his own death in 2000. Despite the change in authors, the series maintains a consistent tone of light historical intrigue and cozy suspense.

The Jack 'Blackjack' Endicott Series

Beyond his famous mother’s mysteries, Elliott Roosevelt created another historical mystery series featuring Jack "Blackjack" Endicott. Endicott is a rugged, street-smart bodyguard and troubleshooter for Franklin D. Roosevelt, beginning back when FDR was the Governor of New York. This series offers a slightly harder-boiled perspective compared to the cozy Eleanor Roosevelt books, though it still features Elliott’s signature blend of real historical figures and fictional crimes. The series consists of two posthumously published books:

• The President’s Man (1991) – Jack Endicott works to protect FDR from political rivals and physical threats.
• New Deal for Death (1993) – Endicott is tasked with solving a lethal conspiracy against the Roosevelt administration.

Non-Fiction Works

For readers interested in the real-life history behind the fiction, Elliott Roosevelt’s non-fiction is highly recommended. His most famous work is As He Saw It, originally published in 1946. In this memoir, Elliott details his wartime experiences as an officer in the US Army Air Forces and as an aide to his father. He attended the historic wartime conferences, including Tehran and Casablanca, providing a unique firsthand perspective on the meetings between FDR, Winston Churchill, and Joseph Stalin. He also co-authored several family memoirs with James Brough, including The Roosevelts of Hyde Park: An Untold Story (1973), which offers a personal look at his parents’ complex relationship.

Clearing Up Database Errors

When searching for Elliott Roosevelt’s books online, readers may encounter a few confusing listings due to metadata indexing errors in digital library databases. It is important to know that the following works are not written by Elliott Roosevelt:

• The FBI Agent Nelson Paine Series: Books such as Murder on the San Juan Express (2021) and Murder on the White Pass (2021) are actually written by K. C. Sivils. They feature a different setting and timeline and are unrelated to Roosevelt’s work.
• Dina Nayeri Novellas: Works like A Faded Sense (2014) and Dr. Hamidi’s Difficult Divorce (2017) are written by the acclaimed Iranian-American author Dina Nayeri. They are modern literary fiction and have no connection to the Roosevelt family or their mysteries.