Ellie Haskell Books in Order
Part ofDorothy Cannell Books in OrderFind the Ellie Haskell mysteries by Dorothy Cannell in order, with brief summaries, series background, and tips on where to start this witty cozy series.
Last updated: July 13, 2026
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Ellie Haskell books in publication order
13 books
The Thin Woman
by Dorothy Cannell
1984
Ellie Simons hires Bentley T. Haskell to pose as her fiancé at a dreadful family weekend, hoping to survive the humiliation. Then her uncle dies, a bizarre will appears, and Ellie must solve a murder to claim her future.
The Widow's Club
by Dorothy Cannell
1988
Newly married Ellie is settling into life with Ben when two eccentric investigators ask for her help. Their target is a secretive club that may be arranging the deaths of unfaithful husbands all over town.
Mum's the Word
by Dorothy Cannell
1990
Pregnant Ellie expects a quiet spell, but Ben's chance at an elite chefs' society sends them to Mud Creek, Illinois. There, a Gothic mansion and a house full of secrets turn a family trip into another eccentric mystery.
Femmes Fatal
by Dorothy Cannell
1992
Ellie and Mrs. Malloy join a women's group that promises romance, confidence, and transformation. Then suspicious deaths begin to pile up, and Ellie's attempt to revive married life becomes another offbeat village murder case.
How to Murder Your Mother-In-Law
by Dorothy Cannell
1994
Ellie plans a civilized anniversary dinner for her in-laws and gets chaos instead. When a group of exasperated women joke about murdering their mothers-in-law and accidents start turning serious, the laughter suddenly looks dangerous.
How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams
by Dorothy Cannell
1995
When the village librarian is found dead among the stacks, Ellie is pulled into a mystery involving romance novels, town gossip, and talk of a cursed library. Cannell turns literary silliness into a playful whodunit.
The Spring Cleaning Murders
by Dorothy Cannell
1998
When a series of charwomen die under suspicious circumstances, Ellie goes undercover with broom and apron in hand. Household gossip, dusty secrets, and Mrs. Malloy's return help turn spring cleaning into a murder inquiry.
The Trouble with Harriet
by Dorothy Cannell
1999
Ellie's long-absent father reappears carrying the ashes of his latest love, Harriet, just as Ellie and Ben are meant to leave on holiday. Soon strangers want the urn, Harriet's relatives seem suspicious, and Ellie wonders what is really inside it.
Bridesmaids Revisited
by Dorothy Cannell
2000
A message from Ellie's dead grandmother sends her and Mrs. Malloy to a village séance. What begins as family weirdness becomes a search for the truth about an old murder and a killer who may still be very much alive.
The Importance of Being Ernestine
by Dorothy Cannell
2002
After a decorating disaster at home, Ellie stumbles into detective work with Mrs. Malloy and a local private eye. Their case leads to Moultty Towers, where an old accusation, a missing heiress, and a family curse refuse to stay buried.
Withering Heights
by Dorothy Cannell
2007
When a frightened girl begs for help at newly bought Cragstone House, Ellie and Mrs. Malloy head to Yorkshire. A vanished husband, ghostly rumors, and two real murders turn the grand house into a proper Gothic tangle.
Goodbye, Ms. Chips
by Dorothy Cannell
2008
Ellie returns to her old boarding school to help recover a stolen trophy she would rather forget. Then her dreaded former games mistress turns up dead, and the school becomes one more closed world full of grudges and secrets.
She Shoots to Conquer
by Dorothy Cannell
2009
A wrong turn strands Ellie Haskell at a crumbling manor where a reality show is filming brides for a lord. When a contestant dies and old family secrets surface, Ellie starts asking whether the crash was really an accident.
Ellie Haskell books in chronological order

The Thin Woman
by Dorothy Cannell
1984Ellie Haskell, Book 1
The Widow's Club
by Dorothy Cannell
1988Ellie Haskell, Book 2
Mum's the Word
by Dorothy Cannell
1990Ellie Haskell, Book 3
Femmes Fatal
by Dorothy Cannell
1992Ellie Haskell, Book 4
How to Murder Your Mother-In-Law
by Dorothy Cannell
1994Ellie Haskell, Book 5
How to Murder the Man of Your Dreams
by Dorothy Cannell
1995Ellie Haskell, Book 6
The Spring Cleaning Murders
by Dorothy Cannell
1998Ellie Haskell, Book 7
The Trouble with Harriet
by Dorothy Cannell
1999Ellie Haskell, Book 8
Bridesmaids Revisited
by Dorothy Cannell
2000Ellie Haskell, Book 9
The Importance of Being Ernestine
by Dorothy Cannell
2002Ellie Haskell, Book 10
Withering Heights
by Dorothy Cannell
2007Ellie Haskell, Book 11
Goodbye, Ms. Chips
by Dorothy Cannell
2008Ellie Haskell, Book 12
She Shoots to Conquer
by Dorothy Cannell
2009Ellie Haskell, Book 13
Series background & context
Ellie Haskell is one of those cozy mystery heroines whose life is half farce, half genuine emotional muddle. The series begins with The Thin Woman, when Ellie Simons, worn down by snobbish relatives and endless comments about her weight, hires a handsome escort, Bentley T. Haskell, to pose as her fiancé at a family weekend in the country. Then a death, a strange will, and a treasure hunt turn embarrassment into murder.
That opening tells you a lot about what Dorothy Cannell likes to do. These books are built from domestic panic, eccentric English households, old houses with too many rooms, and families who weaponize good manners. Ellie's mysteries are rarely hard-boiled. They are social comedies with bodies in them. The jokes come fast, but the series also keeps an eye on insecurity, marriage, loyalty, and the small humiliations people carry around for years.
After The Thin Woman, Ellie becomes Ellie Haskell, and the books follow her marriage to Ben as they make a life in and around Chitterton Fells. Their home never stays calm for long. In-laws descend. Old school friends return. Village organizations turn strange. Country houses produce ghosts, secrets, or both. A reality show can even land in the middle of things, as it does in She Shoots to Conquer.
Ellie is not alone. Much of the fun comes from the people around her, especially the formidable Mrs. Malloy and the Tramwell sisters, Hyacinth and Primrose, who run the Flowers Detection Agency. Cannell loves a supporting cast with big feelings, strong opinions, and slightly theatrical habits. Even when the plot wanders into absurd territory, the characters keep it lively.
So does the setting.
Chitterton Fells and the neighboring estates feel like a comic version of English village life, full of drawing rooms, pubs, school traditions, amateur theatricals, crumbling mansions, and people who know far too much about one another. The crimes themselves can involve murderous wives, suspicious self-improvement clubs, stolen trophies, missing heirs, séances, or long-hidden scandals. The common thread is that Ellie stumbles into trouble, worries she is out of her depth, and keeps going anyway.
If you want a series that prizes wit, atmosphere, and personality over grim realism, Ellie Haskell is a good place to settle in. The books do connect through Ellie's changing family life, but each mystery has its own comic setup, so they work well one at a time too. Start with The Thin Woman if you can. It shows, right from page one, how Cannell turns social discomfort into delightfully messy murder.
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