Ladies' Killing Circle Books in Order

The Ladies' Killing Circle is less one continuing series than a shared crime-fiction project built by a group of Canadian mystery writers. The group began in the Ottawa area in 1992 as a critique circle, then grew into the editorial force behind a run of themed anthologies. What links the books is not one detective or one setting. It is the pleasure of seeing different writers take the same wicked prompt and run with it in completely different ways.

The names most closely tied to the group include Mary Jane Maffini, Joan Boswell, Vicki Cameron, Sue Pike, Linda Wiken, and Audrey Jessup, with Barbara Fradkin later becoming part of the circle as well. Their anthologies also opened space for many other contributors. By the time the project had run its course, forty-eight women had appeared in the books, which makes the circle feel as much like a community as a byline.

The hook is the theme.

That is why the titles are so memorable. Menopause Is Murder turns midlife upheaval into motive. Fit to Die uses sports, games, and fitness as the background for crime. Bone Dance builds its stories around music and musicals. When Boomers Go Bad has fun with aging rebels, old grudges, and the trouble people carry with them. Going Out With a Bang ranges from comic to noir, with exits that are noisy, messy, and often final. Later, Little Treasures brought back seven rare stories from the first anthology in ebook form.

The tone changes from piece to piece, and that is part of the fun. Some stories are dark. Some are sly and funny. Some lean hard into Canadian settings and voices, while others work more like classic crime puzzles about greed, revenge, bad timing, and worse judgment. Several of the anthologies also include themed poems, which gives the collections a slightly offbeat rhythm that fits the group's personality.

These books mattered beyond their entertainment value. The anthologies regularly landed on award shortlists and often produced winners, and in 2012 the group received the Grant Allen Award for its contribution to Canadian mystery writing. There is loss in the history too. Founding member Audrey Jessup died in 2003, and Joan Boswell later died in 2018, but both remain central to the story of the circle and to the feeling these books leave behind.

If you like anthologies that give you variety without feeling random, the Ladies' Killing Circle is a strong place to wander. The books are united by wit, by sharp thematic hooks, and by the sense that the writers are clearly enjoying themselves, even when the bodies start to pile up. You can jump in almost anywhere, but readers who want to watch the idea evolve may enjoy starting with Menopause Is Murder and moving forward from there.