The Charteris Books in Order

Under The Charteris heading sits Mesmerism, one of Heather Atkinson’s standalone novels that leans into the gothic and psychological rather than gangland crime. The title itself nods to nineteenth century fascination with animal magnetism and hypnotic influence, and the book uses that idea as a springboard for a story about control, obsession and belief.

Instead of crime families or police teams, expect a smaller cast bound together by intense relationships. A charismatic figure with unusual talents, people who desperately want to be healed or changed and those who are sceptical but curious all orbit the practice of mesmerism. As sessions unfold, the line between performance, genuine altered states and outright manipulation becomes increasingly hard to draw.

Atkinson brings the same eye for character she uses in her crime novels to this more intimate setup. Characters who initially seem weak, gullible or domineering reveal unexpected layers once the stakes rise. Secrets come to light not through forensic evidence but through what people are willing to confess under pressure – or in trance.

The atmosphere is key. Settings are old houses, private rooms and social spaces where respectability matters and scandal can ruin a life. Candlelight, closed doors and whispered conversations do some of the work that, in other series, is done by guns and alleyways. The threat here comes as much from social ruin and mental breakdown as from physical harm.

Readers who are curious about Atkinson’s gothic side, or who like stories about questionable spiritual movements and the people who get caught up in them, will find The Charteris an intriguing outlier among her more straightforward crime series.