Chief Inspector Woodend Books In Order

Publication Order of Chief Inspector Woodend Books

A person on the quest for the psychological gratification associated with a heinous action such as serial killing is not any potential victim’s cup of tea. Why, pray, it is out-and-out chilling! Whether it as a result of sadistic personality disorder or aimed at making snuff films, it beats logic why a serial killer would later on hide a corpse in a salt store. Perhaps salting it away? This is the scope of the gloomy and doomy Chief Inspector Woodend series. By the same token, the protagonist featured therein is between the devil and the deep blue sea. This whodunit series is also known as Chief Inspector Woodend Mysteries.

Charlie Woodend is the featured protagonist in the “Chief Inspector Woodend series” authored by British man of letters Sally Spencer. Surprisingly, the name Sally Spencer sounds feminine. This is because, during the time when he was penning sagas, it was virtually a must for female names to grace the covers. Incidentally, Sally Spencer, who is in his sixties and has been a teacher both in his home country and abroad, is the pseudonym Alan Rustage. Did you know that he has also written various books under the pen name James Garcia Woods? Sally Spencer spent his formative years in Chesire county, a region located in northwest England, and this place is consistently referenced in the said series.

The various books contained therein have respective editions. As such, there are more than five editions of the first book in the Chief Inspector Woodend series. Even so, the first edition of the first novel in the serialized mysteries was originally published in July 1998, titled The Salton Killings, and this series is shelved under the mystery, European (British) literature, and thriller genres.

Meet protagonist Charlie Woodend. His nickname is Cloggin’-it Charlie; the colloquial word is based on his penchant for encircling the crime scene without venturing out far, something which is called “clogging it” in some parts of England. Not surprisingly, this distinctive habit helps him unravel the perplexing deaths in the series. A workmate who have had the privilege to work together with Charlie Woodend describes him as obstinate, irrational, persistent and, above all, the most suitable police partner which anyone can desire. Charlie Woodend is currently a detective chief inspector in the Metropolitan Police Service; what’s more, he is the go-to man on matters concerning parts of northern England, where he hails from. A funny fact about the main character is that it was partly inspired by a real-life furniture seller who doubled up as author Sally Spencer’s playmate in dominos game.

The first book in the police procedural Chief Inspector Woodend series, The Salton Killings, is set in the backdrop of Chesire county upon England. A villager from Chesire county, called Diane Thornburn, dies from strangulation. The victim has a bosom friend called Margie Poole; however, the friend, who seemingly is more informed on the murder, is apparently withholding some information. Inspector Charlie Woodend comes in this context; Woodend is called in from London, where is based, and starts sleuthing. Unfortunately for detective Woodend, his sleuthing leads to yet another casualty; the second death, concerning also a youthful female, shows a helical trail pointing to a possible serial murderer on the prowl. At this juncture, Charlie Woodend is second-guessing the killer — at what time has the killer planned and in which other place has he targeted?

Best Chief Inspector Woodend Books
The first, second, and forth books in the Chief Inspector Woodend series are the best therein, based on public views. The first book in the series, The Salton Killings, has been stated previously and there is no need to revisit. The second best book is titled Murder at Swann’s Lake and it was published in June 1999. Swann’s Lake, whose setting is full of caravan parks and has a notable nightlife, is the perfect place for corporate Manchester residents to wind down, especially during the weekends. But the place had not bargained for the gory death– wherein a long nail has been hammered into the head– of Robbie Patterson; the victim is a reformed thug who is currently operating a club. Inspector Woodend alongside his partner Bob Rutter are called in from London. When they start sleuthing, they discover family wrangles (where a brother is against brother and a sister against sister) and uncover house break-in incidents in the run-up to the Patterson’s burial. Contrary to detective Woodend’s initial assumption, the victim’s death was not instigated by his dark past– his family members are to blame instead.

The other book is titled The Dark Lady; it is the forth book in the Chief Inspector Woodend series and was initially published in 2001. Hereby, detective Charlie Woodend and his partner Bob Rutter are dispatched from Scotland Yard to northern England wherein a German expert has been brutally murdered. The sleuths discover that the victim’s workmates not only loathed him but also Germans in general; perhaps, or so they deduce, these feelings emanated from the Second World War. As such, the investigators wonder if chicken are coming home to roost.

Other Book Series You May Like
To wrap it up, the readers who rejoiced at the Chief Inspector Woodend were also delighted at reading the following three series of books. The first series is called Sarah Deane Mystery series and is authored by J.S. Borthwick; hereby, the featured protagonist is Sarah Deane who is a teacher and doubles up as an amateur detective. The second one is called the Dinah Pelerin Mystery series and is authored by Jeanne Matthews. Dinah Pelerin is the featured protagonist in this series; similarly, she is an amateur detective and prospective anthropologist who is globe-trotting.

The third one is titled the Lizzie Martin series, alternatively know as Inspector Ben Ross, especially in the US, and is written by Ann Granger. Hereby, the featured main character is Lizzie Martin. The series is set in the mid-19th century London, wherein the protagonist accompanies a rich widow and aunt, midst a series of mysterious events. Ben Ross, who is childhood friend of Lizzie Marin, not only helps her in the sleuthing but also marries her later on.