Grub-And-Stakers Books In Order

Publication Order of Grub-And-Stakers Books

Grub-And-Stakers is a set of mystery and thrillers novels written by Charlotte MacLeod using pseudonym Alisa Craig. The series feature a garden club member by the name Dittany Henbit Monk and her husband Osbert Monk who is an author living in Lobelia Fall, Ontario Canada. The author began the publication of Grub-And-Takers series in 1981 when the first novel in the series The Grub-And-Stakes Move a Mountain was published. The second book, The Grub- And- Stalkers Quilt a Bee was released in 1985; the series concluded after five books with The Grub-And –Stalkers House a Haunt marking the end of the series in 1993.

The Grub-And-Stakers Move a Mountain

Dittany Henbit is an impudent spinster who highly values hermits. MacVicars works as a police officer in close-knit Lobelia Falls where apparently everyone is fond of archery. Archery is the focal point of interest of the club, but also they do all kind of civic duty when they are called up. Dittany, a professional typist, is up on a mountain that has been set aside to the city as a preserve when she comes across a new employee of the water department. According to Dittany, it is strange since no water runs up onto the mountain, but then the manager of the water department body is found.

While the mystery develops, you will encounter a lot of the town’s folk, and they are attractive and loveable. Furthermore, one of the aspects that you will love most about the author of this novel is the name that she gives her characters. You will find that her characters names are unique as the characteristics attached to each and thus you will never get confused about which reader she is discussing.

The first novel in the series is an entertaining cozy mystery, and the characters will grasp your attention at once.

The Grub-And-Stakers Quilt a Bee

The Grub-and-Stakers, a gardening club located in Ontario receives a bequest- a house full of stuff, some of which are nice while others are worthless to run as a museum by the name The Aralia Polyphema Architrave Museum. However before they can get the museum up and run, someone kills their curator by sending him to his death off the roof.

Dittany Henbit Monk and her husband who is an author writing under a pen name decide to help the police in solving the murder. However, first of all, she has to solve one important clue- the bride quilt, stitched together with little multi-colored bees.

The author, Charlotte MacLeod writes another zany adventure with Western and Grand Regency novel references, with intriguing characters and another puzzling murder. The second novel in Grub-And-Takers the series is a good read; the characters are well crafted right from the primary to the supporting secondary characters. In addition, the plot is well developed, and you will love how each chapter connects with the next.

The Grub-And-Stakers Pinch a Poke

When Jenson makes an announcement of a theatrical contest the ladies in the Grub- and- stake gardening club race to join the competition. They choose Osbert as their playwright- not only because he is married to the club leader Dittany, but also because he is a famous novelist of Westerns. Taking inspiration from the legend of Dangerous Dan McGrew, Osbert manages to deliver a rough draft much faster than the Pony Express and what all the Grub and Stakes have to do is to cast it.

To play as McGrew, Dittany chooses town cad by the name Andrew McNaster, who of late has improved his manners in order to please Osbert aunt, Arethusa. The gunslinger play gets along very well, until when his prop bullets are replaced with real ones that claim the toe of a fellow thespian.

The third series installment is a well written cozy mystery in a comic vaudevillian style which is very enjoyable. It is full of crazily named characters with unique personalities and extensive vocabularies that you will love most. The plot is well developed and heavily depends on the absurdities, characterization by caricature.

The Grub-and-Stakers Spin a Yarn

In the fourth book, when words spread out that Dittany Monk, the investigative gardener of Lobelia Falls is about to give birth to twins, every single knitter in towns races to Jane Fuzzy-wuzzy Yarnery to start to work on a complete wardrobe of booties, hats, and sweaters. One customer apparently has a more urgent business: the man with bullets wounds on his back. This victim walks out of a bullet-ridden car, dripping heavily with blood all over and dies while to say this phrase “The raveled sleeve!” before Jane can offer her rescue, her unfortunate customer dies.

The pseudonym Charlotte MacLeod uses (Alisa Craig) lets out her passion for character theming run riot in this fourth installment. The characters Osbert Monk and his Aunt Arethusa conversation and their demonstration showcase how the writing process works.

Lobelia Falls, Ontario, Canada the home of Roving Club and the Grub-and-Stake Gardening has seen many scary and shocking things, but the appearance of the ghost of a recently killed mule driver by the name Hiram Jellyby is the weirdest thing the town has experienced. When the Spirit manifests himself in the kitchen of Zilla Trott, commanding her that she finds both a cache of buried gold and his bones as well, even the self-possessed Sergeant MacVicar is blown. However, the big question is can the Grub-and- Stakers avenge the apparition and unravel the look without initiating a gold rush? Can Arethusa, reigning queen of the roguish Regency romance make it through the suspicious attentions of innkeeper Hedrick Snarf? The most enigmatic of all, how comes Snarf is wearing purple socks?

Alisa Craig, the pen name of Charlotte MacLeod high and increasing legions of fans, have a particularly warm spot in the hearts for the residents of Lobelia Falls, and this crafty and charming crafty tale of mayhem and murder is sure not to disappoint not a single one. The Grub-and-Stakers House a Hunt is unquestionably her most pleasurable work yet.

Even though this book was written in the nineties, it provides almost a surreal world of picturesque, small town where everyone is charmingly individualistic.