Charlotte MacLeod was a Canadian-born American author, best known for her mystery novels. She was born in New Brunswick, Canada, and her family moved to the United States shortly after. MacLeod was educated at the Art Institute of Boston and then went on to work as a copywriter, while also beginning her fiction career. She is known for her light and humorous writing style, which features likable and eccentric characters. MacLeod passed away in 2005 in a nursing home from Alzheimer's disease.
Over the course of her career, MacLeod wrote more than 30 mystery novels, as well as numerous juvenile books, a biography, and many short stories. She is widely known for her "whimsical Whodunits" which feature unconventional and witty amateur sleuths. These sleuths solve murders using innovative methods, such as ancient spears, quicklime, and stinging bees. MacLeod's writing is known for its warmth, wit, and whimsy, and her characters are both memorable and endearing.
MacLeod spent a majority of her life in Boston, but in 1985, she moved to Maine. She was known for her ladylike manner, and was often seen wearing white gloves, a hat, and speaking with impeccable grammar. MacLeod was a naturalized US citizen and wrote under the pseudonym Alisa Craig for her Grub-and-Stakers cozies and Madoc Rhys series. She was also a cofounder and past president of the American Crime Writers League, and edited the bestselling anthologies Mistletoe Mysteries and Christmas Stalkings.