Title: “Books in Order: The Literary Legacy of Marion Chesney (M.C. Beaton)”
Marion Chesney: The Author Behind the Pen
On June 10th, 1936, in Glasgow, Scotland, an influential author named Marion Chesney was born. Chesney’s captivating novels have amazed the literary world for several generations. Her journey as an author spanned more than eighty years until December 30th, 2019, when she passed away at 83.
Many might recognize Marion better under her famed pen name—M.C. Beaton. Under this pseudonym, she penned two highly popular series, the Hamish Macbeth series and the Agatha Raisin series, both of which successfully adapted to television. Marion also wrote under various other pseudonyms like Ann Fairfax and Jennie Tremaine. Despite these various monikers, it was the M.C. Beaton pseudonym that gained the most recognition, its popularity prompting Marion to republish most of her novels—including those published under her real name—under the M.C. Beaton brand.
A Look into Chesney’s Unique Writing Style
Known for her knack for creating captivating narratives and unforgettable characters, Chesney’s delightful blend of wit, intrigue, and suspense keeps readers engrossed from the first page to the last. Her unique writing style has created a distinctive niche within the mystery genre, appealing to a broad base of readers.
Books in Order: Marion Chesney’s Works
Note: We have listed the books and series according to their original author where possible. Marion had different arrangements of her series for the UK and US audiences. We have listed the books in order as per their original order tailored for the UK audience.
Publication Order of Agatha Raisin Books
| The Quiche of Death | (1992) |    |
| The Vicious Vet | (1993) | |
| The Potted Gardener | (1994) | |
| The Walkers of Dembley | (1995) | |
| The Murderous Marriage | (1996) | |
| The Terrible Tourist | (1997) | |
| The Wellspring of Death | (1998) | |
| The Wizard of Evesham | (1999) | |
| The Witch of Wyckhadden | (1999) | |
| The Fairies of Fryfam | (2000) | |
| The Love from Hell | (2001) | |
| The Day the Floods Came | (2002) | |
| The Case of the Curious Curate | (2003) | |
| The Haunted House | (2003) | |
| The Deadly Dance | (2004) | |
| The Perfect Paragon | (2005) | |
| Love, Lies and Liquor | (2006) | |
| Kissing Christmas Goodbye | (2007) | |
| A Spoonful of Poison | (2008) | |
| There Goes the Bride | (2009) | |
| Busy Body | (2010) | |
| As The Pig Turns | (2011) | |
| Hiss and Hers | (2012) | |
| Christmas Crumble | (2012) | |
| Something Borrowed, Someone Dead | (2013) | |
| Hell’s Bells | (2013) | |
| The Blood of an Englishman | (2014) | |
| Agatha’s First Case | (2015) | |
| Dishing the Dirt | (2015) | |
| Pushing up Daisies | (2016) | |
| The Witches’ Tree | (2017) | |
| The Dead Ringer | (2018) | |
| Beating about the Bush | (2019) | |
| Hot to Trot | (2020) | |
| Down the Hatch | (2021) | |
| Devil’s Delight | (2022) | |
| Dead on Target | (2023) | |
| Agatha’s First Case is a prequel novella in the series. | ||