What do you think?
Rate this book
The Charlotte Anthony Mysteries #1
An Uncollected Death
Broke, friendless, and career in freefall--will solving a murder get her life back on track? An Uncollected Death introduces Charlotte Anthony, a forty-something divorcée, single mother and magazine editor who suddenly finds herself an empty-nester, unemployed, and on the verge of bankruptcy. She gratefully takes the job of editing the journals of Olivia Bernadin, a long-lost nouveau roman author. Things rapidly deteriorate, however, when she finds Olivia left for dead the first day on the job--and herself a suspect in the crime. Charlotte turns amateur detective as she works out cryptic clues to find Olivia's hidden journals and to clear herself of suspicion, all while reinventing her life by downsizing to a tiny apartment in the small college town of Elm Grove, Indiana. But efficient and independent Charlotte must also learn to accept the help of a new group of friends when she finds herself threatened by criminals who will stop at nothing--not even murder--to get their hands on something of immense value hidden within Olivia's hoard of collectibles. The Charlotte Anthony novels are traditional, character-driven mysteries whose overarching theme is how the past informs the present, and how even a small town in the American Midwest can be connected to a much larger world.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 26, 2014
391 people are currently reading
448 people want to read
About the author
Meg Wolfe
11 books23 followersMeg Wolfe is the author of the Charlotte Anthony mystery series, and a long-time blogger and essayist. She is a member of the Alliance of Independent Authors.
After starting out in life as a writer, Meg experienced illuminating detours in garden design, cooking, and art before coming full circle back to writing. She lives in Valparaiso, Indiana, with her husband, artist and photographer Steve Johnson.
After starting out in life as a writer, Meg experienced illuminating detours in garden design, cooking, and art before coming full circle back to writing. She lives in Valparaiso, Indiana, with her husband, artist and photographer Steve Johnson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
March 11, 2014
What a fun debut mystery! In An Uncollected Death, author Meg Wolfe skillfully weaves together my favorite elements from both cozy mysteries and women’s fiction. The protagonist, Charlotte Anthony is an engaging amateur sleuth, who searches for the secret that got an elderly woman killed, using her own intelligence and the help of a group of sympathetic friends. There are hidden notebooks, danger from very scary bad guys, and a suitably enigmatic romantic hero, all against the backdrop of a charming Midwestern college town.
However, Charlotte is also struggling with the real life problems that many adult women face, the loss of identity that accompanies first a divorce and then an empty nest and the paralyzing fear created by sudden unemployment in the middle of a recession. Wolfe’s thoughtful and beautifully written treatment of these themes and Charlotte’s triumph over not only the villains but the emotional and financial threats to her well-being are what makes me very excited to read the next book in the series.
However, Charlotte is also struggling with the real life problems that many adult women face, the loss of identity that accompanies first a divorce and then an empty nest and the paralyzing fear created by sudden unemployment in the middle of a recession. Wolfe’s thoughtful and beautifully written treatment of these themes and Charlotte’s triumph over not only the villains but the emotional and financial threats to her well-being are what makes me very excited to read the next book in the series.
July 14, 2015
I really enjoyed this book. I had read the second in the series first, so reading the first book was a little bit like catching up. I love how the author kept the title referenced throughout the book, adding a bit more to its meaning with each new reveal of the plot. A great read and one that I will put on the short list of books to read again (something I rarely do as I remember what I read in detail). I think this is a book that will share something new each time it is read.
July 9, 2017
A most excellent 5 star read! I love a mystery with a middle aged woman and no blood, guts or gore
June 15, 2014
Charlotte Anthony is suffering from an empty nest and being suddenly downsized from her magazine editing job. She falls into a job editing the notebooks of a mysterious author from the 1950's, Olivia Bernadin, who also happens to be the sister of Charlotte’s daughter’s piano teacher.
Charlotte finds Olivia battered and left for dead her first day on the job. She continues working with Olivia’s sister, Helene, to find the notebooks and write the book, but Olivia is something of a hoarder with a penchant for puzzles, making Charlotte's job much harder. Things are complicated by the arrival of Olivia’s ne’er-do-well son and the suspicious characters he associates with. The police are looking at Charlotte as a potential suspect in the murder, because of her money problems and recent arrival in Olivia’s life.
I was intrigued by the back story of Charlotte being an empty-nester and having to downsize, as well as the front story of Olivia’s past and what role it played in her demise. This is a well written story with a complex plot and fully-drawn characters. Good mystery, with a nice hint of possible romance. I found myself thinking about the plot when I wasn’t reading the book and, now that I’m finished, I’m wondering about how Charlotte’s life turns out and if she finds that less truly is more. Hope there are more books to come involving Charlotte.
Charlotte finds Olivia battered and left for dead her first day on the job. She continues working with Olivia’s sister, Helene, to find the notebooks and write the book, but Olivia is something of a hoarder with a penchant for puzzles, making Charlotte's job much harder. Things are complicated by the arrival of Olivia’s ne’er-do-well son and the suspicious characters he associates with. The police are looking at Charlotte as a potential suspect in the murder, because of her money problems and recent arrival in Olivia’s life.
I was intrigued by the back story of Charlotte being an empty-nester and having to downsize, as well as the front story of Olivia’s past and what role it played in her demise. This is a well written story with a complex plot and fully-drawn characters. Good mystery, with a nice hint of possible romance. I found myself thinking about the plot when I wasn’t reading the book and, now that I’m finished, I’m wondering about how Charlotte’s life turns out and if she finds that less truly is more. Hope there are more books to come involving Charlotte.
January 13, 2017
This is a bit of an oddity. More of a book about a woman downsizing and decluttering her life and making new friends than an actual mystery, which I suspect is not unrelated to the fact that the author writes a blog called The Minimalist Woman and wants to show her belief in action. Yes, there are bodies, but she isn't front and centre investigating like in most cozies. That said, it's is written in a way that's surprisingly engaging, with an interesting treasure hunt element and decent characters. It'll be interesting to see what the next book is like, now the main character has become "minimalist woman".
July 18, 2018
A very interesting book dealing with three mysteries of human behavior- one involving murders committed over a valuable hidden book; one dealing with how we become so involved with our possessions and what happens when we have to let them go and one dealing with the questions of how to regroup and find yourself after financial ruin.
Good characters and wonderful descriptions of people, places and things make this book an enjoyable read.
Good characters and wonderful descriptions of people, places and things make this book an enjoyable read.
June 19, 2019
Completely worth reading. While the main character got close to being too much for me (she and I are about the same age, but she seems to value things that I don't care for), the author did a good job of keeping the character balanced and moving forward. The story itself was interesting, and the other characters were appealing. I look forward to reading the next book in the series to see where the main character goes from where this book left off.
May 21, 2023
Tedious
If you are looking for a murder mystery, don't get this book! Since this is the first in a series about Charlotte, I imagine this is how Meg Wolfe thinks she should write a murder mystery, so give all her attempts (at least in this series) a hard pass.
If you like reading about a middle aged, somewhat entitled woman coming to terms with a serious need to downsize, succeeding in that, and learning that being independent does not mean going it without friends, then maybe this is your thing. You'll have to wade through long, nonsensical lists of the clothes in her walk-in closet, the ceramic pots in her kitchen, what's in her kitchen junk drawer, what people are wearing, even a pages long description of how she cleans her appartement. None of these descriptions or lists have ANY bearing on the murder or the mystery. All of this belated "coming if age" has just a sprinkling of mystery and crime solving, just a tiny bit. The actual crime solving is fun to read, but really wouldn't take more than 80 pages to describe. The mystery part is so flimsy and poorly worked out that other than the author withholding information, you can figure it out very quickly.
Aside from being a poorly conceived and badly written murder mystery, the continual barrage of useless and irrelevant detail is just tedious. There is also no reason for several characters to the story Ellis (the daughter in France), Lola, Ilona and even Shamus the cat (though he does provide comic relief).
I gave this waste of bytes/paper 1 star because one cannot award books negative stars. Don't bother with it. Even when you skip several paragraphs at a time and all the lists, it is still time you'll never get back. Somebody should tell Meg Wolfe that she can't and shouldn't write murder mysteries. Oh, I guess I just did. Yes Meg, please stop!
If you are looking for a murder mystery, don't get this book! Since this is the first in a series about Charlotte, I imagine this is how Meg Wolfe thinks she should write a murder mystery, so give all her attempts (at least in this series) a hard pass.
If you like reading about a middle aged, somewhat entitled woman coming to terms with a serious need to downsize, succeeding in that, and learning that being independent does not mean going it without friends, then maybe this is your thing. You'll have to wade through long, nonsensical lists of the clothes in her walk-in closet, the ceramic pots in her kitchen, what's in her kitchen junk drawer, what people are wearing, even a pages long description of how she cleans her appartement. None of these descriptions or lists have ANY bearing on the murder or the mystery. All of this belated "coming if age" has just a sprinkling of mystery and crime solving, just a tiny bit. The actual crime solving is fun to read, but really wouldn't take more than 80 pages to describe. The mystery part is so flimsy and poorly worked out that other than the author withholding information, you can figure it out very quickly.
Aside from being a poorly conceived and badly written murder mystery, the continual barrage of useless and irrelevant detail is just tedious. There is also no reason for several characters to the story Ellis (the daughter in France), Lola, Ilona and even Shamus the cat (though he does provide comic relief).
I gave this waste of bytes/paper 1 star because one cannot award books negative stars. Don't bother with it. Even when you skip several paragraphs at a time and all the lists, it is still time you'll never get back. Somebody should tell Meg Wolfe that she can't and shouldn't write murder mysteries. Oh, I guess I just did. Yes Meg, please stop!
October 8, 2020
The characters were great. I liked the part about her having to change her lifestyle although a lot of the things she had to give up to save money I couldn’t relate to. (Not more manicures or weekend jaunts to Paris!?)
There were times where the description of things got downright tedious and I felt my eyes jumping ahead out of boredom. (Yes we all have a junk drawer in the kitchen. No I don’t want a paragraph about cleaning it out.)
That and the fact that the murder mystery seemed to take a place on the back burner quite often made it hard for me to give it any more stars.
I don’t think I’ll be intentionally seeking out any more in this series or by this author.
There were times where the description of things got downright tedious and I felt my eyes jumping ahead out of boredom. (Yes we all have a junk drawer in the kitchen. No I don’t want a paragraph about cleaning it out.)
That and the fact that the murder mystery seemed to take a place on the back burner quite often made it hard for me to give it any more stars.
I don’t think I’ll be intentionally seeking out any more in this series or by this author.
April 4, 2023
not the reading I was expecting
I definitely did not enjoyed this book. I had so much expectations from the reviews but it turned out to be a total disappointment. I wouldn’t recommend this book at all.
I definitely did not enjoyed this book. I had so much expectations from the reviews but it turned out to be a total disappointment. I wouldn’t recommend this book at all.
August 30, 2024
DNF.
I gave up in chapter 3. There was just too much boring description, and I can't suffer through 23 more chapters on a book that could probably be about 10 chapters when I have too many others on my TBR list.
I gave up in chapter 3. There was just too much boring description, and I can't suffer through 23 more chapters on a book that could probably be about 10 chapters when I have too many others on my TBR list.
June 2, 2016
Fun read but too much detail description of simple things. Liked the characters and the mystery part of the book. May read her next in series to see if she gets better.
June 30, 2017
Set in Indiana, Charlotte Anthony is looking at having to downsize from her lake-side house to a small apartment in nearby Elm Grove. Her daughter is off in Paris continuing her education. She’s recently become unemployed since the magazine she’s edited for has had to close down. Luckily, her friend Helene has a sister who needs an editor for a semi-autobiographical work. Unfortunately, Charlotte finds her new employer Olivia dead on the first day with plenty of questions to be answered.
It took some effort to get into this book. I liked that Charlotte was going through this major shift in her life. She had become comfortable and then her stability is gone and she has to pare down her life. Yet the paring down part was mostly long lists of things in her kitchen or clothes closet. That was so tedious I almost gave up on the book. The story went on and on about minimalist lifestyle and how to achieve it, why it’s good for you, etc. It was really harped on and while I like the idea, I didn’t need a step by step tutorial on how to get there.
I liked Helene and even Olivia, who dies early on but we have bits and pieces of her life through these notebooks she left behind. Charlotte has been tasked with finding all these notebooks in Olivia’s cluttered house and then editing them into a publishable book. There are several long info drops when it comes to most of the characters. It’s like I was reading the authors own detailed description notes. This made for boring reading at times.
I did enjoy the treasure hunt for Olivia’s notebooks. She would fill each one, hide it (because she had a disapproving and controlling husband), and begin a new one, starting with a clue as to where she hid the previous one. So while Charlotte and Helene (and sometimes Helene’s photography friend) hunt for these notebooks, someone else keeps coming in at odd hours and stealing small items. Olivia’s estranged son Donovan is the obvious culprit but there’s more to it (which I liked).
Much of the book is focused on Charlotte as she goes through this midlife crisis. The murder mystery is secondary. I wanted to like Charlotte but at times the story was really angsty and that kept putting me off. I wanted to sympathize with Charlotte, but I also felt that she repeatedly sold herself short. She has skills, connections, and resources. She’s not that bad off yet she felt like her life was falling into the gutter. She went from upper middle class to average middle class. It felt like a great fall to her but for many folks, her final landing place would be a step up. So the angsty stuff made it difficult to connect with Charlotte.
In the end, I wanted more mystery. I would have enjoyed reading more about Olivia’s life as an author in Paris during and after WWII. The romance for Charlotte was sweet but also an extremely slow burn. I did like the cat that adopts her.
It took some effort to get into this book. I liked that Charlotte was going through this major shift in her life. She had become comfortable and then her stability is gone and she has to pare down her life. Yet the paring down part was mostly long lists of things in her kitchen or clothes closet. That was so tedious I almost gave up on the book. The story went on and on about minimalist lifestyle and how to achieve it, why it’s good for you, etc. It was really harped on and while I like the idea, I didn’t need a step by step tutorial on how to get there.
I liked Helene and even Olivia, who dies early on but we have bits and pieces of her life through these notebooks she left behind. Charlotte has been tasked with finding all these notebooks in Olivia’s cluttered house and then editing them into a publishable book. There are several long info drops when it comes to most of the characters. It’s like I was reading the authors own detailed description notes. This made for boring reading at times.
I did enjoy the treasure hunt for Olivia’s notebooks. She would fill each one, hide it (because she had a disapproving and controlling husband), and begin a new one, starting with a clue as to where she hid the previous one. So while Charlotte and Helene (and sometimes Helene’s photography friend) hunt for these notebooks, someone else keeps coming in at odd hours and stealing small items. Olivia’s estranged son Donovan is the obvious culprit but there’s more to it (which I liked).
Much of the book is focused on Charlotte as she goes through this midlife crisis. The murder mystery is secondary. I wanted to like Charlotte but at times the story was really angsty and that kept putting me off. I wanted to sympathize with Charlotte, but I also felt that she repeatedly sold herself short. She has skills, connections, and resources. She’s not that bad off yet she felt like her life was falling into the gutter. She went from upper middle class to average middle class. It felt like a great fall to her but for many folks, her final landing place would be a step up. So the angsty stuff made it difficult to connect with Charlotte.
In the end, I wanted more mystery. I would have enjoyed reading more about Olivia’s life as an author in Paris during and after WWII. The romance for Charlotte was sweet but also an extremely slow burn. I did like the cat that adopts her.
January 26, 2021
Have you ever read a book you just COULDN'T relate to? Yeah... I may be white, but I am not, nor have I ever been, that *special* kind of privileged white that knows the truly expensive name brands and can call 911 twice within ten minutes, as easy and carelessly as changing a takeout order...
I gave this book 5 chapters to grab my interest before heavy sighing and rolling my eyes into the back of my brain and calling it a "nope".
Here's what I can say, about a book whose premise sounded enticing...
If you like REALLY LooooONG lists, like pages and pages worth of lists describing a setting; or a closet full of clothes; or a crime scene- minus the crime details but instead, the antique designer furniture pieces and collectibles... this book is for you. If you like to hear about privileged white people out of touch with reality, whose kids go to college in France because of that one time their mom decided to lie-to-kick-it with the big shots; this book is for you. If you like chapters of lists with no story substance and forced romance implications early on; and you also enjoy talking with that one pretentious party guest whose yarning about how great their life is/was but somehow, *poor me* and you DON'T end up gouging your eyes out with the toothpick from an hors-d'oeuvre... then this is DEFINITELY YOUR BOOK.
I'm kinda over stories that are written with no basis in reality. I've personally and unfortunately, have had to call 911, a few times in my life... NEVER have I, nor has ANYONE I know, called 911 (TWICE within ten MINUTES) and then hung up (BOTH TIMES) so nonchalantly, like, "okay cool... See you in a bit," ESPECIALLY at a potential MURDER SCENE??? THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
I just... can't. I can't go further with this review, just like I couldn't go further with this book that I'M SURE is an excellent read. But hey, don't take my word for it.
I gave this book 5 chapters to grab my interest before heavy sighing and rolling my eyes into the back of my brain and calling it a "nope".
Here's what I can say, about a book whose premise sounded enticing...
If you like REALLY LooooONG lists, like pages and pages worth of lists describing a setting; or a closet full of clothes; or a crime scene- minus the crime details but instead, the antique designer furniture pieces and collectibles... this book is for you. If you like to hear about privileged white people out of touch with reality, whose kids go to college in France because of that one time their mom decided to lie-to-kick-it with the big shots; this book is for you. If you like chapters of lists with no story substance and forced romance implications early on; and you also enjoy talking with that one pretentious party guest whose yarning about how great their life is/was but somehow, *poor me* and you DON'T end up gouging your eyes out with the toothpick from an hors-d'oeuvre... then this is DEFINITELY YOUR BOOK.
I'm kinda over stories that are written with no basis in reality. I've personally and unfortunately, have had to call 911, a few times in my life... NEVER have I, nor has ANYONE I know, called 911 (TWICE within ten MINUTES) and then hung up (BOTH TIMES) so nonchalantly, like, "okay cool... See you in a bit," ESPECIALLY at a potential MURDER SCENE??? THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.
I just... can't. I can't go further with this review, just like I couldn't go further with this book that I'M SURE is an excellent read. But hey, don't take my word for it.
October 25, 2019
Charlotte Anthony is still suffering from her kids growing up and leaving home as she suddenly finds herself downsized from her magazine editing job. Charlotte ends up in to a job editing the notebooks of a mysterious author from the 1950's, Olivia Bernadin, who coincidentally is the sister of Charlotte’s daughter’s piano teacher. Charlotte finds Olivia beaten and found dead her first day on the job. Charlotte continues working with Olivia’s sister, Helene, to scope out the notebooks and write the book, but Olivia is somewhat of a hoarder with a love for puzzles, making Charlotte's job much worst. Things are complicated by the arrival of Olivia’s questionable son and the suspicious characters he associates with. The police are looking at Charlotte as a potential suspect in the murder, because of her money problems and recent arrival in Olivia’s life.
March 8, 2019
2.5-3*
I liked this book, I kept reading it, I finished it, and I wasn't quite sure why. Probably the motivation was the plot line involving books/notebooks and the secrets they hold. The characters are likable, the setting interesting, and even though the plot line of the house/estate sale, apartment fix-up, and move-in has a totally unrealistic timeline and fairy-tale ease to it, I still enjoyed watching Charlotte's "new life" unfold. The mystery surrounding Olivia's death and property are more like propulsion for Charlotte's personal quest than the main story. A quiet read for when you have a glass of wine in hand and are feeling like enjoying a pleasant, undemanding book.
I liked this book, I kept reading it, I finished it, and I wasn't quite sure why. Probably the motivation was the plot line involving books/notebooks and the secrets they hold. The characters are likable, the setting interesting, and even though the plot line of the house/estate sale, apartment fix-up, and move-in has a totally unrealistic timeline and fairy-tale ease to it, I still enjoyed watching Charlotte's "new life" unfold. The mystery surrounding Olivia's death and property are more like propulsion for Charlotte's personal quest than the main story. A quiet read for when you have a glass of wine in hand and are feeling like enjoying a pleasant, undemanding book.
August 2, 2020
I really enjoyed this story. I have purchased the following books from this series. This story is the story of a woman who loses custody of her teen daughter. The daughter goes off 5o music school in Paris, and subsequently, the divorced father no longer has to pay child support. To add to this income loss, she learns that she has been laid off as well. She is now without income. Her coping with her new status is central to the story.
August 24, 2020
A smart murder mystery complete with puzzles to solve, a search for rare books, dysfunctional family secrets and a pinch of history make for a great story. The resilient Charlotte Anthony pursues all the clues to a satisfactory solution, despite massive changes in her life. Out of work, recently an empty-nester and having to sell her beautiful home, this divorcée meets all her challenges realistically.
May 3, 2023
I thought that this was an okay read. I am a bit uncertain about how to describe this story but will settle for calling it a large cozy mystery. I liked the writing style and found the story to be surprisingly engaging. The story seemed to be more about the protagonist's changing circumstances than about a murder mystery and the pace is variable, but I found myself enjoying the read.
December 12, 2016
Book 1 in the Charlotte Anthony Mysteries...a serious cozy mystery. Some cozies are frivolous stories and some have more substance. This one had a very interesting, more serious theme. I also have Book 2 on my Kindle, so I'm looking forward to the direction Charlotte's life takes next.
August 3, 2019
Didn't enjoy this book; too much detail and repetition about downsizing and estate sales, etc. By the end of the story, I didn't care who did what to whom or why. Just wanted the book to end. I purchased the next two books in the series but not sure I'll read them.
August 25, 2019
Untold Treasures Revealed
Thank you for this intriguing and exciting story about Charlotte and her adventures in new and past events. The storyline was amazing and the many characters were fascinating. I look forward to reading more of your work.
Thank you for this intriguing and exciting story about Charlotte and her adventures in new and past events. The storyline was amazing and the many characters were fascinating. I look forward to reading more of your work.
October 17, 2020
Enjoyable read
An easy read with some lovely characters who you become quite attached to. Every character has a purpose regardless of how big or small their mention is which creates some interesting events throughout.
An easy read with some lovely characters who you become quite attached to. Every character has a purpose regardless of how big or small their mention is which creates some interesting events throughout.
July 1, 2021
Rich Peoples’ Story
The book tells a story of rich peoples, where they buy their houses, how their houses look like, what schools their children go, etc. It tells rich people’s problems and what solutions they have. Death is one twist of the story.
The book tells a story of rich peoples, where they buy their houses, how their houses look like, what schools their children go, etc. It tells rich people’s problems and what solutions they have. Death is one twist of the story.
January 17, 2024
Too much
I read this book and finished it even though it was like slogging through snow! Too yakty yack details! I always finish a book even if I don't like it! I don't plan on reading anymore by this author!
I read this book and finished it even though it was like slogging through snow! Too yakty yack details! I always finish a book even if I don't like it! I don't plan on reading anymore by this author!
December 27, 2017
Very well written mystery that draws you right in. This is one of those hard to put down reads that you don't want to miss out on.
May 25, 2018
Very enjoyable
Very well written and engrossing. I had a hard time putting it down and can't wait to start the next one.
Very well written and engrossing. I had a hard time putting it down and can't wait to start the next one.
Want to read
July 18, 2019EbookDiscovery
August 15, 2019
One of the best books I've read in a longgg... time. I really identified with the main character, Charlotte. The plot/mystery was a fun read.
October 5, 2019
Good
This book starts with a murder and a women who has lost her job and has no income or very little savings.
This book starts with a murder and a women who has lost her job and has no income or very little savings.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews