Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Night the Gods Smiled | 1983 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 2 | Smoke Detector | 1984 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 3 | Death in the Old Country | 1985 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 4 | A Single Death / The Man Who Changed His Name | 1986 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 5 | A Body Surrounded by Water | 1987 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 6 | A Question of Murder | 1988 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 7 | A Sensitive Case | 1990 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 8 | Final Cut | 1991 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 9 | A Fine Italian Hand | 1992 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 10 | Death by Degrees | 1993 | Eric Wright | Buy |
| 11 | The Last Hand | 2001 | Eric Wright | Buy |
The Charlie Salter series follows Inspector Charlie Salter of the Toronto Metropolitan Police through eleven novels from 1983 to 2001. Salter is an ordinary, middle-aged detective who investigates murders across Toronto and sometimes beyond. His personal life, including his marriage and his struggle with career ambitions, runs alongside the cases.
The series is considered a landmark in Canadian crime fiction. The first book, The Night the Gods Smiled, won both the Arthur Ellis Award and the John Creasey Award. The later books deepen Salter’s character as he ages and his world changes around him.