MYSTERY REVIEW - PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT

PUT ON THE ARMOUR OF LIGHT
By Catherine Macdonald
Dundurn


Turn-of-the-century Winnipeg seems the perfect backdrop for this first mystery from a Manitoban with a background in history. Then toss in an unusual sleuth in the form of the Reverend Charles Lauchlan, some very unsavory behavior from the town’s leading citizens, a touch of romance, and of course, murder.

For the Reverend, the challenges in his life are provided by tending to his Presbyterian flock and trying to juggles repairs to the church along with limited funds. But all that changes when his former university roommate, Peter McEvoy is arrested for murder. McEvoy’s once-promising future has disintegrated to alcoholism, gambling and sleazy bars. Then he’s arrested for the murder of one of the city’s most prominent citizens. Only McEvoy can’t remember what happened.

Lauchlan agrees to be responsible once bail is granted. He doesn’t believe his friend, even in a booze-induced state, could do such a thing and that draws him into a quest for the real murderer. Fortunately, Sergeant Andrew Setter of the Winnipeg Police agrees and they form an unusual alliance in searching for the truth. As Lauchlan gets more emotionally attached to the daughter of his former teacher and mentor, her relationship with the son of the dead man’s business partner draws them both into that family’s darkest secrets. And, as time runs out for McEvoy, Lauchlan ends up at the wrong end of a gun.

Catherine Macdonald spins a tale of power, greed and intrigue that is certain to keep the reader engaged until the final pages. Put On The Armour of Light has all the right ingredients: a crime hidden under layers of assumptions; a time period that sets its own restrictions on investigations; and aroster of engaging characters, from the Reverend to the police office, to a female photographer used at crime scenes. That’s a terrific addition and she could probably spin out in her own series.

If you’re watching Granchester on PBS, you’ll want to read this book!

BLOOD WILL OUT
By Jill Downie
Dundurn



This is the third in the Moretti and Falla mystery series and by far, the most intricate. There are so many layers, each adding texture to the plot, that a variety of readers will be entertained. That the series is set in Guernsey, is a large part of the charm.

For the thespians in the crowd, the plot revolves around a new play put on by the Island Players. The playwright, Hugo Shawcross, claims to be a vampire and that’s what his play is about, much to the initial chagrin of some of the influential members of the group. But the play must go on, and as rehearsals begin, so do the murders.

For the mystery lovers, it’s a solid one starting with the death of a recluse and ending with a murderer consumed with greed and jealousy, determined to erase long-hidden secrets and anyone trying to expose them.

We’re also introduced to a new police officer from London, Aliosio Brown, whose Met training will be invaluable, or so the Chief Officer hopes.

We see a gentler side to Inspector Ed Moretti and a personal growth in his partner, Detective Sergeant Liz Falla. It’s her aunt, Elodie, who reveals much about the detective, about the actors and the play, and who adds a possible love interest for Moretti.

From reading this, you know that Downie has an insider’s knowledge of the theatre and a love of it. But, equally obvious is her command of the mystery genre and the ability to infuse the discipline and routines of police work with an emotional layer. And don’t forget her passion for Guernsey. It has all the ingredients wanted by an armchair traveler.

Eagerly awaiting my next trip to that magical isle!

SCMOOZING WITH CATHERINE MACDONALD

1. Who has influenced you the most in your writing career?

I read a lot of George Orwell’s essays in my twenties. He was a wonderful non-fiction stylist with prose that was very distilled and economical but also very elegant. I hope that tendency to pare back and refine is in my fiction too. It’s something to work toward.

2. What are you working on now?

I’m working on the sequel to Put on the Armour of Light. It involves much enjoyable research on things Scottish because in this book, my two lead characters, Charles Lauchlan and Maggie Skene, go on a bicycle tour of the Highlands and get enmeshed in another mystery. I’ve had to become familiar with bicycles as they were in 1900 and have read lots of guide books on Scottish travel from that era. The problem has been tearing myself away from all this fascinating research in order to actually write the book.

3. In what ways is your main protagonist like you? If at all?

Charles Lauchlan is a real amalgam. Inevitably, he has some of me in him. He loves books and is basically an introvert like me. But he’s more like my father and my brothers in that he can take and hold the centre of attention and is not uncomfortable there. He’s also a bit of a workaholic, which I have never been.


4. Are you character driven or plot driven?

I’m definitely more comfortable with character than with plot. And I think that if you know your characters, they will show you where the plot should go in many cases. I like to start with characters and then say, “Now, what do they do?”

5. Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I aspire to be a plotter but I’m really more of a plodder. I have to have some idea of where I’m going with a book or I will freeze with fear of that white, bare page looming ahead. But quite often in the writing, something that I have plotted turns out not to work after all and I have to have a considerable think in order to solve the problem and carry on.

6. What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

I hope that I’ve created a world in which they can get lost for a while, then close the book at the end and think it’s been a very satisfying reading experience.

7. Where do you see yourself as a writer in 10 years?

I would be happy to have written two or three more books during that time and to still be enjoying the process.

8. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

It’s at this point that I wish I had taken up sky-diving or become well-known as a quantum physicist in my spare time. But really, I’m quite an unsurprising person. I do play the saxophone, though rather badly.


9. What do you like to read for pleasure?

I read a lot of different stuff. Mysteries, of course, but also poetry and biography. Just now I’m reading a lot of Scottish books. I read a lot of local writers from Winnipeg, because I’ve always loved books set in Winnipeg, where I have lived since I was eleven. I talk about them on my blog, “portage and slain”, (www.portageandslain.com). Other than that, my reading has no discipline or rationale and that’s exactly the way I like it.


10. Give us a summary of your latest book in a Tweet

June 1899. Rev. Charles Lauchlan must find evidence hidden behind the doors of Winnipeg’s elite before his friend is convicted of murder.

Catherine Macdonald made a career out of delving into the history of the Canadian Prairies, especially the urban history of Winnipeg, where she lives. Her historical research consulting business combined excellent research with lively and engaging presentation. One morning she woke up with an idea for a mystery novel and life has never been quite the same.
She blogs at www.portageandslain.com and has a website at www.charleslauchlan.com

MYSTERY REVIEW - SILVER TOTEM OF SHAME

SILVER TOTEM OF SHAME
by R.J. Harlick
Dundurn

Some books you read because they're familiar and comforting. You know the setting, it could even be your own hometown, or you know the type, maybe a police procedural and all that implies or on the other hand, a traditional puzzle. But sometimes it's good to read a book that transports you to a new setting, a new culture even. That's the type of book you get with Silver Totem of Shame.

If you've read the first four books in the Meg Harris Mystery series, you'll already be familiar with the Aboriginal backdrop and the fact that Meg, not of First Nations' heritage, is deeply immersed in this society, living out in Western Quebec near the Migiskan Reserve. But this time, Harlick transports Meg and her new husband, Eric Odjek, former Algonquin tribal chief, to the West Coast where they both are introduced to the Haida culture. It's a fascinating look at this proud Matriarchal society and the awesome landscape of Haida Gwaii.

The story of the death of a young Haida man just starting out in the tradition of a carver, draws the reader into this culture where tradition is dominant and some stories may not be for sharing. Meg and Eric are visiting Vancouver. It's a holiday for her; business for him; a delayed honeymoon for both. When the murdered carver turns out to be Eric's nephew, the adopted son of his estranged sister, the recent past blurs with that of the ancient peoples in a tale of greed and revenge. As they follow the trail through the wilds to the remains of the long-gone village, the killer is finally revealed in a standoff between the Matriarch and those would wish to take over.

This is Harlick at her best! She manages to immerse the reader in the fascinating culture of this coastal tribe and to reflect a current day where old traditions meld with the modern world. Her descriptions of the islands of Haida Gwaii, the lush forest growth, the awesome coastline of steep cliffs and sheltered inlets, and the relentless sea truly transport the reader to this land. The fact that she's done an immense amount of research and in fact, traveled around Haida Gwaii are readily apparent. This all adds to the complex mystery and the inevitable outcome.

SCHMOOZING WITH BRENDA CHAPMAN

1. Who has influenced you the most in your writing career?

I’ve learned a lot about writing from reading authors such as Ernest Hemingway—the art of saying a lot with a little; Harper Lee—how to write compelling characters and weave subplots in with the main storyline; Michael Connelly—lead cop Harry Bosch (say no more); and just about every novel I’ve ever read, beginning with Enid Blyton and the Secret Seven/Famous Five novels. However, I’d have to say that the person who influenced me the most would be Professor Claude Lyman from Lakehead University, who taught me during a year of creative writing classes to avoid using melodrama in my stories wherever possible. His advice is based on that old chestnut ‘show don’t tell’ and keep the writing tight and lean. Skip the overwriting!

2. What are you working on now?

I am currently about half way through the first draft of the third Stonechild and Rouleau mystery for Dundurn. I have a June deadline and am trying to pick up my pace. My editor and I will be starting the first edit of Butterfly Kills, the second in the series, in April. I also have a contract to write a fourth adult literacy novel in the Anna Sweet mystery series for Grass Roots Press due this fall. The third in that series entitled To Keep a Secret will be released this September.

3. In what ways is your main protagonist like you? If at all?

Kala Stonechild is quite different from me. She’s in her late twenties, Aboriginal, tall, grew up in foster homes and is courageous as a lion. She also has a great sense of direction and doesn’t mind driving all over the country alone in her truck. We do both come from small northern communities and love the outdoors so there is that.


4. Are you character driven or plot driven?

I would have to say both. Plot and characters have a symbiotic relationship in all of my favourite books. The plot has to move along and grip me and I have to care about the characters and what happens to them.

5. Are you a pantser or a plotter?

I’m a pantser with plotter overtones. I outline in my head but do a lot of ‘flying by the seat of’ as I get into a manuscript.

6. What do you hope readers will most take away from your writing?

I hope that readers are entertained first and foremost. I am most gratified when someone says that they could not put the book down. I also am satisfied when readers speak about the characters as if they are real people because this means that readers connected with them.

7. Where do you see yourself as a writer in 10 years?

It would be great to have an international readership and to get invited to some overseas conferences! Other than that, I see myself fully engrossed in writing a new manuscript and carrying on as I am now, but perhaps with more Facebook likes and Twitter followers. You can never have too many.

8. What is one thing your readers would be most surprised to know about you?

Readers might be surprised to know that I skip a ladies’ curling team and that my daughter Lisa Weagle is on the national championship curling team skipped by Rachel Homan—they’ll be playing for Canada for the second year in a row at worlds in March. Readers might also be surprised to know that I dislike mashed potatoes and never touch brussel sprouts, parsnips or lima beans if I can help it.

9. What do you like to read for pleasure?

I read crime fiction for pleasure – Ottawa and Canadian mysteries top my list. I’m also a big fan of British mysteries.

10. Give us a summary of your latest book in a Tweet

A week before Christmas, a dysfunctional police team must find a missing Ottawa businessman with lots of people wanting him dead #lotsofsuspects

Brenda Chapman is an Ottawa mystery writer for both teens and adults. Her latest novel Cold Mourning was released by Dundurn in March 2014. A former teacher, she now works as a senior communications advisor for the federal government.

MYSTERY REVIEW - GOLD WEB

GOLD WEB
By Vicki Delany
Dundurn

Travel back in time to the days of the Klondike gold rush and meet one of the fiestiest ladies then and now. She's Fiona MacGillivray - Mrs. MacGillivray to her many customers at the Savoy Saloon and Dance Hall, which she co-owns in Dawson, 1898. And she can't seem to stay out of trouble.

In fact, trouble seems to track her down, as witnessed in the earlier three books in this series. But that shouldn't be surprising because as we find out right from the start, Fiona has a somewhat questionable past, despite all her ladylike qualities, and being far away in the north suits her just fine. In fact, in Gold Web, we find out even more about her past and how her life on the streets as a young girl contributed to the determined, clever and crafty woman who is tough enough to own a saloon in a town filled with men struck with gold fever.

All the regulars are back -- Angus, her twelve-year-old son who works part-time in the general store and dreams of being a Mountie; the handsome North-West Mounted Police Corporal Richard Sterling who has a soft spot for Fiona but can't seem to tell her about it, partly because he's too busy keeping the rowdiness of this wild town in check; and, her business partner Ray Walker.

Dawson, being a wide open town with lots of gold nuggets flowing across the bars, gambling tables and stages, attracts an equally boisterous gang of prospectors and women. This time, there's a murder out back of the Savoy and the victim calls out Fiona's name as he stumbles towards her.

The story is rich in historical references. You can see the mud on the street as Fiona tucks her skirt into her boots and trudges along; cringe at the sight of the lecherous drunks; and get a sense of the tightrope the NWMP would often walk in order to keep law and order.

Delany has added another historical layer this time, that has the possiblity of the Scottish Independence Movement taking hold in the Yukon and hints of the Fenian Brotherhood. There's also the American interest in obtaining the territory and even a plot to trade Alaska in exchange for the Yukon...well, you'll have to read it to get the whole picture.

Vicki Delany has managed to fill the pages with a different era, with history and scenery that comes alive on the pages, and with three-dimensional characters whose stories will capture you in the web. The Gold Web, that is.

MYSTERY REVIEW

FIRE ON THE RUNWAY
by Mel Bradshaw
Dundurn

Fire on the Runway is not so much of a mystery as a spy story set mainly in Toronto during the Jazz Age, after World War I. It's the second outing for Bradshaw's Toronto cop, Paul Shenstone, a man who like many at that time, had served overseas during the war.

The story is as much that of 'Lucy', a mysterious woman who is found unconscious at the scene of a bomb blast in a downtown hotel. When she comes to, it appears she doesn't speak English so Shenstone has her taken to the hospital while he continues the on-site investigation. When it comes time to further question Lucy, she's done a runner and Shenstone blames himself.

Lucy's story is intertwined throughout the novel. We learn of her early days growing up in Poland and the point at which her sympathies turned to the Marxist credo and her loyalties, to Russia as they invaded her home country in 1920. Her life as a spy and temptress is as intriguing as the details of the war unfolding in that part of the world. Her story continues as, disillusioned, she flees to the U.S. with stolen film outlining German rearmament, with the aid of Russia. Turns out, she's being tracked every step of the way and the bomb in Toronto was meant for her.

As Bradshaw finds Lucy again, rather she finds him, and he learns of her story, he's drawn into the urgency of her quest. At this point, she wants to turn over the film to the Canadian government. Unable to elicit the support of the Toronto police, Shenstone turns to the RCMP, and eventually to a WWI flying ace, Kip Whitehead which leads to a betrayal that shocks them all.

There's plenty of action in Fire on the Runway to keep readers turning the pages. The attention to historical detail is well worth the read. In fact, this novel can be read on many levels -- as history, as spy thriller, and as the continuing adventures of a Toronto cop.

Mel Bradshaw, nominated for an Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Novel for Death in the Age of Steam, continues to delight crime fans who enjoy delving into the past, along with solving their mysteries.

MYSTERY REVIEW

Twilight is Not Good For Maidens
by Lou Allin
Dundurn



This third outing in the Corporal Holly Martin series had me riveted right from the beginning. Here we have the quiet Vancouver Island community of Sooke, not far from the ocean, a vacation dreamland. Sounds ideal, doesn't it? The perfect setting to be marred by an attempted sexual assault, and later, a murder.

That's what mystery authors do. They pick the perfect setting and then turn it on its head by inflicting a crime. The fact that Allin is adept at describing her setting so that the reader actually sees it, adds to the drama. Another aspect of Allin's writing that keeps the reader turning the pages is how she manages to weave reality into the fiction. RCMP Corporal Martin relates what's happening in her small detachment to the broader spectrum of recent police tribulations in the province. It turns the fiction into another story from the headlines.

This time, her constable, the amiable Chipper Knox Singh, is accused of sexual assault by a teenage driver he stopped. Holly believes he's innocent but realizes, because of regulations, she's unable to help him. Then there is another attack at the oceanside campgrounds, this one ending in the murder of a young woman.

When a third attack at French Beach results in the victim giving a description of her attacker, the wary police officers are hopeful of putting an end to the crimes. But Holly is a lowly Corporal and the RCMP hierarchy has the Integrated Crime Unit from West Shore in charge of the cases. But it's just a matter of time until she's putting the clues together and ends up as the killer's next target.

An ongoing thread in the three Holly Martin books is the unanswered question of what happened to her Mom who went missing several years earlier. This time around, Holly finally gets some leads and her determination to get some answers sends her on another quest.

The two earlier books in the series are, And on the Surface Die, and She Felt No Pain. They do not have to be read in order but you'll want to start the journey with Holly from the beginning. She's a vulnerable, determined, smart young police officer; a fine addition to the police procedurals set in Canada. I'm already waiting for the fourth!


Lou Allin is the author of two series, the Holly Martin and Belle Palmer mysteries. After teaching for many years at Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario, she now lives near Sooke on Vancouver Island. Her Rapid Read novel, Contengency Plan has been shortlisted for an Arthur Ellis Best Novella Award this year from Crime Writers of Canada.