Flight of Aquavit by Anthony Bidulka

22. – 277.) Flight of Aquavit by Anthony Bidulka –The second mystery featuring gay Saskatoon private investigator, Russell Quant, is much better than the first novel. Plotting is defter and dialogue more natural. As Christmas draws near a “closeted” accountant is threatened with blackmail or be outed to his wife and the community. The investigation travels through the Saskatoon haunts of the gay community with assorted gay and lesbian friends. At home Russell’s mother, Kay, has come in from the farm to spend the Christmas season with him. She is a classic Ukranian farm mother focused on family and food. For the second mystery in a row there is not a body until far into the story (over 200 pages this time). There is the most imaginative, uniquely Saskatchewan, attempt at murder involving a 3 ton farm truck. (A flight of aquavit refers to downing shots of 3 different kinds of aquavit chased by beer.) (May 2/05) (2nd Best fiction in 2005)