About Me

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Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada
I am a lawyer in Melfort, Saskatchewan, Canada who enjoys reading, especially mysteries. Since 2000 I have been writing personal book reviews. This blog includes my reviews, information on and interviews with authors and descriptions of mystery bookstores I have visited. I strive to review all Saskatchewan mysteries. Other Canadian mysteries are listed under the Rest of Canada. As a lawyer I am always interested in legal mysteries. I have a separate page for legal mysteries. Occasionally my reviews of legal mysteries comment on the legal reality of the mystery. You can follow the progression of my favourite authors with up to 15 reviews. Each year I select my favourites in "Bill's Best of ----". As well as current reviews I am posting reviews from 2000 to 2011. Below my most recent couple of posts are the posts of Saskatchewan mysteries I have reviewed alphabetically by author. If you only want a sentence or two description of the book and my recommendation when deciding whether to read the book look at the bold portion of the review. If you would like to email me the link to my email is on the profile page.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

2013 Arthur Ellis Awards

2013 Arthur Ellis Awards - May 30, 2013

And the winner is...


Best First Novel
Simone St. James, The Haunting of Maddy Clare, NAL

Best Novel
Giles Blunt, Until the Night, Random House Canada

Best Novella
Lou Allin, Contingency Plan, Orca Books

Best Short Story
Yasuko Thanh, "Switch-blade Knife" in Floating Like the Dead, McClelland & Stewart

Best Nonfiction
Steve Lillebuen, The Devil's Cinema: The Untold Story behind Mark Twitchell's Kill Room, McClelland & Stewart

Best French Book
Mario Bolduc, La Nuit des albinos: Sur les traces de Max O'Brien, Libre Expression

Best Juvenile/YA Book
Shane Peacock, Becoming Holmes, Tundra Books

Best Unpublished First Novel, aka The Unhanged Arthur
Coleen Steele, Sins Revisited

Derrick Murdoch Award
Lyn Hamilton
**** 
 

The above winners of the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Awards were announced tonight in Toronto at the Annual Banquet held at the Arts and Letters Club.
 
For those interested in what Canadian mystery writers and guests eat at a banquet the menu was:
 
Salad of Seasonal Greens with Sweet Pepper, Bocconcini and
 
Toasted Pinenuts with Basil Caper Vinaigrette
 
 
Roast Breast of Chicken with Garlic and Lemon Glaze
 
White Beans and Tomatoes with Olives and Crispy Pancetta
 
Grilled Zucchini with Chilies
 
  
Tiramisu with Balsamic Strawberries
 
Coffee and a Selection of Teas
 
 
Vegetarian Entrée option:
 
 
Antipasto Tart with Grilled Peppers, Artichokes, Olives
 
& Pinenut Chevre on a Roasted Tomato-Basil Sauce

****
With regard to the winners, as I stated in an earlier post it was a year when I had not read any of the nominated books. Hopefully my 2013 - 2014 reading encompasses some of next year's nominees as happened in 2012 when I had read 3 of the 5 books on the shortlist for best mystery.
 
I have read Giles Blunt. He is a fine writer. I have not read some of his most recent books as the graphic depictions of violence in his early books had left me uncomfortable. With the Award for Best Novel I am going to have to consider again reading Blunt.
 
Congratulations to all the winners! 

7 comments:

  1. Bill, thanks for this post. I now have more Canadian crime writers to look out for. And the menu looks delectable.

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  2. Bill - Congratulations indeed to the winners. Giles Blunt has so much talent; it's good to see it recognised. And that menu looks very appetizing :-)

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  3. Prashant: Thanks for the comment. I wish I had been in Toronto for the meal and the event.

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  4. Margot: Thanks for the comment. I agree with your assessment of Blunt.

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  5. Glad to see the award winners.

    I may skip these books as I avoid books with supernatural elements and a lot of violence.

    The menu looks good.

    One book I can highly recommend by Canadian writer, Linwood Barclay, is his latest thriller is "Trust Your Eyes." What a great ride: a riveting plot and a lot of wit, which made me laugh out loud. It all comes together perfectly.

    Once I started this book I couldn't put it down, didn't sleep for a few days, just kept turning pages. A friend is now lost in its pages.

    Barclay's books just keep getting better and this one's a beaut.

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  6. Kathy D.: Thanks for the comment. It has been some time since I read Barclay. I think I should try him again.

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  7. Definitely open this book. And I'll try the three nominated for the Harper Lee award. Love legal mysteries. The Perry Mason TV show and books started me out as a teenager and I could spend my days reading this genre if I didn't consciously move beyond it.

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