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, June 14, 2012

Completion of the 5th Canadian Book Challenge

The Canadian Book Challenge was my only Reading Challenge in the past year. Hosted by John Mutford at the Book Mine Set blog it goes each year from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. John selected July 1 for the start of the challenge as it is Canada Day. In the challenge readers are to read 13 books written by Canadians over the 12 months. With 2 weeks to go in the Challenge I have completed the challenge and will finish the year having read 15 books by Canadians.
Back in March I put up a post updating the challenge. At that time I had read 9 books.

The books read to that date were:

1.) An Ordinary Decent Criminal by Michael Van Rooy;

2.) Deadly Appearances by Gail Bowen;

3.) A Trick of the Light by Louise Penny;

4.) The Mystery of the Moonlight Murder by Roderick Benns;

5.) Snow Job by William Deverell;

6.) Burnt Out by Nelson Brunanski;

7.) The Placebo Effect by David Rotenberg;

8.) The Lies have It by Jill Edmondson; and,

9.) I’ll See You in My Dreams by William Deverell.

Since March I have read:

10.) Bush Dweller (Essays in Memory of Father James Gray O.S.B. edited by Don Ward) – The only non-fiction book in the year was this collection of essays in memory of a Saskatchewan Benedictine monk, Father James, who taught me first year university English and lived as a solitary on the grounds of his monastery, St. Peter’s Abbey for 30 years while establishing deep and intimate relationships with a striking group of Canadians;

11.) TheSuspect by L.R. Wright – The first in the Karl Alberg series was a fascinating examination of the death of Carlyle Burke knowing from the first page was his neighbour, George Wilcox. It was a worthy Edgar winner;

12.) StrayBullets by Robert Rotenberg – The third mystery in the Toronto series featuring an assemble cast of lawyers and police dealt with a difficult murder. A 4 year old boy is killed in the parking lot of a Tim Horton’s coffee and doughnut shop in Toronto. Nancy Parrish faces the challenge of defending a man universally despised;

13.) Dos Equis by Anthony Bidulka – Russell Quant, in his 8th mystery, delves into the death of a colleague, Jane Cross. The action takes him from Saskatoon to rural Saskatchewan to the Pacific coast of Mexico as Russell tracks down a ruthless killer; and,

14.) Kaleidoscope by Gail Bowen – Joanne Kilbourn appears in her 13th mystery and it is one of the best in the series. Joanne retiring from being a university professor is looking forward to a quiet lake summer when she and husband, Zack Shreeve, become embroiled in a controversial project that would massively alter Canada’s most notorious neighbourhood.

The 15th book will be The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe which I am currently reading. It is the second in the series featuring Ontario police inspector, Hazel Micallef. The feisty Micallef celebrates an unusual 62nd birthday while dealing with a macabre, even grisly, mystery. I will be writing about Inger Ash Wolfe continuing to be unidentified. The third book in the series, A Door in the River, is to be released at the end of July.

I am glad I took on the challenge. With so many books on the TBR piles I am not sure I would have read 15 Canadian books over the year. I will identify my favourite at the start of the 6th Annual Canadian Book challenge in just over 2 weeks.

8 comments:

  1. Well done Bill. I'll look forward to your favourites from your list

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  2. Yes, congratulations. there are some good recommendations of Canadian authors here (some of whom I've already made a start on!).

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  3. Bill - This is terrific! I'm impressed, and I'm looking forward your review of The Taken.

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  4. It's sad that I haven't read more Canadian mysteries, especially because I am Canadian. I want to check out a few on your list.

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  5. Jose Ignacio: Thanks for the congratulations. It is a strong group of books. It will take some thinking on which are best.

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  6. Maxine: Thanks for the oompliment. I appreciate you find my reviews helpful. I enjoy your reviews greatly.

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  7. Margot: Thanks for your encouraging comment. The Taken is far from the usual mystery.

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  8. Clarissa: I also feel I do not read enough Canadian books. I hope you are able to read some of the books I enjoyed in this Challenge.

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