6th Canadian Book Challenge and the Best of the 5th Challenge

The 5^th Canadian Book Challenge ended on June 30, 2012 and the 6^th Challenge began on Canada Day, July 1, 2012. As with each year’s challenge participants are to read 13 Canadian books over the course of the year. The number of 13 comes from our 10 provinces and 3 territories. John Mutford at his excellent blog, The Book MineSet, will again host the Challenge. Next to this paragraph is the logo for this coming year. You cannot get more Canadian iconic than a Mountie in red serge.

In the 5^th Challenge I read 15 Canadian books. The total was more than I had read in some years of Canadian books. For the coming year I will set a goal of reading 16 Canadian books.

John provided some stats on the 5^th Challenge:

Let's see what the stats say:
- We've read and reviewed a total of 1030 books! That is way up from the previous year, but still not a record (that was set back in the 2nd edition at 1137). The grand total for all 5 years combined is 4134.
- Of the people 58 who participated, 32 finished (reached 13 or more books). Again, not a record in terms of numbers but the 55% success rate is.
- Shonna broke a record by reading and reviewing an even 100. Impressive!

I have been considering the 15 books last year and chosen 3 of them as my top books. It was difficult as I found all of the books I read for the challenge above average.

The books read 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.

10.) Bush Dweller (Essays in Memory of Father James Gray O.S.B. edited by Don Ward)

11.) The Suspect by L.R. Wright

12.) Stray Bullets by Robert Rotenberg

13.) Dos Equis by Anthony Bidulka

14.) Kaleidoscope by Gail Bowen

15.) The Taken by Inger Ash Wolfe

My top 3 and the reasons are:

1.) Kaleidoscope – The 13^th Joanne Kilbourn book was an intriguing contemporary mystery delving into real life issues in Regina. Better yet it saw Joanne retiring as a university professor and starting the adjustment to life as a retired person. I further acknowledge I am biased because her husband, Zack, is a 50 plus Saskatchewan litigation lawyer;

2.) Bush Dweller – Not many books profoundly move me. Bush Dweller had that effect. The impact a solitary Benedictine monk, Father James, at St. Peter’s Abbey had on so many people across a broad spectrum was amazing. I wish I had taken the time to know him better when he was alive. The book has led me to reflect on my life. When I sit on my deck this summer and listen to the birds I think of Father James; and,

3.) The Suspect – I had not read any books of L.R. Wright until The Suspect. I doubt I would have read her this year if not for the Challenge. It has been my loss that I had not sought her out in years past. Wright wrote one of the most penetrating examinations of the psyche of a murderer that I have read. I was driven during the reading of the book to question whether I wanted George Wilcox proven to be the killer.

Kerrie Smith from Mysteries in Paradise completed the Challenge as well as numerous other challenges. She is a great reader.

Please take a virtual trip to Canada and the many excellent mystery choices available from Canadian authors.