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.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

“P” is for Edward O. Phillips

Moving through the Alphabet in Crime Fiction meme hosted by Kerrie Smith at Mysteries in Paradise we have reached the letter “P”. I am profiling another Canadian author, Edward O. Phillips.

Phillips was born in 1931.

Good Reads summarizes his life:

Phillips is a Canadian who has lived most of his life in Westmount, Quebec. He earned a law degree from the Université de Montréal in 1956, but decided against legal practice. He subsequently graduated from Harvard University with a Master's Degree in Teaching, and later earned a second Master's Degree in English Literature from Boston University
.

I am always alittle sad when someone completes law school but does not practise law. I have no good reason beyond regretting someone went through the challenges of law school but did not become a lawyer.

After completing his multiple degrees Phillips taught school for 7 years before becoming an artist. There are conflicting reports on his artistic career.

Wikipedia says:

“His work was exhibited in five one-man and numerous group
shows.”

The Quebec Writers Federation Literary Database of English Quebec Authors has another view:

“After teaching in both public and private schools, he embarked on a brief, undistinguished career as a painter. After he had sold pintings to his family and friends, he tried his hand at writing fiction.”

He started writing in 1981. He has 11 books with his mystery series featuring Geoffry Chadwick, a Montreal corporate lawyer.

Chadwick is a gay man with a more complex lifestyle than most gay sleuths. He has been married to a person of the opposite sex. With gay marriage now legal in Canada I need to be clear on marital gender when discussing marital status.

I have read one book in the “Sunday” series of Chadwick books. It was Buried on Sunday which won the Arthur Ellis Award.

In the book Chadwick gets personally caught up in a hostage situation with fleeing bank robbers. It is cleverly written.

I found Phillips a witty and humorous writer. In an interview at Cormorant books Chadwick observed humour is more fuzzy than wit. He quoted Noel Coward saying Oscar had wit but no humour.

After reading the book I wrote Anthony Bidulka saying I saw Chadwick as fictional uncle to Anthony’s sleuth, Russell Quant. Anthony said he had Chadwick books to read but had not reached them.

9 comments:

  1. Bill - Thanks very much for this profile of Chadwick and his books. It's very interesting that he's got talent as an artist as well as an author and an attorney. I'm glad you've enjoyed his work; I will have to read some of it.

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  2. All right, another Canadian mystery author to add to my list. The Chadwick series sounds interesting. I see that I can locate some used copies. Thanks very much.

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  3. Margot: Thanks for the comment. Anyone who obtains a degree in law and two master's degree obviously loves learning. I will be interested in your thoughts after you read some of his writing.

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  4. TracyK: Thanks for the comment. There are alot of Canadian mystery authors.

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  5. Wow, what an interesting writer. Thanks for the introduction.

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  6. Clarissa: Thanks for the comment. I hope you get a chance to read Phillips.

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  7. I have read every one of the books which Edward O. Phillips has written and have found then tremendously entertaining and exceptionally well written.. delightful romps in many instances. I hope he continues to write.

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  8. I own one of his paintings and enjoy it very much.

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    Replies
    1. Darryle: Thanks for the comment. I am glad you provided your perspective on his artistic talent.

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