About Me

My photo
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, April 19, 2018

2018 Shortlists for the Arthur Ellis Awards for Canadian Crime Fiction

If it is later April it is time for the Shortlists for the Arthur Ellis Awards to be announced. Annually the Crime Writers of Canada hold a series of events across Canada to announce the Shortlists.

In contrast to most years I have read one of the books on the shortlist for Best Crime Novel. I am excited to see Gail Bowen's excellent book, The Winners' Circle, on the shortlist. 

As I did not get through last year's shortlist I am not sure if I will follow a personal tradition of reading and reviewing and ranking the books on the shortlist for Best Novel. 
BEST CRIME NOVEL
The Winners’ Circle, by Gail Bowen, publisher McClelland & Stewart
The Party, by Robyn Harding, publisher Gallery/Scout Press
The White Angel, by John MacLachlan, publisher Gray Douglas and McIntyre
Sleeping in the Ground, by Peter Robinson, publisher McClelland & Stewart
The Forgotten Girl, by Rio Youers, publisher St. Martin’s Press
BEST FIRST CRIME NOVEL sponsored by Rakuten Kobo
Puzzle of Pieces, by Sally Hill Brouard, publisher FriesenPress
Full Curl, by Dave Butler, publisher Dundurn Press
Ragged Lake, by Ron Corbett, publisher ECW Press
Flush, by Sky Curtis, publisher Inanna Publications
Our Little Secret, by Roz Nay, publisher Simon & Schuster Canada, Inc.
BEST CRIME NOVELLA – The Lou Allin Memorial Award
Snake Oil, by M.H. Callway, published in 13 Claws by Carrick Publishing
How Lon Pruitt Was Found Murdered in an Open Field with No Footprints Around,
by Mike Culpepper, published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, by Dell
Blood & Belonging, by Vicki Delany, publisher Orca Book Publishers
Dead Clown Blues, by R. Daniel Lester, publisher Shotgun Honey
Money Maker, by Jas R. Petrin, published in Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine, by Dell
BEST CRIME SHORT STORY
The Outlier, by Catherine Astolfo, published in 13 Claws by Carrick Publishing
There be Dragons, by Jane Petersen Burfield, published in 13 Claws by Carrick Publishing
Jerusalem Syndrome, by Hilary Davidson, published in Passport to Murder Bouchercon Anthology 2017
by Down & Out Books
The Ranchero’s Daughter, by Sylvia Maultash Warsh, published in 13 Claws by Carrick Publishing
The Sin Eaters, by Melissa Yi, published in Montreal Noir by Akashic Noir
BEST NONFICTION CRIME BOOK
Murder in Plain English, by Michael Arntfield and Marcel Danesi, publisher Prometheus Books
The Whisky King, by Trevor Cole, publisher HarperCollins Publishers Ltd.
Blood, Sweat and Fear, by Eve Lazarus, publisher Arsenal Pulp Press
The Dog Lover Unit, by Rachel Rose, publisher St. Martin's Press
Police Wife: The Secret Epidemic of Police Domestic Violence, by Alex Roslin, publisher Sugar Hill Books
BEST JUVENILE/YOUNG ADULT CRIME BOOK
Missing, by Kelley Armstrong, publisher Penguin Random House Doubleday Canada
Chase - Get Ready to Run, by Linwood Barclay, publisher Penguin Random House Puffin Canada
The Disappearance, by Gillian Chan, publisher Annick Press Ltd.
Thistlewood, by Donna Chubaty, publisher Grasmere Publishing
The Lives of Desperate Girls, by MacKenzie Common,
publisher Penguin Random House Penguin Teen Canada
BEST CRIME BOOK IN FRENCH
Amqui, by Éric Forbes, publisher Héliotrope Noir
La vie rêvée de Frank Bélair, by Maxime Houde, publisher Éditions Alire Inc.
Les clefs du silence, by Jean Lemieux, publisher Québec Amérique
La mort en bleu pastel, by Maryse Rouy, publisher Éditions Druide
Les Tricoteuses, by Marie Saur, publisher Héliotrope Noir
BEST UNPUBLISHED MANUSCRIPT sponsored by Dundurn Press
The Alibi Network by Raimey Gallant
Finn Slew by Ken MacQueen
Destruction in Paradise by Dianne Scott
Dig, Dug, Dead by Sylvia Teaves

Condemned by Kevin Thornton

Posted by at

6 comments:

  1. AnonymousApril 19, 2018 at 5:16 AM

    Thanks for sharing these lists, Bill. Some of these really look interesting. And it's good to know that The Winners' Circle is on the list. Lots to enjoy, there.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bill SelnesApril 19, 2018 at 7:35 PM

    Margot: Thanks for the comment. There is a lot of good mystery fiction being written in Canada.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Clothes In BooksApril 24, 2018 at 2:31 PM

    Look forward to your picking out the best ones for us Bill!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill SelnesApril 25, 2018 at 8:06 PM

      Moira; I will do my best. So much reading, so little time.

      Delete
  4. AnonymousApril 26, 2018 at 7:56 PM

    Yes, please. I would not know where to start except with Gail Bowen. And I know Vicki Delaney.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Bill SelnesApril 26, 2018 at 8:43 PM

      Kathy D.: Thanks for the comment. The pressure is on. It is a good time for Canadian crime fiction.

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)