Burying Ariel by Gail Bowen

36.) Burying Ariel by Gail Bowen – The seventh Joanne Kilbourn mystery involves the murder of a young political science professor at the University of Regina. Joanne is swept into a maelstrom of feminist ideology, university politics and tortured personal relationships. In a refreshing change from almost every mystery hero she continues to enjoy a normal family. Anyone unfamiliar with Saskatchewan will gain a sense of our way of life and the people of our province. Excellent. Hardcover buy. (Sept. 15/00) (Second best fiction of 2000)

Frost Bite by Nelson Brunanski

40. – 553.) Frost Bite by Nelson Brunanski – The second Bart Bartowksi mystery opens with a uniquely Saskatchewan murder. Bart finds the victim, agri-business CEO Lionel Morrison, at the local Wheat Pool elevator dead under a pile of wheat with one hand stretching out of the grain. I was reminded of the clever ways in which Tony Bidulka has come up with rural Saskatchewan methods of attempted murder in the Russell Quant series. Having found the body Bart naturally pokes around to figure out what happened. While seeking to solve the mystery Bart’s personal life is simultaneously veering between huge highs and lows. While grumbling away he is looking forward to his daughter’s imminent wedding. At the same time he has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. (The cancer storyline certainly hit home with my diagnosis a year ago and brachytherapy treatment in Vancouver in the spring.) Brunanski has a deft touch in describing life in small town Saskatchewan. His characters could be my friends and neighbours. My favourite line is Bart’s lament that the wedding supper will not be dominated by the traditional trinity of sausage, perogies and cabbage rolls. While the personal and community stories are well done the mystery is less convincing. The leading local suspect is not a credible killer. The solution comes from one very obvious clue. The killer’s motivation is somewhat shaky and there was nothing in the story from which a reader could know the killer had a reason to murder. The book flows smoothly. The quick paced dialogue drew me through the book in the same way as Robert B. Parker’s Spenser books. The cover is outstanding again with a colourful elevator again dominant. It will both stand out in bookstores and skillfully highlights the themes of the story. If the mystery could be strengthened the next in the series could be a great book. See letter to author. (Oct. 8/10)

Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski

43. - 298.) Crooked Lake by Nelson Brunanski – A murder mystery set in rural Saskatchewan. The initial fun was identifying the real name of Crooked Lake. It took me about 40-45 pages. Bart Bartowski is an easy going, old timer hockey player who runs a fly-in fishing camp in northern Saskatchewan. As a member of the Regional Lake and Golf Course Board he decides he must investigate the bludgeoning death on the golf course of fellow board member, Harvey Kristoff, even though he disliked Kristoff. Getting knocked out and almost killed does not deter him. A second murder and RCMP anger over his investigation barely slow him. His wife, Rosie, and son, Stuart, and daughter, Annie, worry about him. Yet again a Saskatchewan mystery where the hero has a real family. It is a good story that faithfully depicts life in rural Saskatchewan. The only flaws are the errors in the description of criminal law. An excellent first mystery. (Sept. 10/05)

Plane Death by Anne M. Dooley

44. - 225.) Plane Death by Anne M. Dooley – Saskatoon pilot and flight instructor, Elie Meade, works to solve why a plane crashed in northern Saskatchewan killing Professor Jake Essen. She is under suspicion as family friend, Sgt. Griffeth, investigates the death. A second death at her complicates the mystery. The concept is clever. Who would have thought beach balls could be dangerous? The descriptions of Saskatoon are excellent. The hunt for diamonds in Saskatchewan is placed too far north but there are a lot of diamonds in Saskatchewan. Like Gail Bowen’s Saskatchewan heroine, Joanne Kilbourn, Elie has a normal family with spouse and children, a rarity in mystery fiction. The dialogue does not always sound right and the connections are sometimes contrived. Overall it is a good story. Paperback. (Aug. 9/04)

The Joining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasymchuk

Kerrie Smith at the Mysteries in Paradise blog has launched the Alphabet in Crime Fiction - a Community Meme in which paricipants post a blog each week on a letter of the alphabet. I have started late on the alphabet with G. This week I am posting a Saskatchewan mystery for H. 

32. - 347.)  The Joining of Dingo Radish by Rob Harasymchuk – A Saskatchewan mystery thriller featuring Dingonaslav Marion Radashonovich. Dingo, his mentally challenged brother Pitch and promiscuous sister Marty live in Bennington Falls. They are far on the wrong side of the tracks in the small town of about 1,000. With parents gone Marty works at the local hotel and Dingo supports the family from his labouring job at the local private farm supply centre. To supplement his income Dingo has been a thief from other supply centres. Dingo is too hard to be a likeable rogue but he is charming. To finish financing their escape from town Dingo hatches a major scheme involving Steigman Biotechnologies, a major pesticide / herbicide company in Saskatoon. As he plots he encounters Emily Todd, a radical environmentalist. The action heats up and the body count is huge. I found the characterization of the small town excessively negative. As the killings pile up I found myself thinking this is not credible in Saskatchewan. Really the issue was any thriller filled with bodies is probably not credible to the people who live in the area. The plot is well done and would have been plausible to me had there been fewer deaths. The voices of the characters are Saskatchewan voices. Harasymchuk has actually created a Hollywood thriller set in Saskatchewan. I would not have thought it possible to find such believable villains in our province. Great Saskatchewan cover. Paperback because it was too incredible. (July 10/06)

Silence Invites the Dead by Scott Gregory Miller

Kerrie Smith at her blog, Mysteries in Paradise, is hosting a meme, the Alphabet in Crime Fiction. This week mysteries involving the letter "M" are being posted. I have chosen a Saskatchewan mystery. Set in the late winter of Sakatchewan it seemed particularly appropriate when spring is coming slow to Saskatchewan in 2011. There is still half a meter of snow in my backyard. The book provides excellent descriptions of rural Saskatchewan.

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35. - 445.) Silence Invites the Dead by Scott Gregory Miller – What an opening! A veteran journalist, Myles Sterling, and two Canadian soldiers, Colonel John McTaggart (think of Romeo D’Allaire) and Captain Ed Braun, struggle to hold their sanity in the carnage of Rwanda. All 3 return to Saskatchewan and 7 years later are in Candle Lake when the body of the Colonel is found in the lake near his ice fishing hut. Despite an official finding of accidental death Sterling is convinced it was murder. As he searches for the truth he becomes involved with the beautiful Bonnie Matheson and her artistic brother, Brendan. The investigation is hampered by the miseries of the late Saskatchewan winter. The overall plot is excellent. I found the ending alittle contrived. The characters do not always seem like they are from Saskatchewan. The physical descriptions of the province are completely convincing. It was a good book. I expect the next will be better. In the pantheon of Saskatchewan fictional investigators Sterling is a considerable distance behind Joanna Kilbourn and Russell Quant. (Aug. 24/08)

Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland

32. - 591.) Gunshot Road by Adrian Hyland – Emily Tempest is a force of nature in the vast Northern Territory of Australia. Half aborigine she has an outsize attitude and personality. Her language is salty. She speaks her mind on any subject. She prizes her independence and is insatiably curious. Emily is the classic hard boiled detective. Her personality is far different from the quiet Napoleon “Bony” Bonaparte of Arthur Upton.

As she starts her career as an ACPC (Aboriginal Community Police Officer) with the Bluebush police detachment there is a call from the Green Swamp Well Roadhouse of a murder. Elderly geologist / prospector / philosopher, Doc Ozolins, has been killed by a pickaxe still lodged in his throat. The night before he had been fighting with an equally aged prospecting companion, Wireless. With Wireless asleep in the cabin with the deceased and no other suspects it is no surprise Wireless is arrested.

Expected to stay docile while the guys do the investigating Em is not backing down from any man or group of men. Emily, doubting Wireless is guilty, sets out to investigate the death. Being a hard boiled detective has costs. Hyland does not flinch from the consequences of Emily’s actions.

The investigation veers between the primitive bush camps of aborigine mobs, the barely less primitive urban aborigine camps and the comfortable white population.

Hyland sets out the bias and prejudice of the white population to the aborigine people. Dark in colour Emily is far closer to her aboriginal heritage. She does not appear to realize she equally stereotypes and has a strong judgmental attitude with regard to white people.

In common with other remote areas of the world the weather dominates life. In the Northern Territory it is searing heat that occupies the residents. All decisions must take into account the extreme temperatures.

It was striking how people explode in the hot nights. In most of Canada the extreme temperatures are cold with nights being the coldest. There is less violence on cold Canadian winter nights. Freezing dampens alcohol fuelled tempers. It is just too cold to fight outside.

The book delves into aboriginal life with their traditions and connections with the land working well in the story. I did miss their bush craft not playing a significant role in the story

I found myself comparing Hyland’s depiction of contemporary life, especially aboriginal life, with life 60 years ago in the same areas of Australia in the Bony books . Hyland provides wonderful word pictures of the harsh demanding land. There has been no improvement in lifestyle for the aboriginal people. If anything, there has been deterioration. Moving away from their traditional lives has not gone well for the aboriginal people portrayed by Hyland.

I enjoyed the book. Emily is a remarkable character. Unfortunately, I did not like the ending. To say more would be a spoiler. If someone has read the book I would be glad to exchange views by email on my reasons. I will read more of Emily Tempest. (June 13/11)

Canadian Book Challenge and Under the Midnight Sun Readathon

It is Canada Day!!!

In honour of Canada’s 144^th birthday I have signed up for the Canadian Book Challenge at John Mutford’s blog, the Book Mine Set.

This will be the 5^th year that John has hosted the Challenge in which readers are invited to read 13 Canadian books between July 1, 2011 and July 1, 2012. The number of books reflects Canada’s 10 provinces and 3 territories.

For each book read there is a recognition level based on a Canadian body of water.

Last year there were 56 entrants who read 859 books.

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As well, John is inviting readers around the world to join him in The Under the Midnight Sun Readathon. Starting July 2 noon (local time) readers are encouraged to spend the next 24 hours reading Canadian books. John, as a resident of Yellowknife, will have the benefit of that midnight sun for all 24 hours. Here in Saskatchewan we will have about 17 hours of daylight. It is a wonderful concept. I will join in the reading but am not up to 24 hours of reading.