2016 Arthur Ellis Awards Shortlists

For lovers of Canadian mysteries late April is a great time of the year as the Shortlists for the Arthur Ellis Awards are announced. The Crime Writers of Canada held a series of events across Canada tonight to announce the Shortlists.

For the first time in four years I have already read one of the books on the shortlist. Earlier this year I read The Night Bell. I regret to say it was not one of my top Canadian reads of the last year.

Once again it is my intention to read and review and rank the books on the shortlist for Best Novel.

One good thing about not having read most of the Shortlist for Best Novel means I am introduced to some new Canadian mystery writers.

Of the remaining nominees I am glad to see Jayne Barnard on the Shortlist for Best Unpublished Novel. She is a Facebook friend and a true devotee of crime fiction.

The full shortlists are:

Best Novel

Peggy Blair, Hungry Ghosts, Simon & Schuster
John Farrow, The Storm Murders, Minotaur
Andrew Hunt, A Killing in Zion, Minotaur
Peter Kirby, Open Season, Linda Leith Publishing
Inger Ash Wolfe, The Night Bell, McClelland & Stewart
 
Best First Novel

J. Mark Collins, Hard Drive, iUniverse
David Hood, What Kills Good Men, Vagrant Press
Ausma Zehanat Khan, The Unquiet Dead, Minotaur
Alexis Koetting, Encore, Five Star
Brian R. Lindsay, Old Bones, Volumes Publishing
 
Best Novella

Jeremy Bates, Black Canyon, Dark Hearts
Alison Bruce, Deadly Season, Imajin Books
M.H. Callway, Glow Glass, Carrick Publishing
Barbara Fradkin, The Night Thief, Orca Book Publishers
Brian Harvey, Beethoven’s Tenth, Orca Book Publishers
 
Best Short Story

Karen Abrahamson, With One Shoe, The Playground of Lost Toys, Exile Press
Hilary Davidson, The Seige, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Sharon Hunt, The Water Was Rising, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
Scott Mackay, The Avocado Kid, Ellery Queen’s Mystery Magazine
S. G. Wong, Movable Type, AB Negative Anthology, Coffin Hop Press
 
Best Book in French

Luc Chartrand, L'Affaire Myosotis, Québec Amérique
Jean-Louis Fleury, L'affaire Céline, Éditions Alire
André Jacques, La bataille de Pavie, Druide        
Jean Lemieux, Le mauvais côté des choses, Québec Amérique
Guillaume Morrissette, L'affaire Mélodie Cormier, Guy Saint-Jean éditeur
 
Best Juvenile/YA Book

Robert Hough, Diego’s Crossing, Annick Press
Jeff Ross, Set You Free, Orca
Kevin Sands, The Blackthorn Key, Aladdin
Allan Stratton, The Dogs, Scholastic
Stephanie Tromley, Trouble is a Friend of Mine, Kathy Dawson Books
 
Best Nonfiction Book

Gary Garrison, Human on the Inside: Unlocking the Truth about Canada’s Prisons, University of Regina Press
Dean Jobb, Empire of Deception, Harper Collins Publishers
Debra Komar, The Bastard of Fort Stikine: The Hudson’s Bay Company and the Murder of John McLoughlin Jr., Goose Lane Editions
Jerry Langton, Cold War, Harper Collins Publishers
 
The Dundurn Unhanged Arthur for Best Unpublished First Crime Novel

Jayne Barnard, When the Flood Falls
Alice Bienia, Knight Blind
Pam Isfeld, Brave Girls
J.T. Siemens, Better the Devil You Know
J.G. Toews, Give Out Creek

More Bookshops in Canada's Booktown

Tulips at Butchart Gardens

In my last post I wrote about two of the six bookstores in Sidney, British Columbia. Sidney is Canada’s only booktown.

After visiting Beacon Books and the Military and History Bookstore my next stop was at Tanner’s Books. The store provides readers with a wide variety of new books. What makes the store unique are two areas. It has a huge magazine section with over 2,000 magazines and 40 newspapers. In the back is the absorbing Travel and Nautical Room. Within the room are over 500 maps and nautical charts. As well there is a large collection of travel and nautical books.

I spent some time in the Mystery section. The photo shows a selection of the books in the section that includes books by Peter May I have read and reviewed.

Next door is The Children’s Bookshop. It is a bright airy bookstore with a large collection of children’s books. The website for Sidney as Booktown describes the books available:

We have books on everything from A to Z: airplanes, bears, cooking, drawing, Encyclopaedia Brown, fairies, growing up, Harry Potter, inuksuks, jokes, kites, little girls, mermaids, Nancy Drew, ordinary kids, pirates, quilting, rocks, sisters, totem poles, underwear, volcanoes, Waldo, x-rays, yearlings, and Zambonis.

Moving down the street is The Haunted Bookshop. Beyond having a great name it is Vancouver Island’s oldest bookshop being founded in 1947. It was nice to see a bust of Shakespeare welcoming book lovers.

Inside is an intriguing combination of out-of-print books and ordinary secondhand books. Antiquarians will enjoy the opportunity to look for books.

I took a look at the paperback mysteries. There is a modest selection.

On the way out of the store I noticed a few paperbacks on a table. On top was Alison Gordon’s book, Safe at Home. While glad to see her mysteries in the store I was sad that they were on the clearance table at $1.00 per book. I guess I had hoped she was a more significant author whose books kept their value. I bought Safe at Home.

My last stop was at Galleon Books and Antiques. With regard to books:

This shop specializes in non-fiction subjects, including BC history, Exploration, First Nations, Military, and Art History. Antiquarian and collectible books can also be found.

There is a greater assembly of antiques and collectibles than books in the store.

After completing the tour of the books Sharon and I walked abit along the waterfront and decided our next stop would be the Butchart Gardens. They are among the most beautiful in the world. Below is a photo of part of the Sunken Garden.

 

 

 

 

Sidney, British Columbia is Canada's Booktown

Sharon and I are spending an extra long weekend on Vancouver Island. Yesterday we made a trip out to Sidney, about 25 km, from Victoria. Sidney is unique in Canada as it is our nation's only booktown.

It is a beautiful weekend on the island with the tulips and fruit trees in blossom. Sidney's downtown has planters filled with flowers. Coming from Saskatchewan where last weekend it had reached -16C it was a lovely welcome to the Island.

Beacon Street is the main shopping street stretching from the highway to the ocean. In a 5 block stretch are 6 bookstores. It is remarkable to find 6 bookstores in a community of 11,500 people. During the day I stopped at all of the bookstores.

The first was Beacon Street Books. On the Sidney Booktown

website it is described as: 

 A general bookstore of secondhand books – 4,000 sq.ft. – thousands of good used books covering categories the Arts,
Classics & Literature, General Fiction, Nature, Travel, Nautical, Music, Reference, 
    Canadiana, Self-Help, and the Sciences. Browse in our Modern First
    Editions and Authors Signed editions, and look through our
    collectable, rare, and antiquarian books.

I looked through the general mystery section of current books. There was a nice selection but I restrained myself.

My next stop down the street was at the Military and History Bookshop. The store had the largest collection of military books I have seen since I was at a comparable bookstore in the other booktown I have visited, Stillwater, Minnesota.

As you enter the store there are a pair of mannequins in Canadian uniforms. In the hand of the female mannequin in a naval uniform is a copy of the book She Went to War - The Rhonda Cornum Story by Rhonda Cornum.

I spent quite awhile browsing in the sections dedicated to World War II and left with two books.

The first, Seduced by Hitler by Adam LeBor and Roger Boyes is about the choices made by people who lived under Nazi rule in and outside Germany during WW II. The decisions made by ordinary Europeans during the war have long fascinated me.

The second, How Papa Won The War by Gordon Wagner, is an autobiography of a veteran who grew up in rural Saskatchewan and served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during the war. He spent time on duty in Canada, England and India.

In addition to the beautiful flowers Sidney has lifesize statues of people sitting on benches along Beacon Street.

Next to Tanner Books is a statue of an older woman reading a book. A town putting up statues with a reading theme is impressive.

After my tour Sharon and I finished the day in Sidney with a Pier Platter (smoked trout, citrus prawns, smoked salmon, crusted tuna, pickled salad, olives, almonds and flatbread) and fresh salmon main course at Haro's Restaurant.

My next post will cover the remaining four bookstores in Sidney.

(I took the photos for this post with my trusty IPhone Plus.)

The Heart of Hell by Alen Mattich

(17. – 859.) The Heart of Hell by Alen Mattich – The third Marko Della Torre novel is a continuation of Killing Pilgrim. In that book Swedish Prime Minister, Olof Palme, was assassinated by a killer from the Yugoslavian Secret Service. The story sees Della Torre involved in an American plan to kill the assassin known as “The Montenegrin”.

With this book carrying on the story it is difficult to review without passing on information that would potentially spoil Killing Pilgrim. There are spoilers in this review with regard to the earlier book.

It has been a few months since the end of Killing Pilgrim and Della Torre is back in Zagreb. The simmering conflict between Croatia and Serbia over Croatia’s declaration of independence has boiled into war. Regular and irregular Serb forces are attacking Croatia by land and blockading the Croatian coast.

While America does not recognize Croatia’s independence members of the Croatian government are working hard to gain American support.

When America wants help in going after the Montenegrin for killing the three Americans who tried to kill him the Croatian government will gladly assist.

As Della Torre was a part of the earlier mission he is pressed, even threatened, to aid the American intelligence officers going after the Montenegrin.

It is clear to Della Torre that the Americans are after corrupt police officer, Julius Strumbic, who was part of the earlier mission. The American team is not interested in seeing Strumbic arrested.

Still, why would America put such resources into pursuing the killers of a trio of Americans who had undertaken a dangerous mission? Della Torre never really knew why Palme would be assasinated by a Yugoslavian agent. There were rumours related to Swedish assembly of centrifuges used in nuclear power and bombs but why a Yugoslavian conducted killing? Centrifuges were being sent to Yugoslavia but what risk could Palme be to Yugoslavia?

Despite threats against his family Della Torre refuses to join the Americans and sets out with his superior for Dubrovnik with some vague plan to warn Strumbic. While his journey and quest are in the best traditions of thriller fiction it was the weakest part of the plot. With Dubrovnik under a tight blockade it is almost impossible to reach the city. It would have been simpler to have sent a message to Strumbic. Though getting a message through would have been difficult it would have been easier than breaching the blockade.

The actual getting through the blockade was the best part of the book. It was ingenious and unexpected.

I did not really find enough in the plot to sustain the American killing mission and resolution of Killing Pilgrim. Now it may be somewhat unfair as Killing Pilgrim had such a brillian premise and execution. The theme of The Heart of Hell is more modest. Mattich did raise my reading expectations with the excellence of Killing Pilgrim. I found The Heart of Hell an average thriller.

I missed a deeper involvement in the book of Della Torre’s family. They played roles but were not as important as in Killing Pilgrim. Their minor presence left the book a more conventional thriller.

I did gain appreciation of the ferocity of Balkan wars. Hatred runs deep in Croatia and Serbia.

****

Mattich, Alen - (2015) - Killing Pilgrim and Who Killed Olof Palme?

Governor Sarah Palin and Red Parkas

I have despaired at times while reading the fine Clothes in Books blog of my blogger friend Moira Redmond as she has posted photos and images of women wearing purported winter clothes that would not allow the wearer to survive an hour in actual winter weather. (I exaggerate. They would survive but would soon be enduring frostbite and needing medical attention.)

At last I now have a chance to show some actual winter wear connected to a book that will permit a woman to still look fashionable before the world.

Helen Mercer, the stylish and beautiful governor of Alaska, is an amazing character in Tundra Kill by Stan Jones. As set out in previous posts she was clearly inspired by former Alaskan Governor, Sarah Palin.

In the book Jones has Mercer wearing a red Helly Hansen parka. While it is April on the Northwest coast of Alaska winter’s grip is still strong upon the land.

As Ms. Palin is constantly photographed I was able to find photos of her in actual parkas. They are even red parkas. From looking at photos of Ms. Palin in a variety of clothes she loves red.

It seems women in red attract attention in mysteries. I enjoyed Red Mandarin Dress by Qiu Xiaolong and wrote both a review of the book and a post on red mandarin dresses. I wonder if Ms. Palin has a red mandarin dress in her closet of red. She would wear it well and look stunning.

I quibble abit with the lack of anything on her head in her parka photos but am confident that as soon as the cameras were turned off she would have put on a cap or headband.

I think she looks great in her parkas.

In the interest of truth she may not be wearing Helly Hansen parkas in the photos. Here is a photo of an actual Helly Hansen woman’s parka.

Helly Hansen was founded by Norwegian sea captain, Helly Hansen, and his wife, Maren Margarethe. The company has been making outerwear to deal with all climates for almost 140 years.

For the woman headed into real winter weather I can recommend a Helly Hansen parka. Style and warmth for less than $500.

****

 Jones, Stan – (2009) - White Sky, Black Ice; (2010) - Shaman Pass; (2012) - "J" is for Stan Jones; (2013) - Frozen Sun; (2013) - Q & A with Stan Jones on Nathan Active and Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte - Part I and Part II; (2015) - Village of the Ghost Bears; (2015) - Radio in Indigenous Mystery Series; (2016) - Tundra Kill and An Exchange with Stan Jones on Sarah Palin and Helen Mercer; Hardcover

An Exchange with Stan Jones on Helen Mercer and Sarah Palin

While reading Tundra Kill by Stan Jones I was fascinated by his character, Governor Helen Mercer. I wrote to Stan and he kindly replied. I appreciate his responses. My letter and his reply (in bold) are below:

****

Dear Stan

Thank you for sending me a copy of Tundra Kill for review. I enjoyed reading the book and will have a review posted shortly.

I am intrigued by Helen aka Wheels aka Suka Mercer in the book. She is a striking character whose fictional personality dominates the book.

Last year I wrote a review of Palace of Treason by Jason Matthews. In the book one of his prominent characters is Vladimir Putin, the actual President of Russia, as a character in his work of fiction. He gives Putin a murderous venal character.

I subsequently put up a trio of posts on the issue of libel when real life people or thinly disguised actual people are featured in fiction.

I note you have the usual disclaimer that Tundra Kill is a work of fiction and resemblance to anyone is “purely coincidental”. However, Suka as she prefers to be called in the book, must have been inspired by former Alaska governor, Sarah Palin.

Between the physical description down to the rectangular glasses and high cheekbones to the “manic personality” to being the former Governor of Alaska to being an American Vice-Presidential candidate to her love of red clothing the resemblance is remarkable.

You are not the first author I have read that looked to a recognizable real life political leader for an important role in a mystery. Just over 25 years ago Saskatchewan author, Gail Bowen, in the first book of the Joanne Kilbourn series created Andy Boychuk as Saskatchewan Premier. He was clearly patterned on actual former Premier Roy Romanow. Boychuk became her first victim dying from a poisoned glass of water at a summer political picnic.

If you are willing I have a few questions:

1.) Do you happen to know Ms. Palin and, if so, what is your relationship? Saskatchewan is a small province in population and I have met several of our Premiers over the years. I expect with Alaska not having a large population there is a good chance you have met Governors;

You're right, Alaska's a very small state, except geographically, I often say that we have zero degrees of separation up here, meaning everybody seems to know everybody. Think of us as a 650,000 square mile village!

So, yes, I have met Sarah Palin, though it might be an exaggeration to say we know each other. I remember the encounter, but I'm sure she does not.

It was in 2008 when she was running for governor. My boss at the time was a Palin supporter. I shook hands and exchanged pleased-to-meetchas with her when we met her plan at the Anchorage airport. So, if that qualifies as 'knowing' the former governor, put me on the list!

2.) By this time I am sure Ms. Palin would know about Suka and the plot of Tundra Kill. Without giving particulars from the book there are aspects of Suka that might be uncomfortable if not upsetting. Has Ms. Palin responded to the book?

She has not responded, so I don't know if she's aware of it or not. Seems fairly likely since, as noted above, Alaska is basically America's largest small town.

3.) In your acknowledgements you express appreciation to a pair of Alaskan lawyers for their assistance on several matters. Without compromising attorney client privilege I would interested in whether they or any other attorneys reviewed your depiction of Suka from a libel perspective and what you might be willing to share on how you crafted Suka considering the issue of libel.

I didn't have it reviewed expressly for libel risk, though, as you note, a couple of lawyers advised me on various aspects of the story. And my very experienced agent read it from cover to cover.

As far as techniques for avoiding libel, I made it abundantly clear in the text of the story that Helen Mercer is *not* Sarah Palin. Helen is from Chukchi; Sarah is from Wasilia. Helen is identified as Alaska's second woman governor; Sarah was the first. Helen's husband races dogs; Sarah's husband races snowmobiles; Helen was in the Alaska Legislature before being elected governor; Sarah was never in the Legislature; and so on -- there are other biographical differences, but probably too many to list.

And the most important difference: Sarah Palin has never been involved in a murder case!

Fact and fiction already blur in real life for me with regard to Ms. Palin (I do not use “Governor” as I have a hard time following the American way of calling someone by their title even after the job has ended.)

Earlier this year I watched Ms. Palin’s vigorous endorsement of Donald Trump. Subsequently, I saw the Saturday Night Live parody of the endorsement. Watching the two videos I found it challenging to separate the real from the unreal.

Funny you should mention that. As you may recall, Tina Fey did an amazing impression of Palin during the 2008 presidential race. At one point, Fey-as-Palin said, "I can see Russia from my house."

Hilarious, and absolutely sounds like Palin, even if she never said it.

Which takes me to my point: I still run into people from outside Alaska who are of the firm belief that Palin really did say it! They are shocked and a little disappointed to hear it was only a send-up on Saturday Night Live!

I see your portrayal of Suka as non-malicious which is a key element in American libel law.

4.) Can you become Governor of Alaska if you are not a hunter?

Good question! Legally, you can; politically, probably not!

I plan to post this email after putting up my review. I would be glad to include your replies to the questions if you are willing to have them posted. I will have a third post on Governor Palin and red parkas.

You have my permission to use my responses.

I think Nathan Active is a great character and hope Suka returns to the series.

Me too! I'll have to find a way!
 

Best wishes.

Bill Selnes

Thanks again for the great questions, and for your interest in the Nathan books!

Stan Jones

****

Jones, Stan – (2009) - White Sky, Black Ice; (2010) - Shaman Pass; (2012) - "J" is for Stan Jones; (2013) - Frozen Sun; (2013) - Q & A with Stan Jones on Nathan Active and Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte - Part I and Part II; (2015) - Village of the Ghost Bears; (2015) - Radio in Indigenous Mystery Series; (2016) - Tundra Kill Hardcover

Tundra Kill by Stan Jones

(16. – 858.) Tundra Kill by Stan Jones – Alaska Governor, Helen “Wheels” Mercer, has decided she wants Nathan Active as her personal bodyguard for a few days. The Governor is a compelling figure: 

Active masked his astonishment as she swept into the room, complete with the Helly-Hansen parka, the rectangle glasses, the weapons-grade cheekbones, and a cloud of the famous perfume, though he couldn’t remember what it was called. And the calf-length high-heel boots – what was the brand?

The Governor, back in in Chukchi where she had been a high school basketball star and later coach, insists to all concerned she be called “Suka” (Fast).

She has already gained notoriety from her last attempt at national office:

Especially since the run for vice-president on something called the Free America ticket that seemed to have stuck her manic personality in permanent overdrive.

The Governor has come North to gain some publicity and video as she prepares to launch a Presidential campaign. She has no filter between thought and speech and is very charming.

Jones describes her allure:

She turned summer eyes and the campaign smile on Cowboy. “You can get us through, right, Cowboy? You’re the famous Bush pilot. Don’t I remember the village girls calling you Clouddancer?”

Suka is flying inland on a bush plane to follow her husband’s effort to win the Isignaq 400 dogsled race that ends in Chukchi.

Having the handsome Active, an Inupiat, at her side can only enhance the video.

In Alaska what the Governor wants she gets and Active is in the plane sitting beside the Governor.

There can hardly be a North American who does not recognize that Suka has been inspired by former Alaska governor and Vice-Presidential candidate, Sarah Palin.

Forced down by bad weather they camp overnight on a slough. Suka enhances her video wilderness cred by shooting a caribou for supper. Her actual wilderness skills are selective. She gut shot a pregnant cow caribou and her son finishes the kill to avoid her getting blood on her clothes and he has to dress the animal for her.

Suka manipulates the sleeping arrangements to spend the night alone in the tent with Active sharing a sleeping bag. It is a double bag. Active maintains the slight distance possible from her. When they arise the Governor has scratches, self-inflicted or from the zipper, on her neck. Once public the scratches set social media afire and leave Grace Palmer, Active’s lover, enraged.

Between her overt sexuality, “manic personality” and powerful position Governor Mercer is a wonderful character who dominates Tundra Kill.

For much of the book Suka’s presence obscures the investigation into the death of Pete Wise, an alcoholism counselor, who has died after being run over by a snowgo (snowmobile in Canada) near Chukchi.

Finding a motive for someone to kill Wise is a challenge. Unlike most residents of Chukchi he has led a quiet life with few friends and no girlfriends. Many suspect he is gay.

Active is responsible for the murder investigation as he has moved from the State Troopers to become the Chief of Police for the newly created Chukchi Regional Borough. Modest in population the Borough is larger than 15 American states.

Active and Palmer are working on a permanent relationship. Issues from her past continue to haunt her.

Initially the book is less focused on Inupiat culture than earlier books in the series but the conclusion is amazing. It is dramatic and unexpected and could only have taken place in the Alaskan Arctic.

Jones has extensive insight into and knowledge of “village” life on the Northwest Coast of Alaska. The residents enjoy, even embrace, their physically isolated home. Jones makes me want to visit Alaska’s Northwest coast.

It is a land where a man is viewed with suspicion sho is not interested in muktuk supper:

The two women looked at each other and shook their hands in astonishment at the idea of an Inupiaq man passing up a nice chunk of boiled bowhead whale skin with an inch or two of fat still on. “Not even if it’s fresh!” Arlene said.

A decade ago I would have thought a Presidential run or even a Vice-Presidental campaign by the fictional Suka or the real life Palin would not have been credible fiction but real life is incredible.

Suka, Palin in my mind, is a character who will endure in a reader’s memory. I hope she is a character in the next Active book. She is charismatic and unpredictable and beautiful. Best of all an author can put her in incredible situations and be believable because of the soap opera aspects to the lives of former Governor Palin and her family.

Tundra Kill deserves to be a bestseller.      

****

Jones, Stan – (2009) - White Sky, Black Ice; (2010) - Shaman Pass; (2012) - "J" is for Stan Jones; (2013) - Frozen Sun; (2013) - Q & A with Stan Jones on Nathan Active and Napoleon "Bony" Bonaparte - Part I and Part II; (2015) - Village of the Ghost Bears; (2015) - Radio in Indigenous Mystery Series; Hardcover

New to Me Authors for January to March of 2016

Kerrie Smith, at her blog Mysteries in Paradise, hosts the meme New to Me Authors. I participate fairly often. It is an excellent place to get reading ideas for new authors, whether they are writing this year or a hundred years ago.

Most quarters I read 5-6 new authors. For January to March of 2016 I read 4 new authors though reading a trilogy by Philip Kerr was probably the difference in not reaching my usual new author pace.

The books and authors are:

            1.) Hostage by Kristina Ohlsson;

            2.) The Berlin Noir trio by Philip Kerr:

                        a.) March Violets;

                        b.) The Pale Criminal; and,
                        c.) A German Requiem.

            3.) The Hotel on Place Vendome by Tilar J. Mazzeo; and,

            4.) Wail of the Wendigo by Steve Pitt

Within the group The Hotel on Place Vendome is a work of non-fiction. I have not published my review but it will be up this second quarter of 2016. The book is a portrait of the Ritz Hotel in Paris especially during the World War II occupation by the Nazis.

 

One of the group was a Canadian author. Wail of the Wendigo, is part of the Young Adult series of books on the adventures of young future Canadian Prime Ministers. It is about the young Pierre Trudeau in the Yukon.

My favourite new author this quarter was an easy choice. I loved the Berlin Noir trilogy. I wish I had started reading Bernie Gunther mysteries much sooner. He is a fascinating character living in a place (Germany) at a time (Third Reich mainly) that is of great interest to me.

I started reading March Violets with the idea I would read the opening book and decide if I would return later to finish the trilogy. Once started I swept through all three books.

It is harder to decide which of the three books would be my top choice.

After looking at my reviews I choose March Violets. As with most series I find I enjoy the first in a series best as it is the story that has drawn me into the sleuth’s life and times.