Guest Post - Catherine McKenzie

I'm thrilled to welcome one of my favourite Canadian authors - Catherine McKenzie - to A Bookworm's World today. Catherine's newest book - Hidden - is newly released (my review)

I've been a fan since the debut of Spin in 2010. We did a guest post back then as well. Spin was a fun read, but also touched on a serious issue - addiction. Arranged was more chick lit with a touch of magic. I adored Forgotten  and yes, there were lots of chick lit elements, but I loved the idea of remaking your life. Every book has been completely different. Which brings us to Hidden and again a new direction. Where does your inspiration /idea for a book spring from? And the main character? Do you have a firm idea of where the book will go and end? Or do things change along the way? How 'real' do your protagonists become for you? Whew! Lots of questions!

"It's funny, because when I sat down to write my first book (Arranged) I didn't really think about genre. By that I mean, I didn't set out to deliberate write chick lit or women's fiction (whatever that is, really). I just had this idea in my head and I wanted to see if I could write it as a novel. I knew that some would characterize it as women's fiction (not that there's anything wrong with that!), but I really was just trying to write the best book I could at the time with the idea that wouldn't leave me alone. Same thing for Spin and Forgotten, too. And now with Hidden, again, I got the idea for the book, but I also wanted to stretch myself as a writer. I wanted to challenge myself by writing from three points of view, by writing from a male perspective. I'm an eclectic reader and my ideas come from all sorts of things; pop culture, stories I hear, some things I've experienced but not in the way you'd think (I really try not to write about myself). And I hope that my readers enjoy the fact that my books are all distinguishable from one another. I know that when fans contact me (which is awesome, thank you, thank you) everyone has a different favourite book of mine and for different reasons too. I love that.

As to the mechanics of how I write it goes something like this: (1) overall idea. (2) title (I love my one word titles). (3) Main character sketch (or main characters in the case of Hidden). (4) See the end -- where is this book going to go, where does the premise take you. (5) the twist -- what's the surprise going to be? Once I have those things down (mostly in my head) I start writing, usually without much more of an outline than that. I did use more of an outline for Hidden (I had to) but really, I suck at outlining.

The characters do become real to me. I have to find their voice to write in and when I'm writing them, I have to be in their voice. But once I get to the end of a book, I'm ready to let them go. Some writer friends talk about missing their characters, being sad that they can't spend more time with them. But I know a book is finished, that I've said all I could the best I could, when I know that I'll be fine without my characters, that they are no longer in my head, but on the page."

Thank you so much for stopping by Catherine. I love hearing the story behind the words!  You can find Catherine McKenzie on Facebook (Catherine is hosting an excerpt of Hidden on her Facebook page. The more ‘Likes’ she gets, the more she reveals.)  and  you can connect with Catherine on Twitter, as well as follow along with the blog tour  with the hashtag #HiddenBT. Or check out the tour page on The Savvy Reader.

Hidden - Catherine McKenzie

I've been a fan of Canadian author Catherine McKenzie from book one. She's just released her fourth book - Hidden. I never know what to expect when I start one of her books - all four have been completely different reads. What I do know is that I'm going to enjoy it.

What if you died unexpectedly?  What if there were secrets you were keeping? What would happen then....

"...we all lie about things. Little things, big things. We all keep stuff hidden. And the longer you're with someone, the more stuff there is like that..."

McKenzie explores that premise in Hidden. Jeff Manning is struck and killed by a car one night. This unexpected loss leaves two women grieving - his wife Claire.....and his co worker Tish.

Hidden is told in those three voices, with Jeff recounting his life with his wife and his...relationship... with Tish. We are privy to Claire's grief and her memories of their life together. And we get to know Tish and her family as well. (Sharp eyes will be able to tell whose chapter it is by the font used in the first line)

McKenzie's exploration of the dynamics of these relationships is incredibly well drawn. The sense of grief both women feel is palpable and beautifully written. My heart broke for Jeff's son Seth as he attempted to deal with his father's death. I initially expected to dislike Tish, given that she is 'the other woman'. But is she? When is a line crossed? I found my thoughts on each character and their choices changing with every new chapter and revelation revealed.

Although the main focus is these three characters, Catherine also explores the relationships between family members, friends and workmates as well. Tim and his brother Jeff have one of the most difficult of all. McKenzie does an impressive job writing from a male perspective. Actually, it was all impressive. I was caught up in the story and characters from the first page. The ending caught me totally unawares - and had me rethinking what I had read.

Catherine McKenzie has written a very real, insightful and powerful novel exploring the complex and complicated relationships that shape our lives.  This would be a fantastic selection for a book club - Catherine has come up with a set of questions sure to start a great discussion.

Another fantastic novel from a very talented author. I can't wait to see what she comes up with for book number five!

You can find Catherine McKenzie on Twitter and on Facebook.Check out the Savvy Reader tour for more reviews and features.

Stranglehold - Robert Rotenberg

I had a lively discussion with a patron at the library a while ago. He was looking for a good mystery or legal thriller to read. But he had a qualifier - nothing Canadian, he just finds American books 'better'. Oh boy, do I love a challenge...we compromised and I'm just waiting for him to come back and let me know what he thought of the Canadian titles/authors I sent him home with.

Robert Rotenberg was one of those authors. This gentleman likes series, so I sent him home with the first in Rotenberg's excellent series -  Old City Hall. The fourth book, Stranglehold, is newly released and I have to say - Rotenberg gets better and better with every book.

Recurring character Detective Ari Green returns, but in a different role. Rather that being the one in charge of the investigation; this time he's the one being investigated.....for murder. Green finds Jennifer, the married Crown Attorney he has been having an affair with,  dead in the motel room they were meeting at - and the police arrive before he has time to call 911......

I just love the Canadian setting - the descriptions of streets, stores and neighbourhoods that I recognize. It really brings the novel to life. Rotenberg himself is a criminal lawyer in Toronto. His courtroom descriptions and intimacy with the Canadian legal system again brings that 'extra' sense of authenticity to his work. There are some sly nods to present day Toronto that Canadian will 'get'. Notably, the overweight Mayor who coaches a boy's rugby team.

I enjoy Rotenberg's recurring characters. Green is less than perfect and this makes him all the more human. I really enjoy his father's scenes in this book. Kennicott is also a character I really enjoy as he feels his way  through his new position. I hope we see more  of  Awotwe Amankwah, a reporter for the Toronto Star. Rotenberg gives each of his characters an excellent second story line with their personal lives. It lets us get to know them a bit better and carries their story forward into the next book.

The plotting in Stranglehold is excellent, believable and well played. But the exploration of relationships - familial and work are just as much a part of the story. I think this is probably my favourite of the series (so far) An excellent series and definitely recommended eh?

You can find Robert Rotenberg on Facebook and on Twitter.

Never Saw it Coming - Linwood Barclay

I'll read anything with Linwood Barclay's name on it - he is one of my favourite suspense authors.

I loved his latest novel, Trust Your Eyes (my review) and can't wait for August's release of Tap on the Window.

But in the meantime, pick up Never Saw it Coming, to tide you over. Never Saw it Coming is a fleshed out version of a novella originally published in the UK in 2011 as Clouded Vision.

Keisha Ceylon is a psychic. Or so she says. What she really does is comb the news for missing persons reports. And then she helpfully offers her psychic services to the distraught families....for a fee of course.

Hot on the heels of a successful scam, she hears about Ellie Garfield's disappearance. Perfect. But perhaps her predictions are a little too close to the truth this time. Ellie's husband thinks so. And he doesn't like loose ends.

Never Saw it Coming does read like a short story with lots of rapid twists and turns. Barclay is a master manipulator and takes the narrative in oft changing directions. And finishes up with an ending I didn't predict. Those looking for great character development and intricate plotting won't find it with this offering. But if you're looking for a fast paced read to keep you turning pages for an evening, this is definitely for you. Currently #2 on the Globe's Canadian Fiction Bestseller list

If you haven't, by any wild chance, read Linwood Barclay yet, this is a great introduction to his style of writing. This fan is now anxiously waiting for August.....

You can find Linwood Barclay on Facebook and on Twitter.

Criminal Enterprise - Owen Laukkanen

I devoured Owen Laukkanen's debut novel The Professionals last year - it was one of those page turning thrillers that I love. (my review)

And you always wonder after such a strong debut, can the author repeat that success? I have to tell you, Laukkanen did - and actually, I think he did an even better job with this second novel - Criminal Enterprise.

Carter Tomlin is one of those guys living the 'good life'. Beautiful family, good job, big house, big car, all the toys and more. Until the economy takes a downswing....and Carter's job is no more. But, all the bills are still his. And he has a lifestyle to maintain for his family. With the pressure to keep up the façade, Carter does the unthinkable. He robs a bank. And then another.

And then "It wasn't just about the money anymore. Not even close. It was about the excitement, the power, the quick jolt of electricity he felt when the pretty tellers wilted at the sight of his gun.....It was power. Control. Robbing banks filled the void while he pad off his mortgage. And nobody had figured him out."

Someone is trying to figure it out though. Laukkanen brings back the two protagonists from his first book - FBI Agent Carl Windermere and Minnesota BCA detective Kirk Stevens. I was really glad to see this pair return - I really liked them both. They're opposite in personality and each brings a different outlook and set of strengths  to the table. And there's a delicious tension between the two.

The plotting is tantalizingly clever, with several twists that had me nodding my head in appreciation many times. The ending of one chapter just fueled me to quickly start the next. From Carter's thoughts to the progress of the cops on his trail, the storyline just grabbed me and didn't let go.  Note: make sure to start this book when you've got a full day to yourself - you won't want to put it down.

Suspense novels are one of my favourite genres and Laukkanen has firmly planted himself on my must read author list. Fans of  authors Harlan Coben and Linwood Barclay would love Laukkanen. So does John Sandford, who provided a cover blurb: " Laukkanen is slam-bang brilliant." I wholeheartedly agree! Read an excerpt of Criminal Enterprise.

You can find Owen Laukkanen on Facebook and on Twitter.

The Poisoned Pawn - Peggy Blair - Review AND Giveaway

Peggy Blair introduced readers to Inspector Ricardo Ramirez of the Havana Major Crimes Unit last year with her first novel The Beggar's Opera. I loved it (my review) and so did a lot of other folks. It was the 2012 Scotiabank Giller Prize Reader's Choice Winner, the CBC Bookie Award Winner for Best Canadian Crime Novel and was shortlisted for the Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger Award!

Needless to say, I was very eager to pick up the second book  - The Poisoned Pawn. Did it live up to the first? Absolutely - and more!

I was delighted to find that the book literally picked up where the first book left off. I had thought there was more to the story and other avenues to explore and I was right. In The Poisoned Pawn, Hillary, the wife of Michael Ellis - the Canadian cop suspected of horrific crimes in Cuba - is flying home to Ottawa. She becomes extremely ill on the plane and dies. But what killed her? Ramirez is also headed to Canada - sent by his superiors to pick up a Catholic priest being returned to Cuba to face charges for sex crimes against Cuban children. But, back in Cuba, two other women die in circumstances exactly like Hillary. Ramirez is under pressure from many factions....

There are so many things to like about Blair's novels. For me, the biggest draw is the characters. Ramirez is one of the last few honest cops left on Havana's force (although he does borrow rum from the evidence locker). He's dogged and determined and deftly weaves his way through the political mire of the department and country to achieve results. Ramirez also sees the dead. A victim's ghost will attach itself to Ricardo, until he manages to solve the death. But I enjoy his friend and colleague, pathologist Dr. Hector Apiro just as much. Apiro's mind is brilliant and his personal storyline is both unique and moving.

The setting in Cuba continues to fascinate me. The descriptions of what is not there (soap, meat and more) the limitations placed on the citizens, the city and land, as well as the customs and culture - Voodoo, Santeria and more. In juxtaposition, Ramirez's introduction to Canada at the Ottawa airport is an eye opener.

"They walked past a store with maple-sugar candy; a display of bright art painted on canvas. Another store sold purses brief-cases, scarves and ties. Ramirez already felt overwhelmed. He wondered how Canadians could pick out what to wear each day with so many choices. In Cuba, most stores had only a rack or two of wares; the other shelves were empty. Even in Havana, the bodegas generally had only one brand of canned goods. If they had anything to sell at all."

"Ramirez watched servers do the unthinkable; scrape leftovers into the garbage. It was all he could do to restrain himself from running over to grab their hands, to plead with them to stop the waste."

The title? The Poisoned Pawn is a chess move. "A player places a pawn where it can be easily captured. If the other player takes the bait, his own men are exposed to attack. Bu the ploy is risky, because it can reveal both sides' weaknesses......But few chess games are ever perfect."

Blair's plotting resembles an intricate chess game as well. She has come up with an inventive, multi-layered plot that kept me guessing as to where the next move would be.

Blair also weaves social commentary into her novel, with sharp, pointed and timely commentary, touching on the Catholic Church, Canadian First Nations, and residential schools in both Cuba and Canada. She also includes historical references that had me headed to the Web to investigate further.

The Poisoned Pawn was such a satisfying read on so many levels - I will be eagerly awaiting the next in this series. Read an excerpt of The Poisoned Pawn.

Peggy Blair has been a lawyer for more than thirty years. A recognized expert in Aboriginal law, she also worked as both a criminal defence lawyer and Crown prosecutor. She spent a Christmas in Old Havana, where she watched the bored young policemen along the Malecon, visited Hemingway’s favourite bars, and learned to make a perfect mojito. A former member of the Canadian Human Rights Tribunal, Blair is named in the Canadian Who’s Who. She lives in Ottawa. You can find Peggy Blair on Twitter.

Check out what other bloggers on The Poisoned Pawn tour thought:

Feb 25- The Literary Word      Feb 26- Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea
Feb 27- Just a Lil Lost       Mar 5 - Serendipitous Readings
Mar 6 - Literary Treats      Mar 7 - Thrifty Momma's Brainfood

And thanks to the generosity of Penguin Canada, I have a copy of BOTH books to giveaway to a Canadian reader! Simply leave a comment to be entered. Ends March 23/13.

Speaking From Among the Bones - Alan Bradley

Ahh, there's nothing better than settling in for the day with a new book by a favourite author. And that's how I spent a recent Sunday -  on the couch beneath a sunny window enjoying the latest adventures of Alan Bradley's eleven year old sleuth - Flavia de Luce. Speaking From Among the Bones is the fifth book in this absolutely delightful series.

It's 1951. Flavia, her sisters and her father live at Buckshaw, the crumbling family home in the hamlet of Bishop's Lacey, England. Young Flavia seems to have a propensity for finding dead bodies.

"In the recent past, there had been a number of murders in Bishop's Lacey: fascinating murders in which I had rendered my assistance to Inspector Hewitt of the Hinley Constabulary. In my mind, I ticked off the victims on my fingers: Horace Bonepenny, Rupert Porson, Brookie Harewood, Phyllis Wyvern.....One more corpse and I'd have a full hand."

The congregation of Saint Tancred's church is quite excited, and no one more than Flavia. It's the 500th anniversary of the Saint's death and the tomb beneath the church is being opened. But as the crypt is opened, it seems that Flavia has her full hand after all - the body of the missing church organist is found on top of the tomb. And of course, Flavia must investigate.

As always, Bradley has concocted a good mystery. But truly, it's the irrepressible Flavia that is the draw for me. I fell in love with her from the opening pages of the first book. As the series has progressed, so have the lives of the de Luces. This eleven year old, poison concocting, lock picking, ,brilliant. imaginative little girl was such a novelty to me in the first book. (And quite frankly took me back the days when I too carried around a little notebook, 'solved' mysteries and spied on family members.) But as the series has progressed, Bradley has taken things a step further and given the lives of the de Luces much more depth.

Flavia is the youngest of the three sisters. The older two do their best to antagonise Flavia. She is actually quite a lonely little girl, with her best friends being the old family retainer Dogger and Gladys - her trusty bicycle. Gladys is always part of the investigative forays.

"I parked Gladys on the north side of Cassandra Cottlestone's tomb and gave her leather seat a pat. The silver glint of her handlebars reminded me of a frightened horse showing the whites of its eyes. 'Keep a sharp lookout,' I whispered. 'I'll be right back."

The bicycle is also dear to Flavia because it once belonged to her mother Harriet. Harriet had left Buckshaw when Flavia was very small and Flavia is longing to know more about her. Bradley has teasingly released a little more of this story in every new book and drops a bombshell in Speaking From Among the Bones. There are other changes afoot as well - the lives of the de Luces are about to change.

I love how Flavia's mind works. How could you not be engaged by a character who "whenever I'm a little blue I think about cyanide whose color so perfectly reflects my mood. It is pleasant to think that the manioc plant which grows in Brazil, contains enormous quantities of the stuff in it's thirty-pound roots, all of which, unfortunately, is washed away before the residue is use to make our daily tapioca."

Absolutely, positively recommended! If you haven't read any of this series yet, I encourage you to start at the beginning. For established Flavia fans - you won't be disappointed. And like me, you'll be counting down the days until the sixth book is released! Join the Flavia de Luce fan club.

Astray - Emma Donoghue

My first Emma Donoghue book was The Woman Who Gave Birth to Rabbits - a short story collection built on historical tidbits and facts that was released in 2002. I've enjoyed many more titles from Donoghue since - Slammerkin remains a favorite. I was thrilled to see that her latest book Astray was again a collection of short stories with their origins found in obscure historical realities.

In this latest collection Donoghue explores all the ways a life, a person, a path can go astray...." on and off, for the past decade and a half, I've been writing stories about travels to, within, and occasionally from the United States and Canada. Most of these travelers are real people who left traces in the historical record; a few are characters I've invented to put a face on real incidents of border crossing. Many of them stray in several senses, when in the course of their journeys across geographical and political boundaries they find themselves stepping over other ones: law, sex, or race. Emigrants, immigrants, adventurers, and runaways - they fascinate me because they loiter on the margins, stripped of the markers of family and nation; they're out of place, out of their depth."

The places and times of the stories in Astray are varied, ranging from London to New York to Texas to Canada and more  and ranging from the 1600's to the 900's.  Donoghue is able to write with different voices and outlooks, providing a fresh and unique outlook with every exploration.

It's hard to pick favourites, but I think Counting the Days - the story of a reluctant emigre and her husband who went ahead stayed with me. As did The Gift - a series of letters from a mother trying to find her child.

I absolutely adored this book. Each story was a little glimpse into a life gone before - a reminder of a life, a moment, a time. At the end of each, Donoghue provides us with the 'real' details - the names, the times and the places that these people inhabited. I found myself stopping after each tale, savouring what I'd read and wondering about what might have happened next for those captured by Donoghue's imagination. In a few cases, my interest piqued, I went online and did some research of my own. And, I also stopped in an effort to make the book last longer - I didn't want it to end. Looking for a book to spend that gift card on? Look no further. Read an excerpt of Astray.

You can find Emma Donoghue on Twitter and on Facebook.

Beware This Boy - Maureen Jennings

I know Maureen Jennings's name. I know she's Canadian. I know she's an award winning author. I know that the television series The Murdoch Mysteries is based on her best selling historical detective series. (I've watched every episode - and season six starts in January '13.) But, I have never physically read a book by Jennings.....until now....and I wish I had done so sooner!

Her latest novel is Beware This Boy - the second book featuring Detective Inspector Tom Tyler. The setting is England in 1940 -  and the war has begun.

Tyler is called in to Birmingham to investigate a fatal accident at a munitions factory. But, is it an accident? As he questions the staff, he begins to think not. A young American film maker may not be who he says he is. Could one of the staff have their own agenda? Are there conspirators amongst them? In addition to Tom's inquiries, there are secondary storylines involving an AWOL soldier, his family and more. But all have ties to the factory in one way or another.

There are many characters populating this book, but each personality serves a purpose and is richly and distinctly drawn. Every one has their own story, yet plays a larger part in the overall plot. The Abbott family was a standout for me - especially nurse Eileen. I quite like Tom and his quiet, thoughtful manner of investigation.

The time period is beautifully captured as well. The stalwart attitudes, courage, the sense of duty, the politeness and social mores of the day but the dark side of war as well. Living day to day with bombing, rationing, uncertainty, death and loss.

The 'whodunit' is not overly complicated and we're privy to more knowledge than Tom early on, but this really didn't matter. It was Jennings's characters and storytelling that were standouts for me.

Beware This Boy was a rich, full, satisfying read all 'round on so many levels. Definitely recommended. Read an excerpt of Beware This Boy. Although this is the second book of a trilogy, I was able to enjoy Beware This Boy on its' own. There were allusions to a past case, but it didn't detract from this story. If anything, it only encouraged me to hunt down the first book - Season of Darkness.

In the author's notes, Jennings shares the origins of the title.

"The title of this book is from A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. When the Ghost of Christmas Present appears to Ebeneezer Scrooge, he reveals two wretched children who have been sheltering inside his robe. They are the children of Man, says the Spirit.  'This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware of both of them...but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom unless the writing be erased."

I'm not sure if there are more books using this time period as a setting lately or I'm just discovering them.  (Anne Perry, Charles Todd, Jacqueline Winspear) But I am really enjoying them. If you do as well, put Jennings on your list. Beware This Boy was also the inspiration for the television series The Bomb Girls.

Eleven Pipers Piping - C. C. Benison

Aha! I know what you're thinking - it's another Christmas book review. Well....yes and no.

The main character is Tom Christmas - a vicar in England - you could refer to him as Father Christmas. The book is set during the winter. And the title - well, the first book in this series was titled Twelve Drummers Drumming....(my review) And if you're looking for a great book for the reader on your Christmas list this year, Eleven Pipers Piping would be a really good choice.

But no matter what, C.C. Benison's latest book is a wonderful, well written, cozy mystery, perfect for reading anytime. (Although by the twinkle of the Christmas lights on my tree seemed fitting.)

Widower Father Tom has been the vicar of the English village of Thornford Regis for a few years now. He's been asked to give the blessing at the local Robbie Burns dinner. But when of one of the members of the The Thistle But Mostly Rose South Devon Pipe Band goes missing and is later found dead, Father Christmas again finds himself in the thick of things. For it seems that one amongst them might be a murderer.....

Eleven Pipers Piping opens with the daily letter that Father Tom's housekeeper Madrun writes to her mother. These letters are full of gossip, speculation and Madrun's take on the goings on in the village. (I quite enjoy them.) Father Tom is very circumspect with what his parishioners tell him - he's known to keep confidences to himself, but Madrun's knowledge sometimes proves useful. His young daughter Miranda is enamored of a fictional French Nancy Drew character and her observations have also been of help to her father.

Thornford Regis reminds me of one of those English village displays you'd see on a mantle at Christmas - a tea room, the church, the local meeting hall, the corner store, the manor house and more. Benison has populated his village with quite an eclectic cast of characters, providing us with a wealth of choices for whodunit. (He's also thoughtfully provided a Cast of Characters reference at the beginning of the book) Each reader will find a favourite in this cast of many.

Christmas is a wonderful protagonist whose character has more depth than just the local curious reverend. His personal story is ongoing, believable and engaging. His demeanor and dialogue are pitch perfect.

I thought I had figured out the culprit early on, but there are lots of red herrings and my initial hunch was proven wrong. The strength of this series is in the characters, setting and interactions among the population of the village. Those who enjoy cozy mysteries will love Father Tom and his congregation.

And there's more to come - Father Christmas is planning a charity skydive to raise money for the new church roof.....in Ten Lords A-Leaping...watch for it in 2013 - I will be!

Read an excerpt of Eleven Pipers Piping.

You can find C.C. Benison on Twitter and on Facebook.

Carly's Voice - Arthur Fleischmann with Carly Fleischmann

There have been many fiction books released that feature an autistic protagonist - The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend and just recently Love Anthony. I've read all three and really enjoyed them. Each author has brought their own 'version' of Autism and Autism spectrum to the written page.

But Arthur Fleischmann and his daughter Carly Fleischmann bring more than an imagined protagonist to the written page. Carly's Voice is an absolutely riveting memoir recounted by a father and his autistic daughter.

Arthur and his wife Tammy are overjoyed when they give birth to twin daughters. With son Matthew their family is complete. Taryn meets her milestones and thrives.....but, Carly doesn't. Carly is non verbal and severely autistic. What follows is an exhaustive tale of appointments, diagnoses, therapies, frustrations, and more. (Mom Tammy is fighting cancer as well.) I just could not even begin to fathom what the Fleishmanns went through. Arthur and Tammy are tireless advocates; determined to do whatever they can to help their daughter.

"Carly has autism. Three short words must suffice to explain a tome of weird behaviours and limitations. It's a shorthand for Carly-is-different-she-acts-in-odd-ways-she-loves-taking-off-her-clothes-especially-if-what-she-is-wearing-has-a-spot-of-water-on-it-she-likes repetitive-motion-like-that-of-a-swing-she doesn't speak. We didn't know what Carly knew and what she was incapable of knowing. She made odd movements and sounds and covered her ears when it was noisy. She cried often. And she never, ever stopped moving. Never."

And, in one of those 'what if we hadn't' moments....Carly types...Help Teeth Hurt. Although Carly was able to point to pictures for what she wanted, no one had any idea that she was able to communicate in this fashion.  And at last Carly has a voice - she is finally able to 'speak'. But Carly's story doesn't end there - her fight to control her body, her desire to live like any other teenage girl, her family's dedication to helping Carly be the best she can be is an ongoing, uphill battle. And you won't believe the places it's take her....so far.

"What keeps us moving forward? Sometimes its just inertia. But we keep sight of Carly's dream to be accepted. She wants to live life fully, accomplish great things, and not be pitied. She just wants to be understood. What else can we do? We get up in the morning when the alarm goes off. And never accept 'no' or maybe."

I really couldn't put the book down. I was so humbled and inspired by Carly. As I type this up using all of my fingers, I am struck by the image of Carly labouriously typing one letter at a time with one finger while trying to control her body's spasms.

Carly is an inspiration to all, but especially to those who are living with, coping with or touched by autism. For those who haven't got a clue - it's an eye opener. Highly recommended.  You can find Carly on Facebook and Twitter as well.

Read an excerpt of Carly's Voice: Breaking Through Autism.

"I am an autistic girl but autism doesn't define who I am or how I'm going to live my life." Carly.

The Purchase - Linda Spalding

Linda Spalding's new novel The Purchase is a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award for Fiction. Trust me, it's an absolute must read.

1798. Daniel Dickinson is a devout Quaker. But when his wife dies leaving him with five young children and he quickly marries Ruth, a fifteen year old orphan, he is cast out of the fellowship. With no home and no community, he then packs his family in a wagon and heads to Virginia to homestead. At an auction to buy needed farming tools, Daniel instead ends up with a young slave boy. As an abolitionist, this goes against everything he believes in. This purchase is the catalyst for a series of events that will change the lives of family, friends, enemies and more.

I literally hurtled through the first part of The Purchase. Spalding drew me into the lives of the Dickinson family. The characters are exceptionally well drawn. Daniel struggles with his ownership of Onesimus, his marriage to a girl he doesn't even know, his efforts to build a new life for his children in a wilderness that he is ill prepared for and trying to follow his beliefs. His oldest daughter Mary is stubborn, petulant, wilful but also kind and giving. But not to her stepmother. But it is quiet, silent Ruth that I was most drawn to. And to the slave Bett as well. There is a large cast of characters, each bringing a turn in the tale. And all elicit strong emotions and reactions. The interactions between the players sets up an almost tangible sense of foreboding.

I stopped after part one, which ends on a cataclysmic note, to gather my thoughts. Where could the story go from here? I started part two a few days later and didn't put the book down until I turned the last page. And then I sat and thought again.

Spalding's prose are rich, raw, powerful  and oh, so evocative. She explores so much in The Purchase - freedom, faith, family, love, loss and more.

On reading the author's notes, I discovered that The Purchase is based on Spalding's own family history. She visited sites and settings that are used in the book. I think the personal connection added so much to the book.

Brilliant. One of my top reads for 2012. Can lit rocks!

Read an excerpt of The Purchase.

The Deception of Livvy Higgs - Donna Morrissey

I knew The Deception of Livvy Higgs was going to break my heart from the opening chapter. Canadian author Donna Morrissey has done it to me before - her prize winning first novel Kit's Law, is a favourite of mine.

Livvy Higgs is an eighty year old woman living alone in Halifax. Livvy is growing tired, she seems to be losing track of time and can't keep up with her day to day chores. As a winter storm batters the city, Livvy lies down just to rest a bit. But Livvy is more than just tired - in fact she is having a series of mini heart attacks. And as she drifts in and out of consciousness, she dreams....

"If there's one good thing age has taken from me, it's the burden of memories. In the past eighty years they've burned themselves out, leaving little more than a spattering of images that dim and glow like embers in the receding path of the fire they once were."

But, the memories are returning as she weakens. She dreams of the past and her life and what led her to the house she lives in. We are transported back to 1930's Newfoundland where young Livvy lives with her mother Cecile and shopkeeper father Durwin in the French outport of Sables d'Or.  There are unspoken undercurrents between her parents and hints of a deal between her father and her maternal Grandmother Creed - despite the fact that they despise each other. Solace for Livvy and her mother is found in the raucous household of Missus Louis. The house is overrun with children, noise, food, chores, animals....and love.

Livvy's present day neighbour Gen, a single mom to young Ronny, checks on Livvy as she tries to venture out, but doesn't realize that she is ill. Gen has her own set of problems.

The story is told from past to present with Livvy uncovering and remembering more and more of her life.  Livvy has been subjected to secrets, lies and manipulation since she was a small child.

"I sit digging at my palms, digging out nuggets of stories Mother seamed into my bones, I chink them into being, like a miner, and they fall onto my lap like ill-fitting pieces that fossilized before truth set them right. I search amongst them for the girl cloaking herself against a too horrible truth and who curls now inside the silence of an old woman's heart, her feelings too deep to be told."

Morrissey's prose just grab me and squeeze. They are raw and powerful, painting vivid pictures and evoke such strong emotions. Livvy's bewilderment, heartache, anger and reclamation of her life made my heart ache.

Livvy was the character who touched me the most - I think she reminded me a bit of my own gran,  but all of the players were just as well drawn. I wanted to stay and visit with the boisterous Louis family, shout at her father, console her mother and dance with Henri.

Morrissey weaves much historical detail into her tale. The history of the shipping trade in Newfoundland and the importance of the Halifax Harbour during the war provided a rich backdrop to Livvy's story. Having visited Halifax last summer, I was able to vividly picture what Morrissey was describing. It really brought the book to life for me.

The Deception of Livvy Higgs stayed with me long after I turned the last page. This is one I'll definitely be recommending. Read an excerpt of The Deception of Livvy Higgs.

Donna Morrissey is the award-winning author of Kit’s Law, Downhill Chance, What They Wanted, and Sylvanus Now, which was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize. She recently wrote a children’s book, Cross Katie Kross, illustrated by her daughter, Bridget. Morrissey grew up in The Beaches, a small fishing outport in Newfoundland, and now lives in Halifax.

You can find Donna Morrissey on Facebook.

Trust Your Eyes - Linwood Barclay

 Trust Your Eyes is the latest book from Canadian author Linwood Barclay. In tiny letters on the front cover it also says 'A Thriller.' This really should read A Thriller. Barclay is always good for a wild ride of a read, but this time he's outdone himself!

Thomas Kilbride loves maps. When a new computer program called Whirl360 is released he is in heaven. He can continue his 'work' - memorizing the streets of all the major cities in the world.

"You picked a spot anywhere on the globe and initially viewed the location from above, either in a traditional map form or in satellite mode, as though you were suspended in the sky. You could click on a specific street, and see it. Really see it. Like you were standing there, right in the middle of it. With each click of the mouse you progressed several yards ahead. If something in a store window or a restaurant caught your eye, you could zoom in on it. Read the daily special - 'Liver and onions $5.99' if you wanted." (sound familiar?)

And then one day, Thomas looks up at a building in New York.  Normally he doesn't, but today he does. And he sees something - "What was that he was witnessing?  Someone putting a bag over another person's head? Cutting off their air supply? Smothering them? Who was this happening to? A man? A woman? And who was doing it to them?"

But who can he tell? Who will believe him? For map obsessed Thomas is also schizophrenic and lives an isolated life, never leaving  his home. When Thomas's brother Ray comes back home to help him out, he is torn between humouring Thomas and dismissing his ramblings. But what if...?

And don't worry, I haven't spoiled the book for you, as that's all in the first few pages! Each subsequent chapter introduces us to many other characters, scenes and situations. I wondered how in the world would these disparate threads be woven together? Quite ingeniously as it turns out.

Barclay kept me frantically turning pages as the action ramped up and the twists and turns kept me off balance as the plot went places I could never have imagined. There were several little gotchas that were really clever and had me going back to reread to see what I had missed catching. And I really couldn't put it down - I devoured in a day when I had no electricity for 10 hours. (long story)

Check out the book trailer below.......I know you'll be hunting down a copy for yourself. And maybe thinking twice about a certain computer progam....



You can find Barclay on Facebook and on Twitter.

In a recent interview in The Toronto Star, Barclay is quoted as saying "“Trust Your Eyes is the best book I’ve written, and I don’t know if I can do any better.” Watch for the next book A Tap on the Window in the fall of 2013. Betcha it's just as good or better.

Watching the Dark - Peter Robinson

I've said it before and I'll say it again - if Peter Robinson's name is on it, I know I'm in for a good read. I enjoyed last year's stand alone novel - Before the Poison. (Winner of the 2012 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Novel by the Crime Writers of Canada) (my review) But, I've waiting for the latest installment in Robinson's Inspector Banks series. And it's here! Watching the Dark is the 20th entry in this wonderful series.

Watching the Dark opens at the St. Peter's Police Treatment Centre. Annie Cabot has just left the centre, finally ready to return to work after a lengthy convalescence. So, Alan Banks is familiar with the centre, but didn't expect to be working a case there. Bill Reid, a fellow officer has been murdered on the grounds - by a crossbow. On searching Reid's room, photos of a compromising nature are found. Banks is determined to not judge until his investigation is complete, but Inspector Joanna Passero from Professional Standards (internal investigations) is brought in to 'help' Banks with his inquiries. As Banks digs into Reid's past, he wonders if a cold case of Reid's could be tied to his death.

Robinson takes us out of Eastvale with Banks' investigation and into Estonia. I must admit, I truly had no firm grasp on this country but Robinson did a great job of setting the stage with detailed descriptions and characters. I was surprised to learn that English stag and hen parties take cheap flights over for weekend parties.

I was glad to see Annie Cabot back on the job. She's out to prove herself after being injured and off the job for so long, so she delves into the case with dogged determination. Her investigations keep her in Eastvale, but dealing with the ugly underbelly of this bucolic Yorkshire countryside. She is following the tracks of migrant workers tricked and abused by local criminals. Her storyline takes the stage almost as much as Banks's in this book. That's a good thing, as she's a character I quite enjoy.

Inspector Passero was an interesting addition. I was never really sure of her agenda and Robinson keeps us guessing until the very last chapters. And, I'm still not sure if we really know her - I think she'll make an appearance in the next book, but I'll reserve judgment until then.

I've always enjoyed Banks's love of music and the references to what he's listening to. However it seemed like there were quite a few this time - enough that I found myself skimming over some of these passages. 

Robinson has crafted a multi faceted, well paced plot that takes inspiration from current day issues.  I did find the end to be tied up a bit too neatly, but all in all it was a read I quite enjoyed. And I'll be waiting for the 21st book!

Read an excerpt of Watching the Dark. You can find Robinson on Facebook

Y - Marjorie Celona

 Y is Marjorie Celona's newly released debut novel.  I think you're going to be hearing lots more about this author and title.

"Y. That perfect letter. The wishbone, fork in the road, empty wineglass. The quetion we ask over and over. Why?"

And the Y is where the story begins as well - the YMCA in a town on Vancouver Island. The Y is where Shannon's mother Yula leaves her when she is a day old, wrapped in a dirty sweatshirt with a Swiss Army knife as her legacy.

As a baby Shannon is shifted through various foster homes until she lands with Miranda and her daughter Lydia-Rose. It is with Miranda that she finally finds some stability and safety. But it is here that she also begins to act out, to question, to search, to need and to want to find her parents and answers.

"I want to know who my real family is, who I really belong to, why I look this way, why I feel this ay. I want to know these things more than anything in the world." "I don't need my mother to be a good person. I just want to know who she is."

Celona has chosen an unusual narrative style for her book - but it's one that absolutely works. Young Shannon recounts her life and that of her mother as an almost disinterested third party observer, then switches to current day. The story goes back and forth, past and present, between Shannon's story and that of her mother Yula. Each woman's tale is so addicting and absorbing that I could not find a place to stop. I had to keep reading, to discover the why of Yula's decision, to discover if Shannon finds her way, her place, the answers she needs and if it is enough.

Celona's prose flow easily and seamlessly, drawing the reader deeper and deeper into the story. Both Shannon and Yula's narratives are powerful and poignant. Although Yula's story is no less compelling, it was Shannon I wanted to hug and comfort. Their lives are not easy to read about, but impossible to turn away from.

I was thinking about Y long after I turned the last page. Did I like the ending? What if....? What is the right thing to do? Who can judge? What is love? And that's the mark of a good book - one that keeps you thinking about it after the last page is turned. Definitely recommended.

Read an excerpt of Y. This would be a great selection for a book club. A reading group guide is available.

Marjorie Celona received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, where she was an Iowa Arts Fellow and recipient of the Ailene Barger Barnes Prize. Her stories have appeared in Best American Nonrequired Reading,Glimmer Train, and Harvard Review. Born and raised on Vancouver Island, she lives in Cincinnati.

See what others on the tour thought:

Aug. 28 Michele @ Just a Lil Lost
Aug. 29 Evie @ Bookish
Aug. 30 Sarah @ Just Another Story
Aug. 31 Nicole @ Nicole About Town
Sept. 3 Corrine @ Lost For Words
Sept. 4 Luanne @ A Bookworm’s World
Sept. 5 Zoe @ In The Next Room
Sept. 6 Christy @ Home of Ohm
Sept. 7 Sharonne @ Tales of a Ranting Ginger
Sept. 10 Maria @ Bored Mommy
Sept. 11 Sarah @ Workaday Reads

The Beautiful Mystery - Louise Penny

The Beautiful Mystery is the eighth entry in Louise Penny's Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. This series has become one of my favourites, but I have to say that this latest book is exceptional.

The series is set in Canada. Gamache is with the Sûreté du Québec, as is his second in command, Jean-Guy Beauvoir. In The Beautiful Mystery, Gamache and Beauvoir are called out on an unusual case and location. A monk at a monastery hidden away in the wilds of Québec has been murdered. The monastery has rebuffed visitors for the last four hundred years. There are only twenty four residents, all who live with a vow of silence - except when they are singing ancient Gregorian chants. Twenty three suspects. 

Penny has yet again devised an ingenious 'closed room' mystery that had me guessing until the last pages. The exploration of the monastic lifestyle and the chants were especially interesting. In her acknowledgments Penny says "I wanted to explore this beautiful mystery. How just a few notes can take us to a different time and place. Can conjure a person, an event, a feeling. Can inspire great courage, and reduce us to tears. And in the case of this book, I wanted to explore the power of ancient chants, Gregorian chants. On those who sing them, and those who hear them." The explanation of the effect of the music on the listener was compelling.  I listened to the audio version of this book and the inclusion of chants at the beginning and end of the book prompted me to put holds on some Gregorian chant CDs at the library.

 But the real draw of Penny's books are the characters - especially Gamache. He is such a wise, intuitive, caring person. But he has faced his share of heartache - most notably with Beauvoir. A previous case has left both men physically and emotionally damaged. The healing has started, but has miles to go. A surprise appearance by Gamache's superior at the monastery complicates things further.
And take Gamache to a very dark place. I become so invested and immersed in the characters that populate Penny's novels that they almost feel quite real. Gamache and Beavoir's complicated relationship and their attempts to continue moving forward despite the past make them all the more believable.

Penny's storytelling is rich and varied, full of nuance and inflection. The pared down setting for this book was perfect, echoing the raw truths that are exposed. The ending has only left me hoping that Penny gives us more Gamache before too much time elapses.

I chose to listen to this latest book and may well do so with all the Gamache books. There's always a worry that a narrator will not be the right fit for the mental image you've created for a character. Ralph Cosham was the reader for The Beautiful Mystery...and he was perfect. He has a rich, full bodied voice that is deep and sonorous, conveying the quiet strength of Gamache.  The cadence, rhythm, pauses and more sound like actual conversation, not simply a reading of pages. The accent passes muster and is easily understood.

Just an absolutely fantastic read/listen/series - highly recommended. Listen to an excerpt of The Beautiful Mystery or Read an excerpt. You can find Louise Penny on Facebook.

Until the Night - Giles Blunt

Until the Night marks the sixth (and much awaited) entry in Giles Blunt's mystery series featuring Detective John Cardinal.

Until the Night opens with a cryptic entry from something called The Blue Notebook, giving us a brief glance into an Arctic science station. The next chapter takes us back to more familiar territory - Algonquin Bay, Ontario - 340 miles north of Toronto. It is here that John Cardinal lives and works. He and counterpart Lise Delorme are called in to investigate what looks to be a domestic murder - a husband murdering his wife's lover. But the wife is missing too - also murdered? She is found, dead, but in odd circumstances. As is yet another woman. And the case leads Cardinal and Delorme down paths they couldn't imagine.

As their investigation progresses, so do the entries from The Blue Notebook - and we are slowly privy to more and more details.

Blunt has done it again - an absolutely original, intelligent, riveting plot that kept me reading.....Until The Night. (Sorry couldn't resist) But, seriously, I did use a Sunday off to devour it from first page to last. Yep, that good.

Why do I like this series so much? Protagonist John Cardinal is the big draw for me. In him, Blunt has created a believable, realistic character whose life has evolved over the course of six books. His personal life involving his wife and her difficulties have provided a storyline handled with thoughtfulness, realism and genuine emotion. His relationship with Delorme has him quite confused and is explored further in this book. We get to delve much deeper into Lise Delorme's life this time. Her own issues, insecurities and demons lead her to a dark place, putting herself and her career at risk. I have become quite invested in both of these characters.

The plotting was fantastic - the link between The Blue Notebook and Cardinal's case was slowly, inexorably revealed. The setting of Algonquin Bay has become quite familiar and I can almost feel the cold seeping into my fingers as I hold the book. Blunt grew up in North Bay, Ontario, so he knows what he writes of! Blunt also takes us to other Ontario locales with the seamier underside of Toronto and Ottawa woven into this latest mystery.

I think this latest book just might be my favourite Cardinal book yet. If you haven't discovered this wonderful Canadian author and series yet, I encourage you to. See for yourself - read an excerpt of Until the Night.

CTV has announced plans for a TV series based on the John Cardinal novels, with Blunt himself doing much of the adaptation.

Crow's Landing - Brad Smith

Another great book I finished far too quickly! Crow's Landing by Brad Smith is the second book featuring Virgil Cain. I read the first book (my review) - Red Means Run - and was hooked.

Virgil is still working his farm, but decides to play hooky one day and head out fishing in the boat he restored over the winter. While pulling up anchor to come back in, he hauls in a strange steel cylinder. Back at the marina, he padlocks it to his boat and goes to the local diner for something to eat. And comes running back out when he sees some guy taking off with his trailer, boat - and the cylinder. When he protests, he gets a gun shoved in his face and told it's police business. Now, Virgil was curious about that cylinder, but damn it, he wants his boat back. So, he heads down to the police station. And is told that there hasn't been a boat impounded and they have no idea what he's talking about.

I thought we might see more of Claire Marchant this book - a local cop Virgil got involved with in the last book. But Smith introduces a new character - Dusty - a single mom with a checkered past - and more than a little knowledge about that cylinder. And when Virgil and Dusty cross paths...

"Since he was a kid, he had possessed a propensity for getting into trouble, some of it of his own accord and some of it purely by accident. Just last year, for instance he'd been arrested for murder, escaped jail, fell under suspicion for a second murder, and was finally shot in the earlobe by the woman responsible for both. If that couldn't be categorized as a propensity for getting into trouble, Virgil didn't know what could." Virgil's in it again.

Smith has created strong personalities that immediately spring to life. Virgil Cain is very laid back, thinks before he speaks and observes before he acts. But still waters run deep - there's a lot more to Virgil than meets the eye. He's been described as a 'laconic charmer' and I don't think I could say it any better. Smith has created just as strong a female character in Dusty - she's strong, fearless and tough. I hope we get to see her again too - or that Virgil does. With two such great protagonists, readers of both sexes will enjoy Crow's Landing.

I love the sly, quirky sense of humour Smith injects into his situations, characters and dialogue - along the lines of of Elmore Leonard.

This isn't really a traditional mystery book. What it is though, is a helluva good rollicking tale, populated by crooked cops, a crazed Cossack cowboy, a cool as a cucumber con.......and Virgil - 'cause really, he just wants his boat back.

Loved it! Read chapter one of Crow's Landing. Fans of Virgil Flowers and Jack Reacher would enjoy Brad Smith's writing. You can find Brad Smith on Facebook. Or watch this video of Brad talking about Crow's Landing.

Smith was born and raised in southern Ontario. He has worked as a farmer, signalman, insulator, truck driver, bartender, schoolteacher, maintenance mechanic, roofer, and carpenter. He lives in a eighty-year-old farmhouse near the north shore of Lake Erie. His novel, "One-Eyed Jacks" was nominated for the Dashiell Hammett Prize."his latest book.

A Door in the River - Inger Ash Wolfe

Oh, it has been waaaay too long since the last book by Inger Ash Wolfe in this absolutely wonderful Canadian series! My copy of A Door in the River arrived - I set it aside and picked the day I would read it. Yes, the one day, because I absolutely knew I wouldn't be able to put it down. (And I was right!)

A Door in the River again returns us to Port Dundas, Ontario and Inspector Hazel Micallef. Hazel is a wonderfully different protagonist - one I cannot get enough of. She is sixtyish, lives with her eighty eight year old mother (who is great character on her own - her snappy comebacks are priceless), has just recovered from back surgery (she recuperated in the basement of her ex husband and his new wife) and has finally kicked her addiction to pain pills, although whiskey still calls to her. She is obstinate, intelligent, tenacious and not the easiest person to get along with. But is she a good cop?  Yes, but her talents will be tested with this latest case.

"The force of her will and her peculiar way of building evidence for a case was something to see. He understood why she'd driven Ray Greene crazy. And in the end you had to agree with her! There was no way you were going to make your own logic as internally consistent as hers. Supposedly this was "instinct". He'd never really seen it. Too bad she wielded it like a mallet."

A local all round good guy is found dead behind a native smoke shop on reservation land. The local band police investigate and do an autopsy. Death is ruled accidental - anaphylactic shock by a wasp sting. But Hazel knew the man and can't help but wonder why he was on the reserve late at night -  he didn't smoke, the store was closed and why was he parked back in the shadows? And so she decides to re-examine their findings. And of course she ruffles some feathers. But what she turns up....

Loved it! Loved it! Loved it! The plot is an absolute nail biter. The tension was so high, I had a very hard time the last eighty pages not turning to the end to see what happened. I managed not to - and I'm glad I didn't. There are some twists I didn't see coming and I was lulled into a false sense of security by the last few pages. (Happily) Caught unawares again.

Now, the crimes are dreadful, (but really, could have been taken from newspaper headlines) so gentler readers be warned.

But for me it is the characters that make this series. For all her irascibility, Hazel does have some soft spots. And Detective James Wingate, is one of them. He is a gentler, calming influence on Hazel's team. James was introduced in the previous book and again takes a primary role in this book. Really, all of the characters come across as real and the dialogue is believable. You'll love to hate the bad guys.

It's so great to see a series set in Canada - and this is one of my all time favourites. Highly recommended. Read an excerpt of A Door in the River.

There are lots of sub plots that hint at a continuation of this series. Hazel's previous deputy has returned as her superintendent, the force is being amalgamated and Port Dundas itself is slated for radical changes. I can't wait to read the next book.

For the first two books, the true identity of Inger Ash Wolfe was a mystery. Names of Canadian authors were bandied about, but "The Real Inger Ash Wolfe Stands Up" at last.