A quick hello from sunny Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.
Yesterday we popped into Munro’s, a rather famous local bookshop, which has a wonderful selection of homegrown and international crime fiction.
I picked up the following treat, featuring Chief Inspector Armand Gamache, which promises to tell me all about the history of French-speaking Quebec…
…and will read it somewhere like this…
…while keeping an eye out for these… 🙂
Mrs. Peabody Investigates 
If you find yourself in Victoria,BC, again, try Chronicles of Crime, on Fort Street. Frances is my editor. GREAT store – new and “previously loved”.
Thanks, Cathy. We’re based in Victoria for now, and happen to be staying a couple of blocks from Fort Street, so I will definitely pop in! We’ll probably be in Vancouver again for a flying visit on Tuesday/Wednesday. Are you around for that coffee?!
Oh, what a lovely trip you’re having, Mrs. P.! Thanks for sharing it with us. And I’m very glad you found such good reading material too. I hope the rest of your trip is wonderful!
Thanks, Margot – we’re having an absolutely lovely time 🙂
Mrs P, I was giving an author talk last week and a Canadian-Australian woman in the audience was raving about Louise Penny. She said Penny together with Kathy Reichs are the real deal when it comes to Canadian crime fiction. Enjoy!
Thanks, Angela. I’d heard of Penny, but hadn’t realised how successful her series was. I haven’t read Reichs in a while, but very much enjoyed her series a few years ago. Quite ground-breaking at the time and extremely influential.
Mrs. P.: Glad you are in Canada. I would say hello but I am 2,500 km away from Victoria.
If you have the time the Butchart Gardens which are close to Victoria are one of the most beautiful places in the world. They are worth the effort to see them.
Should you be looking for a mystery set in B.C. I would recommend the books of L.R. Wright which are set on the Sunshine Coast of the mainland a short distance from Vancouver Island. The Suspect, the first in the series, is a great book.
I hope you enjoy your visit to Victoria.
Thanks, Bill – it’s lovely to be in Canada, and thanks too for the sight-seeing and reading recommendations. I’ll keep an eye out for Wright – it’d be good to read something set close to here.
A cheery wave across those 2500 km to you!
What a gorgeous vacation! My parents loved traveling to Vancouver, B.C.
I would say whatever delightful bookstores you encounter up there, with vast reserves of Canadian crime fiction would be quite tempting. I’d stock up; there are many treasures.
And as far as L.R., Wright: When I first read The Suspect, which beat out a book by Ruth Rendell in the mid-1980s for a noted prize, I tooted its horn all over. It’s a superb whydunnit with a likeable police detective — and suspect, too. The motive is compelling. Hope you find a copy.
I’ll definitely look out for a copy, Kathy, having heard nothing but positive recommendations so far. I’ve just found a great crime fiction bookshop here in Victoria called Chronicles of Crime (thanks to Cathy Ace), so will check for one there.
Ah you are one lucky girl! I spent many hours in Munro’s when I lived in Victoria. Make sure you have dinner at Pagliacci’s and look out for my friend the manager, Sorcha. The baked cheesecake is fabulous!
Thanks for the recommendation, Nola. I’ve heard Pagliacci’s praised here as well 🙂
Have a lovely hol! What a great bookshop. Have just read Ratlines and really liked your review of it; I enjoyed the book, it took me back to the Fred Forsyth books I read as a teen ..
Thanks, Blighty. Glad you liked Ratlines and the review. I hadn’t thought of the Forsyth connection, but can see what you mean.
Hope you’re enjoying the summer: the UK heatwave continues I see…
Hi Mrs P, hope every thing is still going well. Just noticed in next months Broadwy Programme a new Swedish film called Call Girl, it’s based on the true events of the ’76 scandal that went straight
to the heart of the Swedish Goverment, it’s the one Leif Persson was involved in as a ‘Whistleblower ‘ So definitely one to see. In the review it says if you like Borgen one to watch !
Tried that English/Polish crime book you mentioned, gave up after a couple of chapters, really dire
& so cliched! One to miss, should have realized as it was only 99p to download!
2 books I do recommend ‘Uncommen Murder’ by Sian Busby, & ‘Red Joan’ by Jennie Rooney.
Thanks for alerting us to Call Girl – sounds veerrry interesting, not least due to Persson’s role. And anything that is Borgan-esque gets my vote!
I haven’t given the Polish one a go yet, as I’ve been sucked into Canadian crime while out here. A shame you didn’t get on with it, but will give it a go, as it’s had some good reviews. Will check out the others you mentioned. Are they recent ones that you’ve read?
If you are visiting Galiano Island in the Gulf Islands be sure to visit Galiano Books – 2 minutes walk from the ferry landing. Just one of many excellent book shops in the Gulf Islands.
We visit Galiano regularly from the UK and visit the shop most days we are on the Island.
Alas, we are not getting that far on this trip – but a good tip for those who are. Thanks, Richard – sounds great.
Oh, gosh, Galiano Island and Vancouver Island. What delightful places. Manhattan Island can be lovely, with two rivers, beautiful sunsets, parks, museums, bookstores and restaurants everywhere. It also attracts slews of tourists on any given day.
I can sit on my front stoop and see people from all over the world walk by. It’s a joy.
Sounds lovely, Kathy. I have very happy memories of warm summer nights in NY from when I was an international student. I made lots of good friends from all over 🙂
What a gorgeous bookshop that looks! And what a lovely place too!
Yes, a little piece of heaven!