Tag: Toronto

  • Dieter Kalteis: The Get

    Dieter Kalteis: The Get

    Toronto in the 70s. Long hair on men normalizing, multi-cultural neighbourhoods entrenching, and politicians demanding a crackdown on crime. Two collectors for Ernie Zimm’s protection racket: Gabe ‘the Twist” Zoller and Lenny Ovitz. Zoller has a bit of a problem collecting at the Merchant of Mink leading to the owner and his bookkeeper being killed…

  • Jennifer Soosar: Parent Teacher Association

    Jennifer Soosar: Parent Teacher Association

    Strange assembly   A good book to mark the return of the school year, the debut novel Parent Teacher Association by Jennifer Soosar. Lizanne Demeter returns to the teaching world after some time in a mental institution. She is grateful for the chance at Splinter Wood Elementary. With new medication in her pocket and determined…

  • Late Summer Hiatus

    Late Summer Hiatus

    Time for my summer hiatus. Take a walk in a mysterious wood while I’m away. See you in late September… ~ June Lorraine Photo credit: J Chanders

  • J Kent Messum: Bait + Interview

    J Kent Messum: Bait + Interview

    Swim for life   Six strangers, all addicts, all from Miami neighbourhoods best left unnamed. Stalked, drugged and kidnapped, they awake on a small, uninhabited island in the Florida Keys. They have one days food and water, and a note advising them to swim for their next fix. It’s waiting for them on another island…

  • Sisters in Crime Toronto: 25 Years

    Sisters in Crime Toronto: 25 Years

    Oh What A Night   The Toronto chapter of Sisters in Crime had a wonderful celebration earlier this week, marking 25 years as part of the larger Sisters in Crime organization (who are celebrating 30 years.) The history of this association is fascinating. Women crime fiction writers put remarkable effort and work into to being…

  • Autumn: New season of crime fiction

        Early Autumn Time for more reading     Yes, the Autumn weather is here and I’m looking forward to a brand new season of crime fiction for Murder in Common. This year I decided to add an Interview page to the website. There are many authors that I speak with about their craft and it’s time…

  • Boo! It’s Halloween

    Ghosts, demons & obsession Delving into the “season” of Halloween has proved to be fun. I’ve remembered my mum, a dear friend and our midnight movies together, and assembled a survival kit in case of a zombie apocalypse.   We don’t get many children on October 31st. Seemingly our driveway is too long for them and…

  • Yes, it’s Friday

    Yes, I’m back from an imposed hiatus involving stitches, Advil and plenty of rest. Nothing too serious, but annoying and damned inconvenient. It is said that truth is stranger than fiction and Toronto author Robert Rotenberg turned that out with his fourth novel Stranglehold released in May of this year. The story line features Hap…

  • Old City Hall

    At 5:28 each morning Gurdial Singh, a retired chief engineer for Indian Railways, drops off a newspaper at the door of Toronto broadcaster Kevin Brace – the host of a nationally syndicated morning show. This day however will not be like the others. ‘Mr Kevin’s’ condo door is half-way open as usual however Mr Kevin…