Kaleidoscope

A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery #13

by Gail Bowen

The thirteenth in Gail Bowen's beloved and award-winning Joanne Kilbourn mystery series promises to be the best of them all: some very bad things happen very, very close to home, and Joanne may never be quite the same again.
 
"Security for any one of us lies in greater abundance for all of us." For many years, this was the core of Joanne's political beliefs, but for a number of reasons, she has drifted away from it. But on the day Joanne retires from her university teaching post, she has a dream about her first husband (murdered many years ago), and this line comes back vividly in it.
 
Soon, she is forced to experience the truth of what, for most of her life, had just been a good closing line for a political speech. The night after Jo and Zack have dinner with Zack's colleague Margot and one of his law firm's biggest clients, the developer Leland Hunter, Jo and Zack's house is blown up. They're at the lake with daughter Taylor and their dogs, but the house is destroyed. And that is only the first of several terrible incidents. It isn't long before Joanne is witness to events far more distressing than even a destroyed home. She begins to understand what it's like to live in a world where she can count on nothing.

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Canada, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Book Club

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 24, 2012

About the author

Gail Dianne Bowen (née Bartholomew) is a Canadian playwright and writer of mystery novels. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently taught English in Saskatchewan, and is currently a professor of English at First Nations University of Canada. Bowen's mystery novels feature Joanne Kilbourn, a widowed mother, political analyst and university professor who finds herself occasionally involved in criminal investigations in various parts of Saskatchewan. Many have been adapted as Canadian television movies by Shaftesbury Films.

Series:
* Joanne Kilbourn Mystery

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (1995): A Colder Kind of Death

Reviews

[Robyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this one, with Joanne reckoning with her privilege. I mean aside from the fact that basically everyone she knows gets murdered. I still want to know why Greg is a deadbeat dad and also: what happened to Hilda? She has not been mentioned for many many books. Is she dead? Did Gail forget about her, is the real question. Now we are at a point where everyone has a Blackberry and is texting. I have developed an ability to guess the murderer as soon as they are introduced in these books, much like my talent for guessing the killer early on when watching CSI.

[PrairieReader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read the first few Joanne Kilbourn books years ago, then picked up again with "The Nesting Dolls". I really disliked all the acquaintance coincidences going on in "Kaleidoscope". It seemed everyone, even subplot characters, were interconnected, which seemed entirely implausible. The developer is marrying Joanne's husband's law partner; the developer's adversary is dating Joanne's daughter; the developer's son has a relationship with Joanne's other daughter; the ex-wife of the developer's caregiver used to work for Joanne's husband; the hostess of the shower is the prosecutor Joanne's husband is up against in a court case . . . the list goes on and on. It really, REALLY ruined the book for me. I had a hard time keeping the characters straight, I found the writing pretentious and am not too eager for the next Joanne Kilbourn installment.

[Carolyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my favorite Gail Bowen mystery. Is it just my imagination or is Joanne drinking a lot more these days? Martinis in the afternoon, drinks before dinner, with dinner, before bed....how does she solve any mysteries?

[Lori · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars actually and a better novel than the last couple in this series. I have become disappointed in how far Joanne had come from her old, amazing self in the earlier books. Since her marriage to Zack, I have disliked the person she's become: rich, privileged, leading the perfect life with her "perfect" but rather ickedly-portrayed marriage, rich and mostly annoying friends and her unbelievable children. In this story the friction between the have and the have-nots hits close to home, remarkably close to home with a bomb detonated in Zack and Joanne's garage blowing a good chunk of their home and their boring and nauseatingly ideal life to kingdom come. Yes..! What a great way to start this story. Now living in the heart of one of the poorest neighborhoods in Regina, North Central, all of a sudden Joanne is slap-dab in the middle of social unrest, gang warfare and the hopelessness of many even in a society as supposedly privileged as Canadian society is. Adversity and tragedy continues and slowly but surely realization dawns on Joanne that she needs more in her life to feel truly alive than just being a retired Political Science professor lounging in her perfect garden sipping martini's. On her journey she is forced to reframe her past with her young and up-and-coming politician first husband and her present as a society wife to a successful trial lawyer with rich and powerful friends. Her transformation in this regard makes me look forward to the next book in this series. That said, I could only give the book 3.5 stars as the plot with all the familial and friendly connections strains believability and the prose at times is pedantic and lacks the ability for the reader to make that guttural and emotional connection with the story and the experiences of the characters. However, the fact that husband Zack played less of an "icky"role in this one and more of a "lawyer" role was a plus.

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

To be honest, I did not finish this book. I read half, which was more than I wish I had read.
Too raw for me. Too many triggers. Not the kind of images I want swirling around in my head. So I abandoned it, and not finishing a book is a really weird, but liberating feeling. It did not hold me captive! I am free of it.

[Toni Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book 13, in the Joanne Kilbourn mystery series

From time to time I like to pick up one of the books in this series. I admit I have not been reading them in order, however I feel each one can be equally enjoyed on its own. With great skill of the pen, Ms. Bowen brings us up to date and gives another thread of Joanne’ life, her family and friends.

In this latest installment, the political science professor Joanne Kilbourn is looking forward to retirement and spending the summer with her husband Zack and young daughter at their cottage on Lawyer’s Bay. While at the cottage and just starting to sample retirement life she receives a call from a city detective to warn them they may be a target, someone has detonated a bomb in their garage destroying part of their city home.

They fear there may be a coincidence, the night before they had dinner with a very controversial individual Leland Hunter, a land developer and one of Jack’s biggest clients. Hunter’s model project to rejuvenate a slum area in the downtown core is creating many enemies. Blowing up the home of one of the prominent players in the project is just a taste of the tension that is building and a sample of how far the opponents will go.

The story keeps a leisurely tempo all through the drama and focusses mainly on community activism and family ties. I found the plot rather predictable and frustrating at times, we were sidetracked to often by Jo and Zack’s drinking and sex activities to a point where it became a boring sub-plot. I found the characters to be a bit bland and Joanne’s new role to be ho-hum in comparison to the role she played in the other mysteries and made for TV movies. Hopefully she will soon tire of her new life and get back to her old self…..the vibrant sleuth she has played in the past.

[Beth Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Bowen's newest mystery Joanne Kilbourn's growing friendship with a controversial real estate mogul and her lawyer husband's defense of a sleazy slumlord accused of murder are causing friction with family and friends as well as public outcry. When Joanne's home is bombed her life is turned upside down. Was Joanne the target? Her husband? Are there clues buried in the past? Forced into urgent soul-searching--has she drifted away from what is most important over the years?--Joanne trieds to keep her family safe while trying to uncover the face and motive behind the violence. This fine series (Kaleidoscope is #13) makes good use of Canada's political and social landscape and deserves to be far better known in the US than it is. If you're not familiar with Bowen, do yourself a favor, go back to her early titles and follow a very interesting woman through a well-written and thought-provoking series.

[Annette Bower · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Bowen explores the vast differences between those who have and those who don't in Kaleidoscope.
There are two opposing views in this novel, one black and one white. If both of the issues remain separate nothing will change but with the blending of the two grey can become the new order.

Joanne has always been on the other side of poor but she has an empathetic approach when she helps the less fortunate. Throughout her life she helped one person at a time. In Kaleidoscope she hopes to influence a whole neighborhood which in the past produced productive citizens but gradually became the poorest and roughest neighborhood in the city. A business man wants to change that. With the help of key people living in the neighborhood and the business man's money and expertise she hopes that the blending of ideals and money will lead to a pleasing shade of grey where everyone benefits.

[Roberta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another good, solid Joanne Kilbourne mystery. I like the reality of this series and the Saskatchewan setting. I particularly like the way Joanne's life, and the people in it, evolves with each new installment and I like what seems to be a growing focus on community activism. The mystery was easy to solve very early on but that didn't detract from the story and the motivation was a surprise. One quibble I do have is that everyone in the story is connected in some way and it started to feel too pat.

[Debbie · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the better ones in this series. Although I still don't care for the main character, Joanne. And her daughter is getting on my nerves too. In fact most of the regulars in these books are unrelatable to me. And I am sick of Joanne and her husband having sex on every other chapter. They are in their late 50's, busy careers and he is a parapalegic and they have more sex than I had in my 20's! But maybe I am just jealous! Anyways, the social and economic tensions between the haves and have nots in this book helped make it a pretty good read for me.

[Penny · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the local setting as always, and this entry into the series is much better than the last. However, Bowen seems to be veering quite far from the mystery format - yes, there's a murder but Joanne has pretty much nothing to do with solving it. That's because she's too busy having sex and drinking minutely described cocktails. No time for sleuthing!

[Lynn Kearney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not her best, but I've grown quite attached to the Kilbourn family over the years so will keep reading them as long as she keeps writing them. Who knew Regina, Saskatchewan was such a hotbed of vice! I lked the earlier ones when Joanne was a lefty political activist.

[Milley · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a disappointment. I like Zachary but I think that adding a rich spouse with all of the safety net that entails makes for a more boring main character. I also preferred the Saskatchewan political plots more as well.

This one seemed to have less sleuthing in it. Joanne is in the centre of it seemingly since her own house is bombed. But she doesn’t really personally investigate. 90 percent of the book is her just burbling through life.
And I know we are told that she was very upset by the bombing and the shooting. But somehow it didn’t give me a sense of foreboding nor of her own personal risk.

Her relationship with Leland was just so convenient. She was cool to him at first and then seems to drop all her convictions. He was a ruthless developer and proud to be so. He had a job to do to create profit and he did it. At least he was honest about it. He himself said he was only doing the community centre to take the heat off. Then all of a sudden after his death, the project is portrayed as having a priority “ to give the men and women of North Central the background, training and experience necessary for a decent life”. But Leland lent her the condo and had his developers help her out with their bombed house. So besties I guess?

Her disgust with what happened to April and anger at parents sending their children to prostitution was remarkable. ( and not wanting to help them with the drop in centre if THATs the way there are) She was as harsh as any greedy developer I would say and twice as judgemental. Also doesn’t she have a social science PhD ? Shouldn’t she know about inter generational trauma?

I guess I am saying that Joanne has become sort of a self satisfied rich lady and it isn’t for the better ( of the series)

[Sharon · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the better stories in this long running series. Joanne & her lawyer husband Zack have dinner with Zack’s colleague Margot and her land developer fiancé. Joanne has recently retired and is looking forward to relaxing and starting a new chapter in her life. Unfortunately, terrible events start to unfold, her home is blown up and she is not thrilled with her eldest daughter’s new boyfriend. While on her morning run, she hears gun shots and witnesses a murder.
Gripping story, hard to put down.

[Wendell Hennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inner city redevelopment, court cases, university life, family live, Gail Bowen rolls it all into an outstanding story. A Wadena wedding, pregnancy, childbirth, and gang war, Joanne is in the centre of it all, including the bombing of the house she and Zack and Taylor live in. Another incredible read from this National Treasure/Saskatchewan Treasure.

[Maureen Ulrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kaleidoscope is not one of Bowen's best mysteries, but as always, I am inspired by the way she uses a social issue in our province (in this case crime and poverty in North Central Regina) to underscore the plot.

[Elaine Tucker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow a great story set in Regina Saskatchewan. A mystery, who did it and why. A home is blown up, a friend is murdered while out on an early morning run.

Will be looking for more books written by Gail Bowen.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

So much happened in this story and most of it was terrible. It was still hard to put down mainly because the main character doesn't wallow in her misfortune (although sometimes she really, really wants to).

[Marcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed getting back to the series set in Saskatchewan. It was a quick light read. It's certainly now one I will remember a year from now nor would I consider reading it again so I rated it as a 3.

[Cybercrone · Rating 3 out of 5]

These are getting better.

One interesting thing - in Ontario here we say a thing is "six ways to Sunday" and apparently in Saskatchewan it is "six ways to sundown"

[Amy Lou · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another enjoyable Joanne Kilbourn book

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent!

[Lorna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series just gets keeps getting better

[Gayle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought I was all caught up in this series but must have missed this one. Another good read

[Gordon · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a few of Bowen's mysteries. They are entertaining with decent characters but I find them and Kaleidoscope in particular to lack the polish and depth of real top notch mysteries.

I was born in Saskatchewan and have lived here my whole life so I am very familiar with the culture and geography. I have been in Regina many times but have never found myself in the area this story is centred in. Most Saskies stay away from it because it has a reputation as being dangerous. One only need attend a Roughriders game and try to find a parking spot close to Mosaic Stadium to see some rotten areas and wonder why the such squalor exists in the heart of the capital city.

Gail does attack the social issues such as gang violence, drugs, poverty and racism that plague Regina's inner city. I didn't find it convincing because the characters in conflict are too diametrically opposed. There is too much charicature for my liking.

I knew who the perpetrator of the crime was half way through the story. The few minor red herrings were far too obvious.

[Chantale · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joanne Kilbourne's family is displaced when their family's is too close to a community re-development project in the downtown core "North Central". Joanne and her husband Zack find themselves trying to protect their family from further harm and needing to move into their friend's Downtown condo which is the first part of "The Village" re-vitalization project for Downtown Regina.

Death threats, a murder trial, a mysterious file, two weddings and a funeral, this book doesn't skip a beat in the drama department. Family relationships and tensions are high and we learn how families and close friends can pull together in a crisis.

This is my first opportunity to read the Joanne Kilbourne series and I didn't feel that reading the book out of sequence left me out of the loop. I look forward to reading more in this series.

[Sherry Monger · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This is the first Gail Bowen book I have read and I really enjoyed it. Joanne's relationship with her second husband Zack, and the strong ties she has with each of her children make for great comfort reading as she gets involved in trying to bring hope and opportunity to inner city families in Regina. In this mystery, a construction worker is killed on the job and Joanne's house is bombed, creating fear and wonder at what will happen next. Disparate groups are trying to work together for affordable housing and community centers and the gangs of Regina are angry and determined to thwart all attempts at bringing the neighbourhood factions together. But it turns out there is another threat that they didn't see coming.

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely blown away by this book. Horrific life events give Joanne the time to consider what has long been her political philosophy: "Security for any one of us lies in greater abundance for all of us." I thought this book went far beyond the mystery genre, in that the spotlight of victim is turned upon Joanne and her family, and she is forced to rethink what she has long held to be true. This is a series that improves with each book. The only bad thing about it was that it ended too soon! Highly recommended.

[Indydriven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book in the series marks a big change for Joanne and her family. By the end of the book, the reader can see that future books in the series have the main characters changing up their lives - its a good direction so that the series does not become stale. Really enjoyed Kaleidoscope. I will bring my copy to the next meeting so someone else can read it before the September mtg.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an outstanding novel. The main character is authentic and a breath of fresh air. In this novel she has just retired, which contrasts with most novels I read these days. Most heroines are young with less depth. I love this series and am sad that the next book will be my last ... at least until there is a new one.