From the "Queen of Canadian crime fiction" ( Winnipeg Free Press ) comes the 16th instalment of the much-loved Joanne Kilbourn series. The latest novel in the Joanne Kilbourn Shreve series opens in the month of May, a time of beginnings when all things seem possible. Joanne's husband, Zack, recently elected mayor of Regina, is optimistic that he can garner the public support necessary to make Regina a city that works -- not just for the few, but for the many. Their oldest son Peter is marrying Maisie Crawford, a woman as clever and forthright as she is lovely. Their lakeside wedding is a dream come true, but when a former lover of a member of the bridal party shows up, the dream becomes a nightmare. Before the bride's bouquet has wilted, there's an act of sickening cruelty; soon afterwards, there's a murder. Devastated, Joanne and Zack search for answers. As it becomes increasingly unclear whether political agendas, shattered romance, or a secret buried deep in the past have motivated the crimes, the loyalties of the Shreve family are tested. A gripping mystery with a social conscience, this is a novel of high stakes and innocence lost.
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.
This book was OK. I'm feeling like the series has run its course. There's a little too much perfection in the Kilbourn family to feel real, and the political righteousness is too much for me. Time to move on.
Couldn't finish it. I find myself not at all interested in the characters in this series -- have followed them in numerous past books but by now I am overtaken with ennui at the doings of the self-styled prairie elite in this Regina setting.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review "What's Left Behind", and audiobook from the Joanne Kilbourne series by Gail Bowen.
I have not read many of the books in this series, but was intrigued by the synopsis.
At its heart this is a murder mystery: why did someone kill Lee, the sister of Joanne and Zach's new daughter-in-law? Was it her ex-? An unstable young man who had just learned of her recent engagement. Was it a rival in city politics? There are one or two people who seem to have vendettas against her. Was it the same person who, just the day before, slaughtered her heritage fowl? Or was it someone from her past.
As Joanne begins to unravel the various skeins in the intricate plot, we're also given an insight into other characters who have been introduced in previous books.
At the heart of the matter is an upcoming referendum that pits Environmentalists (supported by City Hall) against Developers who will have their expansions halted if the proposed By Laws are approved. And shows to just what lengths someone will go to to win.
Meh. I have read a number of books by Bowen in the Joanne Kilbourne murder mystery series. They are set in Regina and it’s always been enjoyable reading about a setting I’m familiar with.
The stories were interesting with enough of a twist to make them intriguing.
But with the last couple of them, I found them less interesting. Is Bowen getting tired of her own writing or am I just getting tired of the series?
With this latest one I read, I really skimmed it. In going through it, I realized that Bowen must have had a checklist she was following with her characters. She had married Joanne off to a guy in a wheelchair a few books ago, as well as introducing a girl she ended up adopting. So, one adoption, check. One wheelchair, check. A same-sex couple, check. One or two First Nations characters. Check. A single mother. Check. An alcoholic (and another who was a drug addict I think). Check. I think one of the First Nations men was gay too. Check. There were more stereotypes I’ve forgotten right now.
Too many characters, the “bad guy” identifiable way too early.
In looking at other reviews, one reviewer thought the writing was “lyrical”. Hmm. When I think of lyrical writing I might think of Michael Ondaatje. Not Bowen.
Another felt the main character, Joanne, was “smug”. Not sure what that meant so I looked it up. Turns out smug means “having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements”. I can kind of see that.
In sum, pedestrian writing, convoluted plot. Won’t rush to read another.
first Gail Bowen mystery I have read. There are a lot of characters in the book, challenging to keep track of them all. So would be best to read the book within 2 days. Not sure if I will read more of them or not. Interesting aspect that I enjoyed was her frequent references to Saskatchewan. One of Canada's provinces I have not been to. From this book I would enjoy visiting there. Not very impressed with character Joanne Kilbourn. Favourite lines: "The miracles of everyday life...we're never grateful enough, are we?" (p. 83). "Make the most of what you're given" (p. 88). "Play it as it lays" (p. 103). "the real measure of a life is not its length but its depth" (p. 146) "We humans are just travellers on this earth. We come and go, but the land is forever." (p. 149) "eyes wary with the knowledge that everything the world offers comes with a price tag" (p. 196) Napoleon said, "A leader is a dealer in hope." (p. 242). "I'm doing my best.... That's all any of us can do." (p. 297). "Morning is wiser than evening." (p. 302). "Bob Marley once said, "Truth is, everybody is going to hurt you. You just gotta find the ones worth suffering for." (p. 303). "The creek was an oasis of peace and beauty in every season and over the decades I'd often found solace there."(p. 303)
I received a free audio book from the publisher through netgalley.com in exchange for a honest review.
This is the 2nd Joanne Killbourn novel I've listened to. I listened to the 18th one before this one and really liked it, although I read these out of order I don't think it really took much away from the books. Taylor is younger in this book still finding her way through her art and life. Zack is the Mayor and his agenda is based on keeping their town from being overrun by track housing and strip malls.
This is a well done mystery that I believe could stand alone just as #18 did. I didn't feel lost or confused by the characters even though I'm jumping into the series so far from the beginning. I love Zack and Joanne's relationship, they have their struggles, their spats but they love each other and eventually work things out. I appreciate the realness of that. Taylor often seems much older than her age but I'm going to chalk that up to what she has been through in her short life and who her parents are and all the craziness they seem to stumble into all the time.
This was the first book I have read/listened to by this author but since I have the next two in the series all queued up and ready to go stay tuned for those reviews. Joanne and Zack are a wonderful couple who live in Regina and Zack in the newly elected Mayor and also a very prominent attorney. The story starts out with their son, Peter, and his fiance Maise getting married at a lakeside ceremony where Maise's twin sister's ex shows up and sits on the lake in a canoe throughout the entire ceremony and reception. This is significant because soon after murder comes calling and all the clues point to him but...really...that is too convenient. At the same time there is also a political agenda to the story and we get all the back story of that along with all the characters. I found this well written and intriguing. I wish I had found this series sooner. I was captivated right to the end and listened to all three books in a row (that never happens).
**Received this ARC for review in audio from the publisher via NetGalley**
I had abandoned this series awhile ago but with the recent release of Gail Bowen’s 18th Joanne Kilbourne book I decided to pick up the series again and catch up on it. Set in my home province of Saskatchewan, it’s nice to see an author who has chosen to remain in Regina, Saskatchewan attain such longevity and success with her series. Disappointed with the last 3-4 books this one was a pleasant surprise for me. Although I did figure out “who dunnit” and why early on, I still enjoyed this one much more than the last few. The storyline was compelling and often emotional so quite gripping. Granted, the fact that Joanne who is neither a police officer or a detective, keeps stumbling upon murder and intrigue does stretch the realm of plausibility, in this particular story, at least the plot moves along at a satisfying pace and the new cast of characters introduced are interesting and complex. A decent read.
***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review ***
The 16th book in the Joanne Kilbourne series. In this novel we see Joanne's son Peter marrying his fiance, Maisie Crawford. Her twin sister Leigh is in attendance. Out on the lake she is being watched and it's not long before things take a sinister turn.
This is the first time I have read/listened to a Gail Bowen novel. Being a fan of Patricia Cornwell I enjoy crime/mystery series which are set over long periods of time. I was not disappointed. This was a good solid murder mystery. The characters, on the whole, were likeable and held my interest.
I am now halfway through book seventeen with the intention of starting the entire series once I have finished.
***ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.co.uk in return for an honest review *** The 16th book in the Joanne Kilbourne series. In this novel we see Joanne's son Peter marrying his fiance, Maisie Crawford. Her twin sister Leigh is in attendance. Out on the lake she is being watched and it's not long before things take a sinister turn. This is the first time I have read/listened to a Gail Bowen novel. Being a fan of Patricia Cornwell I enjoy crime/mystery series which are set over long periods of time. I was not disappointed. This was a good solid murder mystery. The characters, on the whole, were likeable and held my interest. I am now halfway through book seventeen with the intention of starting the entire series once I have finished.
The sixteenth book in the Joanne Kilbourn mystery series, this book has all the usual Canadian charms of its Saskatchewan setting and the complex lives of Joanne, husband Zack and their extended family. Zack is now Mayor of Regina and facing a referendum concerning the rules to be followed by developers; Joanne is working in the organizing of volunteers and other political tasks until disaster strikes, in the form of several deaths among those close to her family and the two sides of the upcoming vote. I continue to enjoy this series.
May is a time for beginnings, when all things are possible. Joann’s son Peter is about to marry, also her husband Zack newly elected mayor of Regina is trying to garner the yes vote for an important referendum for the city. During the wedding, a strange man in yellow is watching from a boat.
As it becomes increasingly unclear, wether political agendas, shattered romance, or a secret buried deep in the past is responsible for motivated crimes of animal cruelty, a kidnapping & murder.
Packed with wonderful narrative, good characters and story with multiple threads, all coming together with a heartbreaking ending.
So I struggled with the audio of this as I hadnt listened/read to the other books in the series but it has piqued my interest and I am going to continue with the series.
I liked the sound of these books as the location was different and it was a completely different genre.
The audio was good enough to convince me to continue and so I am glad that I finished the audio.
I was given an advance copy by netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely my own.
What's Left Behind by Gail Bowen is a well written book. I liked this book but didn't love it. The author did a great job with the imagery and I could envision so many details. Athena Karkanis was great performing the book. She brought the characters to life with her voice. Thank you #NetGalley and #Bespeak Audio Editions for allowing me to listen to this book.
Always a pleasure to learn a little bit more of the Saskatchewan scene. And a reminder that wherever you are, the same big issues prevail, and different people react differently to the same fact situations. I can feel the heat of the summer.
4.5 Even though I knew the culprits right away, maybe even before the crimes, the story moves quickly. Set in early summer, this was fun to read as I anticipate a wholly different summer from last year. Also, I love Joanne Kilbourn's extended family, particularly newcomer Milo.
This was my first book by this author and normally I wouldn't jump into a series at book 16 but this time I did. I am so glad I did! I loved this book and all the characters. This author does such a great job introducing you to her characters and getting you to love them! I most especially love the relationship between Joanne and Zach and the way she deals with his paraplegia as just a part of him and not being the whole of him. I can't wait to read all the rest of the books in this series!
The way that this author dealt with mental illness was refreshing - it wasn't all he's crazy and that's that but she deal with it with compassion and caring and hope for a better future.
I did greatly appreciate that this can be read as a stand-alone book since that is what I did.
I read Gail Bowen's first Joanne Kilbourn mystery soon after it was published, and I was hooked. Bowen's lyrical writing, brilliant evocation of place and, most of all, interesting, believable and likeable characters made me hope for many more Joanne Kilbourn (now Joanne Shreve) novels. Since then, this series has not disappointed me, and What's Left Behind is another fine entry.
As always, Joanne is the moral and practical centre of her network of family and friends, the person others come to with their problems. In What's Left Behind, she is busy hosting her son's wedding reception, serving as a key advisor for her husband's work as the new mayor of their city, and making herself available to friends and family dealing with challenges of their own. At the heart of the story is the murder of a young woman related to Joanne by marriage, and solving the murder--both the who and the why--requires Joanne to unravel a complex skein of interconnected relationships and resentments that go back into the past.
What I like best about Bowen's books is that she writes novels that happen to be murder mysteries, so the murder-investigation-resolution arc in her books invariably unfolds against the backdrop of Joanne's richly interesting personal and professional lives. As Joanne struggles to resolve the mystery, What's Left Behind offers behind-the-scenes glimpses of family life, municipal politics, and activism on unplanned urban sprawl, with its related loss of farmland and the farming way of life. Bowen skilfully avoids being dry or theoretical, but instead uses these story elements to explore the human drama: how far corrupt individuals in business and politics may go to get their way, how easily someone with a mental illness may be scapegoated, and how the innocent are often victimized. Most of all, though, Gail Bowen explores the human drama of personal relationships. As with other entries in this series, in this book she takes the reader to dark and painful places, but balances tragedy with abundant moments of love, goodness and hope. I always close her books at the end with a sense of wrongs having been righted and characters having good reason to go on.
Because Bowen's books have recurring characters and ongoing back stories, I would recommend reading the series in order. If that isn't possible, try to start with The Last Good Day and read the books between that and What's Left Behind before you start this book. But if this is to be the first Joanne Kilbourn book you read, I think you'll find Bowen sets the story and characters up sufficiently that you won't be particularly lost.
I find I can figure out who the killer is about half the time with Bowen's books, and I knew relatively early who it was this time. I don't see that as a failure on Bowen's part or a particular skill on mine. If anything, it's proof that Bowen is not out to trick her readers, but instead chooses to fairly illuminate the characters and situations she explores. I read mysteries for the mystery, but I also demand excellent writing, and characters, places and situations I can invest in. I am sincerely grateful to Gail Bowen for delivering these qualities, book after book, for over 25 years. Long may she write!
This book was a birthday gift from my daughter, Colleen Hennan, who is a character on pages 239 to 241 and as Colleen modestly says, these pages are the best part of the book. Gail Bowen nails Colleen succinctly and beautifully.
My first Gail Bowen book, which started off feeling like a gossipy columnist, with way too many characters. The story eventually grew on me and there were times when I was amazed and happy with the depth of the characters and the emotions described. But all in all, the story was somewhat unbelievable, too political, but considering Saskatchewan's history with a politician convicted of murder of his ex wife, maybe not. And just maybe I have been too harsh in rating this one.
Joanne's son Peter's wedding is overshadowed by the appearance of the maid of honor Lee's ex-boyfriend, Simon. Simon is still obsessed with Lee and has checked himself out of the psychiatric hospital against his doctor's orders. Lee, with her organization Citizens for Planned Growth has been fighting against corporations that want to take over farmland and are more concerned with making money than responsible development. When Lee is found murdered soon after the wedding, the authorities' prime suspect is Simon, but Joanne and others believe that Lee's work with her group or possibly personal relationships in her past will be the key to finding her killer. As usual in this long-running series, the reader is contentedly immersed in Joanne's world of family, friendships, and politics.
Visiting with Joanne and the ensemble cast is a lovely way to spend a lazy day reading. It is comfortable, it is familiar, it is like seeing an old friend for dinner after years have past and yet it doesn't matter. The mystery was a good one; I didn't figure it out (granted, I try not to guess ahead very often because it spoils the mood for me). The writing was great, as was the editing (typo not withstanding).
This is a 4.5 star book for me, with the .5 star missing because one of the side plots didn't feel quite real to me. I won't explain as it might spoil the book for someone else, but there was one piece that I didn't feel fit quite right into the mythos this series has created.