MOTIVE Mystery & Crime Festival 2026 - Toronto International Festival of Authors
June 5th-7th, 2026
Victoria College, University of Toronto
73 Queen’s Park Crecent, Toronto, ON M5S 1K7
GENERAL INFO
On Friday, June 5th to Sunday June 7th, 2026, the Toronto International Festival of Authors is hosting MOTIVE, an annual festival focused on crime and mystery. Taking place at Victoria College, University of Toronto, this three-day weekend festival will celebrate writers from Canada and across the world.
With cozy crime, police procedural, psychological thriller and true crime taking the stage, the Festival will be a weekend of suspense, twists and turns as we uncover the secrets behind some of the world’s most gripping stories. Meet the masters of mystery over the long weekend with criminally good conversations, readings, book signings, workshops and more.
For more details, visit TIFA website
We are pleased to share that Crime Writers of Canada will be participating in MOTIVE by hosting a couple of sessions this year. Here’s what we have lined up:
Time: Saturday, June 6th and Sunday, June 7th from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Step into the heart of Canadian crime fiction at the lively CWC’s Author Tent—your ultimate destination for casual browsing, exciting discoveries, meaningful conversations, and forging connections with the vibrant Canadian crime-writing community.
Crime Writers of Canada’s top authors will be on hand, ready to:
- Sell and personally sign copies of their gripping novels, and latest releases—perfect for building or expanding your collection on the spot!
- Chat one-on-one about their creative process, real-life inspirations, shadowy characters, clever plot twists, and the dark art of crime writing.
Come for the books. Stay for the stories. Get ready to get hooked!
Time: Saturday, June 6th at TBD.
Get ready for an electrifying showcase of fresh crime fiction! Hosted by Jass Aujla (Crime Writers of Canada Board Director and author of Next Of Twin), this session brings you exclusive live readings from CWC authors launching (or recently launched) their hot new titles in 2026. Whether you're discovering breakout voices or savoring favorites, join us for pulse-pounding excerpts, behind-the-scenes insights, and the chance to hear these thrilling stories straight from the authors themselves.
Time: Sunday, June 7th at TBD.
Discover the next big names in crime fiction before they hit the bestseller lists! Hosted by Jass Aujla (Crime Writers of Canada Board Director and author of Next Of Twin), this exciting session spotlights CWC associate members as they share captivating readings from their unpublished manuscripts. It's a rare, intimate opportunity to experience raw talent, fresh twists, and chilling new voices in the making. Cheer on these rising stars, get a sneak peek at tomorrow's must-read thrillers, and be among the first to witness the birth of tomorrow’s crime fiction sensations!
MEMBER OPPORTUNITIES
Opportunities at this high-profile event are open to all CWC members across Canada. However, members will be responsible for their own transportation, parking, and accommodation expenses.
There are three exciting CWC opportunities:
- CWC’s Author Tent – We are looking for 20 Professional Author Members (PAM’s) to sell, sign, and discuss their books on both Saturday and
Sunday (11:00 am – 5:00 pm). The tent will host 20 authors simultaneously. Please note, each author will be responsible for their own transactional requirements when selling books.
- “Fresh Blood: CWC's 2026 Debuts & Hot Reads” – We are looking for 5-6 Professional Author Members (PAM’s) to take to the stage to briefly chat about and read from their latest title. Preference will be given to those members with new books published or to be published in 2026.
- “Before the Book Deal: CWC's Rising Voices Read Raw” – We are looking for atleast 4 Associate Members (AM’s) to take to the stage to discuss and read from their work-in-progress. Preference will be given to those members who have limited experience with live readings, but are comfortable and brave enough to share an excerpt of their unpublished manuscript.
We are proud of our CWC members and look forward to celebrating you at these events. In respect of everyone’s busy schedules, we will confirm your participation by mid-April.
