Erik D’Souza interviews Barbara Fradkin about the nomination of her story, Cold Shock, which appears in A Capital Mystery Anthology, published by Ottawa Press and Publishing. They explored Barbara's fascination with why ordinary people resort to desperate actions, her creation of tension and atmosphere in beautiful settings such as the Rideau River, and her long-running Inspector Green series set in Ottawa.
Bio
Barbara Fradkin is a retired child psychologist with a fascination for why we turn bad. She has published seventeen novels, over thirty short stories, and four Rapid Reads short novels. Twelve of her works have been shortlisted or won Awards of Excellence from Crime Writers of Canada. Besides her Amanda Doucette wilderness thrillers, she is best known for her gritty, long-running series featuring quixotic Ottawa Police Inspector Michael Green.
Erik D’Souza interviews Madeleine Harris-Callway, discussing her nomination for the story, The Lost Diner (published in Pulp Literature issue 47), in the Best Crime Short Stories category, sponsored by Crime Writers of Canada. Madeleine explains her story about a 62-year-old woman driving cars across the border for a criminal organization, sharing her character's background as a former repo specialist. Madeleine also updates us on her work with Les Madame et Messieurs de Mayhem collective, mentioning their upcoming seventh anthology titled "The Power of 13" scheduled for release in September ahead of Bouchercon in Calgary.
Bio
M. H. Callway’s crime fiction has won or been short-listed for several leading awards including the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, the Debut Dagger, and the Derringer. Her thriller, Windigo Fire (Seraphim Editions), was a finalist for the CWC Best First Novel Award. In 2013, she and Donna Carrick of Carrick Publishing co-founded the Mesdames and Messieurs of Mayhem, a collective of established Canadian crime writers. They are the subject of the critically acclaimed CBC documentary, The Mesdames of Mayhem, which you may view on CBC GEM or YouTube.
Erik D'Souza interviews Iona Whishaw, whose novel, The Cost of a Hostage (Published by TouchWood Editions) is nominated for the Whodunit Award for Best Traditional Mystery, sponsored by Jane Doe. They discuss her Lane Winslow mystery series set in 1940s British Columbia. They explored how Lane's character evolved from being inspired by Iona's mother to developing her own distinct personality.
Bio
Iona Whishaw is a Canadian author known for her Lane Winslow mystery series, drawing inspiration from her diverse background as an educator and social worker. She began writing the Lane Winslow mystery series at the age of 64, inspired by her mother's adventurous life, which included her involvement in intelligence during World War II. The series features Lane Winslow, a former British spy who seeks a quieter life in British Columbia after the war. Iona's writing is characterized by its historical accuracy and rich character development, drawing from her extensive research and personal history, making her works resonate with readers who appreciate both mystery and historical context.
Hear her earlier podcast, where we focused on Cost of a Hostage: Crime Writers of Canada - Podcasts on Crime Writing - Iona Whishaw, The Cost of a Hostage
Erik D’Souza interviews Lis Angus, who is nominated for two awards. Her novel, That Other Family (published by Next Chapter), is nominated for Best Crime Novel Set in Canada, sponsored by Shaftesbury. And her story, Under the Circumstances (published in A Capital Mystery Anthology by Ottawa Press and Publishing), is shortlisted for Best Crime Short Story, sponsored by Crime Writers of Canada. They discuss Lis's writing approach and her themes around family, protection, and ordinary people facing extraordinary circumstances. Lis explains her extensive rewriting process and how she pares down her stories. The interview concludes with Lis mentioning her current work on a third novel, though it's still in early development stages.
Bio
Originally from Alberta, Lis Angus has also lived in Germany, Ottawa and Toronto. Before turning to fiction, she worked with children and families in crisis, and later as a business writer, conference organizer, and policy advisor while raising two daughters. Her two suspense novels, Not Your Child (2022) and That Other Family (December 2025), have been well-received. She lives in a small town south of Ottawa with her husband.
Website: Lis Angus
Erik D'Souza interviews John L. Hill about his nominated book, Acts of Darkness, Notorious Criminals, Their Defenders, Prosecutors, and Jailers (Published by Durvile & UpRoute), which is nominated for The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book, sponsored by David Reid Simpson Law Firm in Hamilton. John, a retired criminal and prison law lawyer, discusses how the book critically examines the Canadian justice system through real cases he's handled. They explored two chapters in detail: one about two businessmen wrongfully convicted of cocaine smuggling due to procedural errors, and another about the mistreatment of Indigenous youth in provincial facilities, including chaining and inhumane transportation practices. John emphasized the need to reform how society treats lawbreakers, particularly youth, arguing that punitive measures often create more problems than they solve and calling for better treatment to ensure safer communities.
Bio
John L. Hill is a retired criminal and prison law lawyer. He taught correctional law at the Queen's and University of Windsor Law Schools. But in private practice, he dealt with some of Canada's most notorious criminals as well as with some of Canada's best prosecutors and defence lawyers. In retirement, he has become a nonfiction writer. He is a columnist for Law 360 Canada (formerly The Lawyer's Daily), an online newspaper for the legal community. He has also published three books: Pine Box Parole: Terry Fitzsimmons and the Quest to End Solitary Confinement, The Rest of the [True Crime] Story, and Acts of Darkness. He has also published a story dealing with slavery in southeastern Ontario in a Florida-based magazine. John is the Ontario Central/East/Ottawa Regional Rep. for the CWC.
Joel Nedecky is nominated for Best Crime First Novel, sponsored by Melodie Campbell, with a $1000 prize.
Erik D'Souza interviews Joel Nedecky, a Winnipeg school teacher and author of The Broken Detective (published by Run Amok Crime). The interview covers Joel's writing journey, from being nominated for The Award for Best Unpublished Manuscript, sponsored by ECW Press in 2023, to now being shortlisted for Best First Crime Novel, making it rare for an author to be nominated twice for the same book. They discuss the character of Jake Joelsen, who is described as "broken" due to childhood experiences with alcoholic parents and foster care, and his 2-week timeline to earn money before going to prison. The conversation also touches on the book's reception from readers, particularly women, and potential casting choices for a film adaptation. Joel shares his ongoing work on marketing the book and his plans for future writing projects, including a second Jake novel and a standalone novel, with hopes to publish the sequel in 2027.
Robert Cree and Therese Greenwood's book, The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief, Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People (Published by ECW Press), is nominated for The Brass Knuckles Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book, sponsored by David Reid Simpson Law Firm in Hamilton.
Elder Robert Cree’s memoir, The Many Names of Robert Cree, is a first-person account of surviving the residential school system designed to erase Indigenous culture, language, and knowledge.
It is also the story of an epic life of struggle and healing, as Elder Robert takes the wisdom of the ancestors and a message of reconciliation to government and industry.
In his book, Elder Robert recounts his early years in the bush, his captivity at residential school, his struggles with addiction, his political awakening as one of Canada’s youngest First Nation Chiefs, and the rising Indigenous activism of the late 20th century.
He also describes the oil industry’s arrival on his then-poverty-stricken reserve and the struggle to balance economic opportunity with environmental challenges.
Throughout, Robert’s leadership has been rooted in his unshakable commitment to the sacred traditional teachings of his people. His beliefs give him the strength to focus on hope, dignity, and building a better future for his community.
Now a respected Elder and spiritual leader, Robert is well-known as a champion of reconciliation.
Author Therese Greenwood received the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence and Western Writers of America Spur Award for her fiction, which has appeared across Canada and the U.S. Her memoir of the Fort McMurray wildfire, What You Take With You: Wildfire, Family and the Road Home, was a Finalist for an Alberta Book Publishing Award.
Therese has worked as a reporter and editor and spent a decade as a CBC Radio correspondent. Her feature stories and columns appear regularly in national news publications, and she is a frequent commentator on issues related to both wildfires and crime fiction. She has a Master’s degree in journalism.
Their book, The Many Names of Robert Cree: How a First Nations Chief Brought Ancient Wisdom to Big Business and Prosperity to His People, has not only been nominated for a CWC award but has also received the 2026 Axiom Book Award Bronze Medal and is a finalist for the 2026 Alberta Literary Award.
In this podcast, Erik D’Souza interviews David L. Tucker, a nominee for Best Crime First Novel, sponsored by Melodie Campbell, for his debut crime novel, A Painting to Die For (published by Otter & Osprey Press). David explains how he transitioned to writing crime fiction, inspired by a trip to London and observations about the art market, which led to the story's setting in London during Brexit in 2017. The novel follows Bill Fredrick, a struggling Toronto portrait painter who becomes involved in a dangerous situation when he travels to London to help his wealthy uncle with a family matter. Erik and David discuss the writing process, including how David incorporated sensory details into his narrative and how the book successfully engages readers through its slow-burning tension and atmospheric descriptions.
Bio
David L. Tucker has won numerous international awards as a writer, producer, and director of television documentaries, art specials, drama, and current affairs programming. Best known for his work on CBC’s The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, Tucker garnered a Gemini for Best Direction, a Gracie, a Chris, a Prix Italia, a Freddie, and presented work at Hot Docs. His previous collection of short stories, One Way Ticket, earned him an Oakville Arts Council Literary Award. With a graduate degree in interdisciplinary fine arts, Tucker has also taught media aesthetics, documentary and screenwriting and presented scholarly papers in Paris, Budapest, Berlin and in the States.
Erik D’Souza interviews Jack David, co-founder of ECW Press, a Canadian book publisher founded in 1974 that has published over 2,000 books across various genres, including fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. Jack discusses the importance of good writing over social media presence, and shares why ECW Press sponsors the Crime Writers of Canada's best unpublished crime novel manuscript category, offering $500 to support emerging writers.
ECW Press is a Canadian book publisher located in Toronto, Ontario. It was founded by Jack David and Robert Lecker in 1974 as a Canadian literary magazine named Essays on Canadian Writing. They started publishing trade and scholarly books in 1979.
ECW Press publishes a range of books in fiction, non-fiction, poetry, sport, and pop culture. Publishers Weekly listed ECW Press as one of the fastest-growing and most diversified independent publishers in North America. ECW Press has published over 2,000 books, distributed throughout the English-speaking world and translated into dozens of languages.
In this podcast, Erik D’Souza interviews Jennifer Hillier, the Canadian Guest of Honour at Bouchercon 2026 in Calgary, to discuss her writing and upcoming book. Jennifer discusses her award-winning novel, Things We Do in the Dark, which spans multiple locations, including Vancouver and Toronto, and her approach to writing diverse characters drawn from her lived experience as a Filipino-Canadian. She also shared details about her upcoming book Heart of Glass, set in a fictional seaside town, which took four challenging years to write. The conversation covered Jennifer's writing process, her experience with publishers regarding setting locations, and her return to Bouchercon after missing previous events due to scheduling conflicts.
Bio
JENNIFER HILLIER is the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark, described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine. It was an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Goodreads Choice Award nominee, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a Library Reads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame. She’s also the author of six other novels including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets, which is currently being adapted for Peacock by Tish Cyrus’s Hopetown Entertainment and Universal Television, and Jar of Hearts, which won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. A Filipino-Canadian, she was born in Toronto and spent several years in Seattle before returning home to Canada. She currently lives in Oakville, Ontario with her family.