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.
In this podcast, Erik D’Souza talks with Mark Graney, the American Guest of Honour for Bouchercon 2026 in Calgary. It focused on his writing career and experience with the conference. Mark discussed his process for writing lengthy thrillers, including his Gray Man series and Jack Ryan novels, explaining how he balances writing with his large family while incorporating current global affairs into his stories. He shared insights about researching locations, the psychological development of his assassin characters, and his approach to writing morally complex characters. The conversation concluded with Mark's advice about attending Bouchercon, highlighting its welcoming atmosphere and diverse community of writers and readers.
Bio
MARK GREANEY is the #1 NYT bestselling author of twenty-five novels, including THE GRAY MAN (2009), and twelve more books in the Gray Man series. He also coauthored three Jack Ryan novels with Tom Clancy, and authored four more Jack Ryan novels after Mr. Clancy’s death. Mark is the co-author of the military thriller, RED METAL (2019), and the author of the Josh Duffy series, including ARMORED (2022) and SENTINEL (2024).
The film adaptation of THE GRAY MAN was released in 2022, starring Ryan Gosling, Chris Evans, and Ana de Armas, and was the fifth most-watched Netflix film of all time.
Mark lives in Memphis, TN, with his wife, Allison, his three stepchildren, and his four rescue dogs.
Erik D’Souza interviews Vicki Delany as part of the Bouchercon series podcasts. The discussion covers Vicki's creative process and her approach to series longevity, particularly her decision to introduce a new protagonist in the Lighthouse Library series while keeping the original character, Lucy, in a supporting role. The conversation also touches on setting choices for cozy mysteries and the challenges of getting Canadian-set books published in the US market. The interview concludes with Vicki's advice for attendees of the upcoming Bouchercon in Calgary, emphasizing the importance of careful planning and spontaneity.
Bio
Vicki Delany is the recipient of the 2019 Derrick Murdoch Award for contributions to Canadian crime writing. She is one of Canada’s most prolific and varied crime writers and a national bestseller in the U.S. She has written more than fifty books: clever cozies to Gothic thrillers to gritty police procedurals, to historical fiction and novellas for adult literacy. She is currently writing the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop series, the Year-Round Christmas mysteries, the Tea by the Sea books, and the Lighthouse Library series (as Eva Gates).
Vicki is a past chair of the Crime Writers of Canada and co-founder and organizer of the Women Killing It Crime Writing Festival. Her work has been nominated for the Derringer, the Bony Blithe, the Ontario Library Association Golden Oak, and the CWC Awards of Excellence. She lives in Prince Edward County, Ontario.
Erik D'Souza interviews Kevin Sands, author of the Blackthorn Key Adventures and Thieves of Shadow Fantasy Heist series, as part of the Bouchercon series podcast. Kevin discusses his journey from theoretical physics and various careers to becoming a middle-grade fiction writer, explaining his approach to writing for 8-12 year olds while maintaining complexity that appeals to older readers. They explore Kevin's method of crafting puzzles in his books, drawing comparisons to Dan Brown, and discuss the challenges of reaching young audiences in the current social media landscape. The conversation concludes with information about Kevin’s upcoming appearance at Bouchercon's Kids event on October 24th, 2026 at the Central Library in Calgary.
Bio
Since escaping from university with a pair of degrees in theoretical physics, KEVIN SANDS has worked as a researcher, a business consultant, a teacher, and a professional poker player. He lives in Ontario, Canada. He is the author of the bestselling and multiple award-winning Blackthorn Key adventures and Thieves of Shadow fantasy heist series.
In this special edition podcast interview for Bouchercon, Erik D'Souza speaks with Louise Penny, the Lifetime Achievement Guest of Honour, about her career and Canadian crime writing. They explore the growing international recognition of Canadian crime writing and Louise's role as an ambassador for the genre. The conversation also touched on Louise's journalistic background and her recent co-written novel, The Last Mandarin, with journalist Melissa Fung. They concluded by discussing the upcoming Bouchercon event, with Louise offering advice for first-time attendees and sharing her positive experiences at previous conferences.
LOUISE PENNY, a former CBC radio journalist, is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has been awarded the CWA Dagger, Nero, Macavity, and Barry Awards, as well as two Arthur Ellis and two Dilys Awards. In addition, she has won the Agatha Award (eight times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. The series has been translated into 35 languages. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise Penny lives in a small village south of Montréal.
In this podcast, we discuss BoucherCon 2026, the mystery and crime fiction convention in Calgary, with the Chair of the Local Organizing Committee, Pamela McDowell. The convention, which runs from October 21-25, will feature 1,500 attendees, including readers, writers, and industry professionals, with a diverse lineup of guest authors from Canada, the US, the UK, and beyond. McDowell highlighted the convention's unique fan-focused format, special programming including a book collector showcase, and various social events planned throughout the city. The guest of honor list includes notable authors Louise Penny, Kathy Reichs, Mark Greaney, Vicki Delany, Abir Murherjee, Jennifer Hiller, Kevin Sands, P.J. Vernon, and Steele Curry (posthumous), with activities planned for both adult and young readers. The event will also feature book signings, publisher hospitality suites, and various networking opportunities, making it an exciting destination for mystery fiction enthusiasts.
Bio
Pamela McDowell loves reading mysteries - thrillers, cozies, historicals, procedurals, she loves them all. Back in 1972, her grandmother gave her a copy of Nancy Drew’s The Secret of the Old Clock, and Pamela has been a fan of mystery and crime fiction ever since then.
Today, Pamela lives in Alberta and leads a team of more than two dozen writers, readers, book sellers, editors, and librarians as they prepare to host Bouchercon: The World Mystery Convention in Calgary in 2026.
William Wodhams lives in Vancouver with his wife and an ill-behaved dog. His first novel, Declan Tucker's Grand Debut, was published in December 2024. His second novel, Thirty Feet Under, was named a finalist for the Crime Writers of Canada Best Unpublished Crime novel award and was recently published by ECW Press.
William is an award-winning copywriter who has been inspiring people with the life-changing possibilities of cell phones, hamburgers and drywall for over twenty years. His stories have been published in The Globe and Mail, the Pigeon Review Art and Literary Journal, and have won recognition from Writer’s Digest and Crime Writers of Canada.
In this episode, William Wodhams shares his journey to publication, including extensive querying and eventual success with ECW Press, and explains how his research trip to Italy inspired his book's plot about art smuggling and an FBI art crimes team. We discuss the moral ambiguity of the art world and Bill's character development.
In this podcast, Hope Thompson discusses her short story collection Dark Thoughts and Other Stories, which blends noir elements with character-driven narratives. Hope explained her transition from theater and screenwriting to crime fiction, inspired by her role as host of Toronto Noir at the Bar. We examine two stories from the collection: "Dark Thoughts," featuring an advice columnist who receives a threatening letter, and "Locked Room Mystery," a 1930s-set tale about a young man obsessed with a serial killer. Hope shared her writing process, including her fascination with noir and her inspiration from Cornell Woolrich. They also touched on her work on a true crime project about missing persons cases in northern Ontario.
Bio:
Hope Thompson has a background in theatre, screenwriting, and true crime podcasting. Her plays have been produced in Toronto, Vancouver and Los Angeles; she was a story editor on CBC’s Baroness Von Sketch Show and wrote on the pre-school drag variety show The Fabulous Show with Fay & Fluffy. A licensed PI, Hope has also researched and written for true crime podcasts Crimehub and Whereabouts Unknown. In 2019, she wrote and performed her one-woman show, The Talking Grave—a séance with deceased crime writer, Cornell Woolrich. Dark Thoughts & Other Stories is Hope’s first story collection (DarkWinter Press, 2026).
G.D. Stickles is the pen name for Gary Stickles, who grew up in a small town near Niagara Falls. Over the years, he has pursued diverse professional roles, including hospitality worker, accountant, restaurateur, copywriter, and copy editor. Beyond his professional accomplishments, he is also a husband and father.
His debut thriller, Purging of Paradise, was recently released by Pegasus Publishers. The novel is set in Hawaii and follows ex-cop Eric Wakefield, who becomes a private investigator and is embroiled in a chilling cat-and-mouse game with a serial killer.
ALAN R. WARREN is a Bestselling Author, producer, and lead host of the popular radio shows House of Mystery and Inside Writing, both heard on 106.5 F.M. Los Angeles/102.3 F.M. Riverside/ 1050 A.M. Palm Springs/ 540 A.M. KYAH Salt Lake City/ 1150 A.M. KKNW Seattle/Tacoma and Phoenix.
Al started writing articles for True Case Files Magazine and is still a contributor for Serial Killer Magazine. Since then, he has completed 38 non-fiction books covering true crime, cults, human trafficking, history, and memoirs for three different publishers, including RJ Parker/Vronksy Publishing in Toronto, Canada & WildBlue Press in Colorado, America.
His bestselling True Crime Books in Canada are Beyond Suspicion: The True Story of Colonel Russell Williams, which was featured on CNN's Lies, Crimes, & Videos in Season 4 in the Fall of 2022, and Murder Times Six: The True Story of the Wells Gray Park Murders.
In this podcast, we will discuss his newest book, Peace, Love, and Murder: The Charles Manson Story. He explores how Manson could only have thrived in the unique atmosphere of 1960s San Francisco and Los Angeles—a turbulent backdrop of war protests, psychedelic experimentation, and a generation desperate for change. Alongside this cultural portrait, the book provides rare insight into the backgrounds of each member of the so-called “Family,” showing how their vulnerabilities and desires made them susceptible to Manson’s influence.