In this live recording at Bouchercon 2026 in Calgary, Erik D’Souza interviews author Neil Turner to discuss his Tony Valenti thriller series, including the latest novel, Swamp Justice. Neil explains that the setting evolved from research into U.S. legal systems and a desire to have Tony prosecute cases rather than defend them. He describes the fictional county as being dominated by two powerful families and notes the influence of Southern literary traditions. Neil shares his experience writing ten books in the series, the challenges of keeping plots fresh, and his decision to bring the eleventh book back to the series' original setting. He also discussed the business side of independent publishing, including the costs of professional covers and editing.
Bio
Neil Turner is a versatile author known for his Tony Valenti Thrillers novels, blending suspense, legal intrigue, and human drama. A native Canadian, Neil spent three years in Europe and lived in Chicago and Arizona during a lengthy stint in banking and finance. In his latest novel, Tony Valenti travels to a small Mississippi town to investigate a fatal hit-and-run involving an associate's father.
The interview focuses on Cathy Ace's latest book in the Cait Morgan mystery series, The Corpse with a Steely Gaze, and the upcoming Bouchercon event. Cathy discusses Kate's unique approach to solving mysteries, emphasizing psychology and victimology over physical clues, and how she blends classic puzzle elements with a contemporary setting. She explains her enjoyment of writing about Vancouver and the importance of setting and history in her books, reflecting the multicultural nature of Canada. The conversation also covered Cathy's busy schedule at Bouchercon, where she will be auctioneering, interviewing guests of honour, and participating in panels and events.
BIO
Cathy’s Cait Morgan Mysteries feature a globetrotting Welsh Canadian professor of criminal psychology who solves traditional who/whydunits alongside her retired-cop husband (the TV series is being developed by Free@LastTV). Her WISE Enquiries Agency Mysteries feature four softly poached female PIs solving cozy cases from their base at a Welsh stately home. A past Chair of Crime Writers of Canada, Cathy’s been shortlisted for their awards three times; she’s won Canada’s Bony Blithe Award, IPPY and IBA Awards, and the CrimeFictionLover Editor’s Choice Award for Best Indie Novel. Cathy migrated from Wales aged 40, and now lives in British Columbia.
Malcolm Kempt sits down with Erik D’Souza to discuss Malcolm's debut crime novel, A Gift Before Dying. Malcolm shares that he left a 17-year career as a criminal lawyer in the Arctic to write full-time during the pandemic. He describes Cape Dorset, Nunavut, as a real, isolated place he loves, and explains that the story features a fish-out-of-water police detective and a 10-year-old Inuit boy to offer different perspectives. Malcolm addresses comparisons to Nordic Noir and confirms the story remains uniquely Canadian. He also discussed the challenges of promoting a first book, the lack of Canadian media coverage compared to the US and UK, and his experience with culturally sensitive readers and support from the Inuit community. Finally, Malcolm mentions he is working on a second police procedural set in the hinterland of Newfoundland with supernatural undertones.
BIO
Malcolm Kempt spent seventeen years working as a criminal lawyer in the remote Arctic before leaving to write full-time.
He won the Percy Janes Award for Best Unpublished Novel in 2023. His debut, A Gift Before Dying, was published by Crown (Penguin Random House) in January 2026. He lives on the island of Newfoundland.
Erik D’Souza interviews Irene Fantopoulos to discuss her crime novel, Murders in Deer Park, which is a follow-up to her previous book All the Evil Scatters. During the interview, Erik asks Irene about her protagonists, Detective Melissa Hargrove and RJ Otombo. Irene explains her unique writing approach: using second-person point of view for the killer's narrative, which lets readers experience the killer's perspective and motivations while maintaining suspense about the killer's gender. The story begins with a renovation where three skeletons are discovered buried behind walls in a Deer Park townhouse, and Irene discusses how she incorporated her real-life neighborhood into the fictional setting while making necessary changes for the plot. The interview also covered Irene's background in criminology and social work, which provides authenticity to her police procedural details, and her current writing projects, including a cozy mystery and historical fiction set in Greece during the military occupation of the 1960s and 1970s.
BIO
Irene Fantopoulos is a writer of fiction and nonfiction, with a particular affinity for crime and mystery. Her work has an element of mastery — something to solve. In addition to the recent release, Murders in Deer Park, she is the author of All the Evil Scatters, Luck of the Draw, and Burden of Proof. Her short stories and essays have appeared online and in print.
Irene’s writing often incorporates elements of her Greek heritage. She loves including the city of Toronto in her work, often seeming like a character in its own right.
She holds a Master’s degree in Social Work and a Bachelor’s in Sociology and English Literature. Irene also studied criminology at the University of Toronto and worked on policing policy with the Ministry of the Solicitor General in the 1990s. She earned a Creative Writing Certificate from George Brown College and is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers. After leaving the Ontario civil service in 2019, she dedicated herself fully to her passion—writing—and rediscovered a long-lost manuscript from 1989 (Burden of Proof).
Irene is actively involved in her community as a Director on the Board of the ArtBarn School, where she also leads writing workshops for adults. She is a member of the Writers’ Union of Canada and the Crime Writers of Canada.
Erik D’Souza interviews Vicki Grant, a Nova Scotian writer known for over twenty young adult and middle-grade novels, about her first adult mystery novel, These Are the Fireworks. The interview explores Vicki's transition from children's literature to adult fiction, her decision to write from multiple perspectives, and the story's central themes of family relationships and grief. Vicki explains how she wanted to create a more realistic portrayal of how families deal with loss, particularly focusing on how Petra's daughters react to their father's death and the revelation that their mother may not be the devoted wife they thought she was.
BIO
Vicki Grant is a Canadian writer based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She began her professional life in advertising and television, creating short ads and scripts before transitioning to full-length novels. Her first novel, The Puppet Wrangler, was published in 2004, marking the start of her career in young adult and middle-grade literature. In 2006, her book Quid Pro Quo won the Award of Excellence (then called the Arthur Ellis Award) in the Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book category. She has written over twenty books, including titles for reluctant readers and award-winning novels. In this interview, we’re talking about her newest novel, These Are the Fireworks, published by Vagrant Press.
Website: vickigrant.com
Erik D'Souza interviews donalee Moulton, about her first paranormal mystery novel, Cardinal, from the Paranormal Canadian Collection series published by BWL Publishing. donalee talks about her main character, Em Montgomery, who keeps her first name secret, the setting of Pictou, Nova Scotia, and the ghost-story elements in the book. They also discuss upcoming literary events in Nova Scotia, including the Crime Will Tell event at the Halifax Public Library on September 12th, where a new microanthology, "The Blue Lobster Detective Agency," will be unveiled. The interview covers Donalee’s various writing projects.
BIO
donalee Moulton’s first mystery book Hung out to Die was published in 2023. A historical mystery, Conflagration!, was published in 2024. It won the 2024 Daphne du Maurier Award for Excellence in Mystery/Suspense (Historical Fiction). donalee had two books traditionally published in 2025, Bind and Melt, the first in a new series, the Lotus Detective Agency. Her first paranormal mystery, Cardinal, was published this year.
A short story “Swan Song” was one of 21 selected for publication in Cold Canadian Crime. It was shortlisted for an Award of Excellence. Other short stories have been published recently in numerous magazines and anthologies. donalee’s short story “Troubled Water” was shortlisted for a 2024 Derringer Award and a 2024 Award of Excellence from the Crime Writers of Canada.
donalee is an award-winning freelance journalist. She has written articles for print and online publications across North America including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Lawyer’s Daily, National Post, and Canadian Business.
Erik D’Souza interviews Katie Tallo about her latest novel, Where Her Secrets Lie, featuring the protagonist Lenny Bird, a 70-year-old set in Ottawa. Katie explains her decision to write about an older protagonist. They discuss how Ottawa offers a small-town feel despite being a large city, with Lenny's connections to the police through her late husband. The interview concludes with a discussion of Katie's upcoming psychological thriller set in Central America.
BIO
Katie Tallo is an award-winning screenwriter and director. After winning an international novel contest, she began writing mystery thrillers. Her 2020 debut, Dark August, was an instant bestseller, NYT Book Review Editor’s Choice, Apple Book of the Month, and made the Globe 100. She followed up her debut with two more novels in the critically acclaimed Gus Monet series–Poison Lilies and Buried Road. Katie’s latest novel, Where Her Secrets Lie, is a foray into the psychological crime genre, set in her hometown of Ottawa, Canada, where she lives with her husband.
Erik D’Souza interviews Ontario author M.S. Berry. They discuss her two psychological thrillers, The Tenant and Behind the Door (published by Ravenstone Books), which mark a shift from her previous literary fiction works published under the name Michelle Berry. Michelle explains her decision to write thrillers after being recognized for thriller elements in her previous work, and discusses how both novels draw on personal experiences, including a real incident where she accidentally double-booked a rental property in Germany. The conversation covers Michelle’s writing techniques, including her use of dual perspectives in The Tenant and the psychological twist on the Bluebeard fairy tale in Behind the Door, as well as her current work on a new novel exploring the idea that one small mistake can lead to major life consequences.
BIO
Michelle Berry, who also writes as M.S. Berry, has been widely published in many Canadian literary magazines, national newspapers, and anthologies. She is the author of nine books of fiction, two novels of which have been published in the UK as well as Canada. Michelle is a reviewer for The Globe and Mail, and teaches at the University of Toronto and Humber College. Michelle lives in Peterborough with her family.
Erik D'Souza interviews retired detective, Dave Sweet, for Crime Writers of Canada's Podcast, focusing on Dave's upcoming presentation at Bouchercon in Calgary. Dave discusses his 25-year policing career, including his work in the Homicide Unit and cross-jurisdictional investigations. They explore his book-writing approach, explaining why he co-authors all his books with different partners and sharing details about his current project, Whispers, with Mark Leslie, which explores death and the afterlife. The conversation concluded with practical advice for attendees planning to visit Calgary in October, including weather considerations and recommendations to visit Banff.
Bio
With 25 years of policing experience, Detective Dave Sweet (retired) has investigated some of Canada’s most heinous crimes. Over his career, Dave worked as a patrol officer and undercover police officer, and led task forces targeting gangs and organized crime groups operating in Calgary. In 2009 Dave joined the ranks of the homicide unit where he spent 14.5 years specializing in homicide, missing person, and suspicious death investigations. Several of Dave’s most known cases have been featured in documentaries including the CBC’s The Detectives, Global Television’s Crime Beat, Investigative Discoveries Murder Board and Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries. In addition to a Distinguished Service Award in 2010, Dave earned the Chief’s Award for Investigative Excellence in 2017, the Governor General’s Exemplary Service Medal in 2021 and the Queens Platinum Jubilee Medal in 2022. Dave’s books are Skeletons in My Closet (2023), co-written with Sarah Kades; Undaunted with Susan Forest (2024); and, coming soon, Whispers with Mark Leslie.
Erik D’Souza speaks with author Melodie Campbell about her Merry Widow Murders series set in the 1920s. Melodie discusses her latest book, The Pharaoh’s Cursed Murders (published by Cormorant Books), which features her protagonist, Lady Revelstoke, solving a murder aboard a cruise ship bound for Egypt while exploring themes of women’s rights and the ethics of archaeological digs. She explains how she incorporates comedy through her character, Elf, who serves as a comedic foil to the book’s serious mystery elements, and describes her extensive research into Egyptology to ensure the book’s historical accuracy. Melodie also mentions her new novella series, Pizza Wars, published by Gemma Open Door, a literary publisher. She discusses the challenges of engaging young readers in fiction in the current digital age.
Bio
Compared to Agatha Christie by The Toronto Star, Melodie Campbell was also named the “Canadian Literary heir to Donald Westlake” by Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine. Winner of 10 awards, including the Derringer (US) and the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence, she has multiple bestsellers and was featured in USA Today.
Her publications include over 100 comedy credits, 21 novels, and 60 short stories. Her third book in the Merry Widow series, The Pharaoh’s Curse Murders, has just been released by Cormorant Books. She is the past executive director of Crime Writers of Canada.