The perfect crime is possible. In fact, my next book opens with one. But you can’t sustain a mystery novel with just a perfect crime for very long. A perfect crime, by definition, is one that leaves no clues, and clues, as we all know, are the lifeblood of mysteries. If the contest between writer and reader is going to be a meaningful one, then the clues need to be sufficient, and sufficiently cryptic, to give a quick-witted reader a sporting chance of solving the mystery.

This morning Dundurn Press was pleased to learn that three of its crime writers were shortlisted for this year’s Arthur Ellis Awards, further concretizing its reputation for producing stellar Canadian crime and mystery writing and publishing groundbreaking new authors. The shortlist was announced yesterday evening in events across the country.