Deryn Collier

From author Deryn Collier comes a smart, charming postwar historical novel based on the true story of an aspiring writer who dares to dream big. Montreal, 1947. To support her once-prosperous family, June Grant joins a steno pool in a prestigious advertising firm. For June, it's hard to imagine having the kind of life her parents want--the kind of life her sister Daisy has, with a well-off husband and two precocious kids. But Daisy might not be a picture-perfect housewife after all. As June makes her own waves in the advertising world, she probes a hidden side of her sister's life. June's discoveries upend everything she thought she knew about her sister while challenging her own inner conflict about pursuing her dreams versus living up to expectations. Being a dutiful housewife might mean something else entirely. Based on the true story of the author's aunt, A Real Somebody charts the journey of a talented young writer who dares to break the conventions of her time during one pivotal season of her life.

A Real Somebody

When respected ex–Canadian Forces commander Bern Fortin cuts short his military career to take a job as the coroner for a small mountain town in the heart of BC, he’s hoping to leave the past behind. Bern’s looking forward to a quiet life, but the memories of what he witnessed during his stints in Afghanistan and other war-torn countries haunt him still. When the body of one of the workers is found floating in the huge bottle-washing tank at the local brewery, Bern is called in for a routine investigation. What first appears to be a tragic accident takes a menacing turn when the body of the worker’s girlfriend is discovered in a nearby field. Bern needs the help of brewery safety investigator Evie Chapelle, who, burdened by tragedies she might have prevented, is more determined than ever to keep her workers, and their tight-knit community, safe. Soon, Bern and Evie find themselves risking their jobs—and their lives—to uncover a killer hiding in a place where it is awfully hard to keep a secret. Deryn Collier’s debut novel is a taut mystery full of suspense. Confined Space was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis Award for best unpublished first crime novel by the Crime Writers of Canada.

Confined Space

Brad Smith

Kathy Reichs

Nick Cutter

Andrew Pyper

Jennifer Hillier

Robert Pobi

David Rotenberg

Robert Rotenberg

Don Gutteridge

Sean Slater

Welcome to The Dark Side, a collection of excerpts from some of Simon & Schuster Canada’s most terrifying, mysterious, and suspenseful novels. From Nick Cutter’s old-school thriller, The Troop, to Kathy Reichs’ internationally bestselling Bones series, these stories will leave you trembling. The Dark Side ebook includes excerpts from: Bones of the Lost by Kathy Reichs The Demonologist by Andrew Pyper Shoot the Dog by Brad Smith Eye of the Storm by Rob Pobi The Troop by Nick Cutter Open Secret by Deryn Collier A Murder of Crows by David Rotenberg The Guilty by Sean Slater Death of a Patriot by Don Gutteridge Stranglehold by Robert Rotenberg Freak by Jennifer Hillier

A Collection of Mysteries & Thrillers

The Dark Side

A riveting new Bern Fortin mystery from the author of Confined Space. Deryn Collier’s debut mystery, Confined Space, was called an “intelligently conceived, suspenseful, and elegantly written story” by The Toronto Star. Now Coroner Bern Fortin is back in a riveting new mystery. After the abrupt end to his military career Bern has settled into an uneasy peace in his new life in Kootenay Landing—a peace he knows can’t last. Out for a fall hike, he discovers Dr. Juniper Sinclair, the town’s lone doctor, attempting to revive small-time drug dealer Seymour Melnychuk, who has been shot in the forehead. In a seemingly unrelated incident, Gary Dowd abandons his van while crossing the US border. Gary is a local father of two, an accountant, and a steady, predictable guy. He’s also been best friends with Seymour Melnychuk since elementary school. Bern knows the two disturbing events must be related and works with police constable Maddie Schilling to uncover the hidden ties that connect the two cases. Why was Dr Sinclair already on the scene? Why is there no exit wound on Seymour’s body? Why did Gary Dowd disappear while trying to cross the border? Who truly controls the hills and forests around Kootenay Landing? Amidst the chaos of the case, Bern’s military background comes back to haunt him, forcing him to confront the secrets of his own past that he has long sought to keep buried. As Bern and Schilling close in on the killer, each is drawn into the case personally and the stakes are higher than anyone can imagine. Everyone has something to hide, and no one in Kootenay Landing seems willing to talk. But Bern Fortin is well aware that no secret can remain buried forever—not even his own.

Open Secret

Deryn Collier

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