The Unlocking Season

Arthur Ellis Award winner Bowen’s appealing 19th mystery featuring Regina, Saskatchewan, political science professor Joanne Kilbourn-Shreve (after 2018’s A Darkness of the Heart) finds Joanne producing Sisters and Strangers, “a six-part TV series based on the tangled relationships” of her family. In particular, the series focuses on Douglas Ellard, who raised Joanne, and his lifelong friend, artist Desmond Love, who was Joanne’s biological father. Outdoor shots are being filmed at Emma Lake, where scriptwriter Roy Brodnitz goes missing and is later found in “a state of mortal terror.” Much of the action centers on the difficulty in completing the script after Roy dies of a suspected heart attack. Speculation builds that Roy was murdered to sabotage the production, and then a fire breaks out at the production studio. Amid the mayhem, Joanne finds time to enjoy the company of her extended family and friends. Bowen creates fully rounded characters to serve her well-crafted plot. This long-running series shows no sign of losing steam. (Sept.)