Reviews & Events

Reviews

Praise for THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE:

“THE SUSPENSION BRIDGE is a charming and deliciously convoluted tale served with both dark humour and a lighthearted air.”  C.C. Benison, bestselling author of the Father Christmas mysteries

“Anna Dowdall delivers the shivers. Oh, and if you hear a corpulent slithering sound, that will be Alfred Hitchcock stirring in his grave because he didn’t live long enough to film this quality novel. Yes, it’s that good. I loved and admired this book.”  Alan Bradley, NYT bestselling novelist.

“Dowdall infuses rich atmosphere with captivating uncertainty and characters undeniably Canadian yet redolent of some other time and place.”  Anthony Bidulka, award winning author

“Anna Dowdall’s wry sense of humour shines in this cautionary tale.”  Winona Kent, award-winning author

“Intriguing characters…the reader senses the real world of 1962 just beyond the page.”  Janice MacDonald, award-winning mystery writer

Praise for APRIL ON PARIS STREET

“Anna Dowdall’s prose builds tension while it bends and curves poetically …A mystery novel that moves like an epic family drama.” Junction Reads

“Just like the chocolate-covered marshmallow cookies eaten by private detective Ashley Smeeton throughout APRIL ON PARIS STREET, this novel is one of those guilty pleasures you sink into with abandon.”  Montreal Review of Books

“The writing is elegant and edgy, allowing Dowdall to create her dark, exquisite and addictively readable mystery.” Hollay Ghadery, author of Fuse

“As we approach the cold short days of a Canadian winter, Anna Dowdall’s APRIL ON PARIS STREET is [a book] we’re excited to cozy up with…” Five Mysteries for a Cozy Night In, All Lit Up

“Full of crackling tension…” 49th Shelf

“Definitely a literary mystery, not so much a whodunnit… Fascinating.” The Miramichi Reader

“Dowdall deftly pulls the reader in with all the right ingredients for an entertaining and mysterious read.”  South Branch Scribbler

“Beautiful, evocative writing transports the reader from the streets of Montreal to Paris and back to Quebec in a thriller that twists and turns and ponders how easily we can be duped, used and betrayed. But even so, beneath it all, the writer leaves us with hope that there is goodness, too.”  Carol Matas, internationally acclaimed author

“APRIL ON PARIS STREET was a true pleasure to read.  Ashley is a hugely attractive protagonist…and I particularly enjoyed the witty interplay between the three women who dominate the unusual plot. But the real star of this novel is the city of Paris.  Anna Dowdall is masterful at using all  the senses to put you right on the streets of the City of Lights.  Look for an unexpected twist at the end of this tale.”
Melodie Campbell, Arthur Ellis and Derringer prize-winning author of The Goddaughter series

“A delight to read…” Ileana Munoz Renfroe, author of the Rosa the Cuban Psychic mystery series

“A lush, gripping and satisfying read, full of humour, with a mystery as shadowy and twisty as someone at a masked ball packing heat. The scrumptious mise en scene creates so lush a feel of Montreal and Paris that it is positively edible, and the utterly winning Ashley negotiates her way through this geography like a combination of razor sharp, clear thinking Wonder Woman and slightly vulnerable millennial who can knock the socks off an unexpected little black dress, but can’t quite read her boyfriends and hasn’t figured out boundaries around her family and friends—or fostering cats.”     Iona Whishaw, award-winning author of the Lane Winslow mystery series

“…Smart, funny, and so skillfully written. Compelling and eccentric characters navigate a web of deceit and betrayal in this twisting, tantalizing tale infused with the flavours of Paris and Montreal.”   Ann Lambert, author of The Dogs of Winter

“Exuberant, idiosyncratic, and smartly irreverent, APRIL ON PARIS STREET—from the deft pen of Ms. Dowdall—is a delectable romp you won’t be able to put down.”   Guglielmo D’Izzia, award-winning author of The Transaction

“This clever and inviting novel by Anna Dowdall, third in the Ashley Smeeton series, is brimming with mystery and intrigue. With its vivid characters, evocative setting, and numerous twists and turns, APRIL ON PARIS STREET is a captivating read from start to finish. A great book to curl up with on a cold winter’s eve.”   Sharon Hart-Green, author of Come Back for Me: A Novel

“…a rollicking cross-genre mystery, featuring smart and irreverent private investigator Ashley Smeeton, as she unwinds a bird’s nest of a case. Bubbling with quirky, funny and dangerous characters…”    Denis Coupal, Arthur Ellis Prize finalist and author of Blindshot

“A mad romp through the streets of Paris and unrelenting tension are controlled by a deft and confident hand. Humour and a bittersweet grasp of humanity produce a gripping tale of survival and forgiveness.”              Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan, author of The Gang of Four

“Perhaps, the most striking element of Anna Dowdall’s APRIL ON PARIS STREET is her prose, which is of a quality more frequently found in the literary fiction of seasoned authors than with an emerging crime fiction writer…” Ottawa Review of Books

THE AU PAIR

KIRKUS REVIEW Critics’ Suggestion:  Dowdall’s “latest novel offers a resourceful heroine, atmospheric settings, and well-plotted suspense. First introduced in After the Winter, Ashley is a likable heroine whose inquisitive nature helps her navigate the complicated dynamics of the Sampson family… The storytelling is strong and confident… This installment should appeal to fans of Louise Penny. A well-drafted Gothic suspense story with an engaging heroine…” https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anna-dowdall/au-pair/

“Dowdall is a beautiful, restrained, thoughtful, and intelligent writer…” blondewriter99, verified Amazon review

“A welcome dash of simmering noir in [these] well-received books… the sharply drawn scenes of Montreal and the surrounding Quebec countryside and detailed attention to the weather (the author is Canadian after all) are a refreshing change for this genre…”  The Thrilling Detective Website    http://www.thrillingdetective.com/more_eyes/ashley_smeeton.html

“*****Ms. Dowdall has created another delightful Gothic suspense that will keep you reading well into the night…”   Joanne Guidoccio, Canadian author of the Gilda Greco mystery series

“****If you’re looking for a well-paced, thoughtful mystery with a satisfying ending, then Dowdall’s book is sure to please. This is a character-driven novel, with a likeable and thoroughly believable protagonist…”   Judy Penz Sheluk, Amazon international bestselling author

AFTER THE WINTER

KIRKUS REVIEW Critics’ Suggestion:  “Dowdall’s impressive novel is an entertaining and suspenseful entry in the gothic mystery genre. The setting is a key component of the tale, and Quebec and Midwinter are vividly rendered. The author captures the unique rhythms of life in this picturesque community, from the locals who call Quebec home to the wealthy newcomers seeking a second residence. The strong setting is matched by her well-developed characters… Fast-paced narrative unfolds like a classic Agatha Christie mystery, with unexpected and satisfying plot twists.”
https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/anna-dowdall/after-winter/

AFTER THE WINTER “has a nicely complicated, sinister plot, a gothic setting, romantic entanglements and some ambiguous characters…a pleasure to read…”      Joan Barfoot, award-winning Canadian author, London Free Press and Postmedia    http://www.lfpress.com/entertainment/books

“AFTER THE WINTER turned out to be a lively, entertaining mystery with a mansion full of odd people with odd back stories and a great many hidden secrets…”  Patrick T. Reardon, Writer and Essayist

“***** A Gripping Page-Turner…  [In AFTER THE WINTER,] Ms. Dowdall has crafted a compelling mystery, filled with suspense, death threats, multiple murders, romantic entanglements, plot twists, and an unexpected ending. I was captivated from the start and stayed up two nights to finish reading this gripping page-turner set in the Eastern Townships during a cold, blustery holiday season. I could easily visualize many of the scenes and found myself longing to travel once more to Quebec…but not during the winter. An excellent debut!”   Joanne Guidoccio, Canadian author of the Gilda Greco mystery series

“…Couldn’t put the book down until I read all of it, being totally caught of guard with the surprise ending.”  Arts and Entertainment Columnist Bernard Mendelman, The Suburban, Montreal

AFTER THE WINTER is “a perfect read for a rainy afternoon…”
Laura Kelly, www.editorlaurakelly.com

“***** AFTER THE WINTER was an impressive first outing which showed a lot of originality and cleverness. There was even a sub-plot that I was beginning to be sure had been forgotten along the way and that was actually paid off in the final few pages. That to me is one of the hallmarks of good writing…”  Alan Teder, Goodreads Librarian

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Events

Junction Reads
Reading and Conversation, May 29, 2022, 5 pm

Argo Bookshop, Montreal
Solstice Fest at Argo Zoom Reading Series: Verse, Prose & Song
Dec. 16, 2021 7-9 pm

Atwater Library, Westmount
Crime Writers of Canada panel
October 14, 2021, 12:30-1:30 pm

Pacing and Tension Panel
Word Up Barrie
June 14, 2021, 7 pm

Word on the Street Toronto
Crime Writers of Canada hospitality table
September 24, 2017, 4-6 pm

Genre Writing Workshop: Light Fiction, Serious Themes
Toronto Public Library Culture Days
Fort York Public Library, Toronto, ON
September 30, 2017, 2-4:30 pm (registration via TPL website required)

Bouchercon 2017
Sheraton Centre Toronto
Sleuth of Baker Street table
October 12-15, 2017

Book Club Discussion:  The Gothic in Women’s Fiction
January 17, 2018, 2-3pm:  Toronto Public Library, Saint Jamestown branch