Livingsky
“Merry’s breath caught when she saw the reflection in the freezer’s glass. The woman the man had flirted with was not who she remembered herself to be.”
Merry Bell needed to get out of Vancouver. Fast.
Returning to her home town of Livingsky, Saskatchewan was a desperate step. Living with plenty of secrets, but no money, friends, or place to live during a prairie winter, all while trying to start her own PI business proves to be more of a challenge than she imagined. With a first case that quickly turns more dangerous than it first appeared, Merry must deal with a dodgy client, the murder of the surgeon who performed her gender affirming surgery, and more than one mysterious stranger.
As Merry struggles to start over in her hometown, she not only has to unwind a mystery which imperils Livingsky’s most powerful people, but must face a past she’d rather leave behind.
2023 – Finalist for the American Fiction Award – LGBTQ+ Fiction Category
2023 – Finalist for the American Fiction Award – Mystery/Suspense: Multicultural & Diverse Category
2024 – WINNER – INDEPENDENT PUBLISHER BOOK (IPPY) AWARD – CANADA WEST BEST FICTION GOLD MEDALIST
Praise for Livingsky:
“Deadly mischief mixes with clever crime solving in Livingsky, Saskatchewan, as Merry Bell begins her new career as a private investigator—and her new life as a woman. In this delightful series debut from Anthony Bidulka, suspects abound, with plot twists at every turn, all of it told with compassion, insight, and a generous dash of humor. You’ll love it.”
— Michael Craft, author of the Dante & Jazz mysteries
“[Bidulka] paints characters and new worlds with a pen and brush rich in the colours of powerful language and stories that must be told.” S. Portico Bowman, author of Cashmere Comes From Goats
“Merry is a great character. She so intrigued me, my next post is all about Merry.” Crime Reviewer Bill Selnes
“Livingsky is an excellent opening book in the Merry Bell series.” Mysteries and More
“…layered with different kinds of tension, and hard to put down…Livingsky is vividly portrayed, layered with different kinds of tension, and hard to put down.” Midwest Book Review
“…a treat to get in at the debut of a series that promises to become one of those that we look forward to each year and put on our shopping lists without waiting for the reviews.” Reviewing the Evidence
“…well-crafted and skilfully delivered…I award 5 stars.” Whispering Stories
