In 1999 Anthony Bidulka left a professional accounting career to pursue writing and never looked back.

Quill & Quire described Bidulka’s first book, Amuse Bouche: A Russell Quant Mystery, as “…an effervescent first novel that is much like the tasty French hors d’oeuvres from which it takes its name”, earning Bidulka his first nomination for the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award (now the CWC Award of Excellence).

In addition to his long-running Quant mystery series, Bidulka wrote two books following the adventures of Adam Saint, a tough-as-nails, luxury loving, Disaster Recovery Agent. In 2016 Bidulka published his first stand-alone suspense novel, Set Free, with Kirkus Reviews saying: “The countless plot twists are exhilarating, with gasp-inducing drama and flatly startling story turns.” His second stand-alone, Going to Beautiful, was published in May 2022 garnering spots on bestseller and Favourites of 2022 lists and was shortlisted for and won several awards.

In 2023, for the first time since his award-winning Russell Quant novels, Bidulka began a new mystery series, continuing in his tradition of presenting under-represented characters and settings which immediately feel familiar and beloved while tugging at heart strings and tickling your funny bone. The Merry Bell P.I. trilogy easily matches the beauty and tenderness of Going to Beautiful while delivering a page-turning mystery.

Bidulka’s books have been shortlisted for Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence, Saskatchewan Book Awards, a ReLit award, and Lambda Literary Awards. Flight of Aquavit was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Best Men’s Mystery, making Bidulka the first Canadian to win in that category. In 2023, in addition to being shortlisted for a Saskatchewan Book Award and Alberta Book Publishing Award, Going to Beautiful won an Independent Publisher Book Award being named Gold Medalist as the 2023 Canada West Best Overall Fiction novel and was awarded the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence as Canada’s Best Crime Novel for 2023.

Anthony has dedicated his career to writing traditional genre novels in an untraditional way, developing a body of work that often features his Saskatchewan roots and underrepresented, diverse main characters. He tells serious stories in accessible, entertaining, often humorous ways. Anthony has sat on the boards of local, national, and international organizations. His alma mater inducted Anthony into the College of Education Wall of Honour and presented him the College of Arts and Science Alumni of Influence Award. He is currently chairman of the University of Saskatchewan Alumni Achievement Awards committee. He has also received the Ukrainian Canadian Congress Nation Builders Award and, along with his husband Herb, named Citizen of the Year for their home city of Saskatoon. For his promotion of Saskatchewan through his books, co-founding Camp fYrefly Saskatchewan (a leadership retreat for gender and sexually diverse and allied youth), and volunteer and philanthropic efforts in the community, Anthony was recently honoured by the selection of a two-part park in Saskatoon to be named Bidulka Park and Bidulka Park North.

 

Launch of Set Free
Anthony and Magic
Awards, Recognition, Accomplishments
  • 1983 – Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree (with distinction); University of Saskatchewan
  • 1991 – Bachelor of Education (BEd); University of Saskatchewan
  • 1991 – Bachelor of Commerce (BComm) (with distinction); University of Saskatchewan
  • 1993 – Qualified for Chartered Accountant (CA) designation
  • 1994 – 1997 – Board of Directors – AIDS Saskatoon
  • 1997 – Master of Ceremonies, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Saskatchewan Convocation
  • 1998 – Board of Directors – Saskatchewan International Ice Festival
  • 1998 – 2001 – Board of Directors – Persephone Theatre
  • 2000 – 2001 – President, Persephone Theatre Board of Directors
  • 2003 – Shortlisted for Arthur Ellis Award (Amuse Bouche)
  • 2003 – Shortlisted for ReLit Award (Amuse Bouche)
  • 2004 – Shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Award (Flight of Aquavit)
  • 2004 – Winner – Lambda Literary Award (Flight of Aquavit)
  • 2005 – Board of Directors – Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild
  • 2005 – 2008 – Board of Directors – Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild Foundation
  • 2005 – Shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Award (Tapas on the Ramblas)
  • 2006 – Presenter at Lambda Literary Awards – Washington, DC
  • 2006 – Cover of Planet S Magazine
  • 2007 – Shortlisted for Lambda Literary Award (Stain of the Berry)
  • 2007 – Shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Award (Stain of the Berry)
  • 2007 – Presenter at Lambda Literary Awards – New York City, NY
  • 2008 – 2018 – Co-Chair, Camp fYrefly Saskatchewan Board of Directors
  • 2008 – Shortlisted for Lambda Literary Award (Sundowner Ubuntu)
  • 2008 – Master of Ceremonies – Bloody Words Mystery Conference Gala Dinner – Toronto, ON
  • 2008 – Cover of Acreage Life Magazine
  • 2009 – 2010 – Board of Directors – Crime Writers of Canada
  • 2009 – Avenue Community Centre Community Service Award
  • 2009 – Shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Award (Aloha, Candy Hearts)
  • 2010 – Shortlisted for Arthur Ellis Award (Aloha, Candy Hearts)
  • 2010 – Rainbow Award for Best Mystery/Thriller (Date With a Sheesha)
  • 2010 – McNally Robinson Saskatchewan #1 Fiction Bestseller (Date With a Sheesha)
  • 2010 – 2012 – Board of Directors, International Association of Crime Writers
  • 2011 – Named American Library Association GLBT Round Table Over The Rainbow – Top Mystery (Aloha, Candy Hearts)
  • 2011 – Named American Library Association GLBT Round Table Over The Rainbow – Top Mystery (Date With a Sheesha)
  • 2011 – Master of Ceremonies – Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Awards – Victoria, BC
  • 2011 – Inducted onto Wall of Honour, College of Education, University of Saskatchewan
  • 2011 – Named Judge for the 2011 Lambda Literary Awards
  • 2012 – Cover of Saskatoon Express
  • 2012 – When Words Collide Literary Festival Guest of Honour
  • 2012 – Honorary Committee Member – University of Alberta Institute for Sexual Minorities Studies and Services Fundraising Campaign
  • 2012 – Master of Ceremonies – Canadian Reception – Bouchercon Mystery Conference – Cleveland, OH
  • 2012 – McNally Robinson Saskatchewan #1 Fiction Bestseller (Dos Equis)
  • 2013 – McNally Robinson Saskatchewan #1 Fiction Bestseller (When The Saints Go Marching In)
  • 2013 – Keynote Speaker, When Words Collide Festival, Calgary, AB
  • 2014 – Named Judge for the 2014 Lambda Literary Awards
  • 2014 – 2017 – Board of Directors, The Word On The Street Saskatoon
  • 2014 – Guest Lecturer, Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society, Calgary
  • 2014 – Named Saskatoon Citizen of the Year, CTV Saskatoon (alongside husband Herb McFaull)
  • 2015 – Keynote Speaker, Regina Public Library Readers Summit
  • 2015 – Cover of Bridges Magazine
  • 2015 – 2021 – Advisory Board, artSpace Saskatoon Inc.
  • 2016 – Favorite Crime Fiction of 2016 List – The Rap Sheet (Set Free)
  • 2017 – The Peter Corren Award for Outstanding Achievement
  • 2017 – The Nation Builders Award – The Ukrainian Canadian Congress
  • 2018 – 2019 – Committee Chair, galaMODERN for Remai Modern Art Gallery of Saskatchewan
  • 2020 – Recipient of the University of Saskatchewan College of Arts and Science Alumni of Influence Award
  • 2020 – Aspen Ridge (Saskatoon, SK) parks assigned the names Bidulka Park and Bidulka Park North
  • 2020 – University of Saskatchewan Alumni Advisory Board
  • 2021 – Chair – USAAB Achievement Awards Committee
  • 2022 – McNally Robinson Saskatchewan #1 Fiction Bestseller (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2022 – Booknet Canada #7 Canadian Fiction Bestseller (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2022 – Going to Beautiful appears on Hamilton Review of Books top ten bestseller list recognizing independently published books purchased from independent bookstores – May-September
  • 2022 – Going to Beautiful selected by The Book Publishers Association of Alberta for audiobook production project with the CNIB
  • 2022 – Going to Beautiful included on The Rap Sheet’s list of Favorite Crime Fiction of 2022
  • 2023 – Shortlisted for Saskatchewan Book Award – Fiction Award (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2023 – Winner – Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence – 2023 Best Crime Novel (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2023 – Winner – Independent Publisher Book Award – 2023 Canada West Best Fiction Gold Medalist (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2023 – Finalist for the American Fiction Award – LGBTQ+ Fiction Category (Livingsky)
  • 2023 – Finalist for the American Fiction Award – Mystery/Suspense: Multicultural & Diverse Category (Livingsky)
  • 2023 – Shortlisted for Alberta Book Publishers Award – Mystery and Thriller Book of the Year (Going to Beautiful)
  • 2023 – Juror – Saskatchewan Foundation for the Arts Awards
  • 2024 – Winner – Independent Publisher Book Award – 2024 Canada West Best Fiction Gold Medalist (Livingsky)
  • 2024 – From Sweetgrass Bridge named #4 Best Mystery Thriller of 2024 by Independent Book Review
  • 2024 – Special Guest, When Words Collide Festival, Calgary, AB
Favourite Books
Set Sail for Murder – Carolyn Hart
The Joining of Dingo Radish – Rob Harasymchuk
The Burning Plain – Michael Nava
Bucket Nuts – Liza Cody
Delicious – Mark Haskell Smith
1st Impressions – Kate Calloway
My Best Man – Andy Schell
Vie de France – James Haller
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency/The Second-Worst Restaurant in France- Alexander McCall Smith
Moth and Flame – John Morgan Wilson
The Winner – David Baldacci
Healthy Wealthy & Dead – Suzanne North
Tales of the City – Armistead Maupin
Last Summer – Michael Thomas Ford
Tomcat – Thom Racina
Polgara – David and Leigh Eddings
Looking for Brothers – Michael Rowe
Posted to Death – Dean James
Plum Island – Nelson DeMille
The King of Shanghai/Fate – Ian Hamilton
Eat, Pray, Love – Elizabeth Gilbert
The Martian – Andy Weir
Crazy Rich Asians – Kevin Kwan
An Astronaut’s Guide to Life – Chris Hadfield
The Art of Racing in The Rain – Garth Stein
The Winner’s Circle – Gail Bowen
Favourite Authors
Cathy Ace
David Baldacci
Gail Bowen
Alan Bradley
Alex Brett
Bill Bryson
Michael Craft
Vicki Delany
Terry Fallis
Katherine V Forrest
Sue Grafton
Ian Hamilton
Lyn Hamilton
Rob Harasymchuk
Ellen Hart
Alice Kuipers
Kevin Kwan
Mary Jane Maffini
Kevin Major
Armistead Maupin
Rosemary McCracken
Michael Nava
Robert B Parker
Ross Pennie
Louise Penny
Felice Picano
Kathy Reichs
Steven Saylor
David Sedaris
Alexander McCall Smith
Robert Taylor
Gary Zebrun