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Hot New Fiction

Watching You Without Me

Watching You Without Me

by Lynn Coady

PRAISE FOR LYNN COADY AND WATCHING YOU WITHOUT ME
“Thank God for Lynn Coady’s singular voice and deliciously skewed world view. Every book of her …

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Broke City

Broke City

by Wendy McGrath

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Worry

Worry

A Novel

by Jessica Westhead

“I read Worry in one sleepless, unbroken gulp. Jessica Westhead renders parenthood as a riveting high-wire act, and imbues a seemingly ordinary lake …

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Crocuses Hatch from Snow

Crocuses Hatch from Snow

by Jaime Burnet

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Unholy

Unholy

by Diane Flacks

“Unholy is a remarkably funny and intellectually stimulating play about feminism, religion and tolerance and serves as a balm to all the hate-based …

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The Journey Prize Stories 31

The Journey Prize Stories 31

The Best of Canada's New Writers

selected by Carleigh Baker; Joshua Whitehead & Catherine Hernandez

Praise for The Journey Prize:

“The collection consistently does what the oeuvre does best: communicate intense emotion with force, give life to chara …

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The Country Will Bring Us No Peace

The Country Will Bring Us No Peace

by Matthieu Simard
translated by Pablo Strauss

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This Has Nothing to Do With You

This Has Nothing to Do With You

by Lauren Carter

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Women Talking

Women Talking

A Novel

by Miriam Toews

#1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER
FINALIST FOR THE 2018 GOVERNOR GENERAL'S LITERARY AWARD FOR FICTION
FINALIST FOR THE 2019 TRILLIUM BOOK AWARD
“Women Talking …

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Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)

Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)

by Hazel Jane Plante

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The Lost Sister

The Lost Sister

A Novel

by Andrea Gunraj

"With compassion, clarity, and enormous talent, Andrea Gunraj tells an epic story of sisters from Guyana to Canada, from the Nova Scotia Home for Colo …

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The Far Himalaya

The Far Himalaya

by Phillip Ernest

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The Somali Camel Boy

The Somali Camel Boy

by Nur Abdi

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Towers of Babylon, The

Towers of Babylon, The

by Michelle Kaeser

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In Rhino We Trust

In Rhino We Trust

A Jenny Willson Mystery

by Dave Butler

Butler’s strong debut shows a powerful heroine determined to bring a nasty but fully fleshed-out set of baddies to justice.

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Chasing Painted Horses

Chasing Painted Horses

by Drew Hayden Taylor

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Elevator Pitch

Elevator Pitch

by Linwood Barclay

Advance Praise for Elevator Pitch

"Read Elevator Pitch as soon as possible. It's one hell of a suspense novel." —Stephen King

"This novel moves as fa …

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Five Wives

Five Wives

A Novel

by Joan Thomas

“What a wonderful book! Joan Thomas takes us deep into Operation Auca and into the wild jungle of her characters’ hearts. This gorgeous, nuanced r …

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Just Pervs

Just Pervs

by Jess Taylor

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Greenwood

Greenwood

A Novel

by Michael Christie

Praise for Greenwood:

"This book is why we read books. Why we need books. Wildly inventive, structurally elegant, deeply felt, and so very wise. Greenw …

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Empire of Wild

Empire of Wild

by Cherie Dimaline

“Empire of Wild will not let you go. Mix werewolves unlike you’ve ever read before with the mythos-expanding struggles of American Gods and blend …

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Gamechanger

Gamechanger

by L. X. Beckett

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A Dark House

A Dark House

& Other Stories

by Ian Colford

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An Idea About My Dead Uncle

An Idea About My Dead Uncle

by K. R. Wilson

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Daughters of Silence

Daughters of Silence

by Rebecca Fisseha

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What Goes Around

What Goes Around

by Ruth Clarke

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Remembering the Dead

Remembering the Dead

A Penny Brannigan Mystery

by Elizabeth J. Duncan

Praise for Remembering the Dead:
"A soupçon of history and a whiff of lost romance combine for an unpredictable mystery."
—Kirkus Reviews

"For seri …

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Something Read Something Dead

Something Read Something Dead

A Lighthouse Library Mystery

by Eva Gates

Praise for Something Read Something Dead:
"The fifth in Gates’ sprightly series sets romance and a mighty good mystery against a delightful picture …

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A Delhi Obsession

A Delhi Obsession

A Novel

by M.G. Vassanji

Praise for M.G. Vassanji

"Is there any Canadian writer who contemplates the meaning of  time with greater distinction and intellectual grace than M.G. …

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Blood of the Donnellys

Blood of the Donnellys

by David McRae

The Blood of the Donnellys has plenty of twists and turns to keep it interesting. It's a great read for anyone interested in local history, paranormal …

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Claremont

Claremont

by Wiebke von Carolsfeld

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There Has to Be a Knife

There Has to Be a Knife

by Adnan Khan

A searing meditation on isolation and grief in the modern world. There Has to Be A Knife is a striking debut. -Iain Reid, author of Foe and I'm Thinki …

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The Gang of Four

The Gang of Four

by Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan

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Machine Without Horses

Machine Without Horses

A Novel

by Helen Humphreys

“A beautifully told story from start to finish and one of the most surprising books of the year.”

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A Golden Grave

A Golden Grave

A Rose Gallagher Mystery

by Erin Lindsey

"A rousing paranormal adventure that explores the vast class differences shaping the heroine's romance, with real historical personages adding a filli …

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Here I Am!

Here I Am!

by Pauline Holdstock

Praise for Here I Am!

“Here I Am! is a great armchair read, delivered by a six-year-old narrator who is always on the move, an acute observer, freque …

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The Eater of Dreams

The Eater of Dreams

by Kat Cameron

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Travellers May Still Return

Travellers May Still Return

by Michael Kenyon

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A Roll of the Bones

A Roll of the Bones

by Trudy J. Morgan-Cole

“Think you know the history of New Found Lande? Think again. Morgan-Cole cracks open the past and lights it up. The women settlers of Cupids—a “ …

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Corridor Nine

Corridor Nine

by Sophie Stocking

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I Saw Three Ships

I Saw Three Ships

West End Stories

by Bill Richardson

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Akin

Akin

A Novel

by Emma Donoghue

“A tense gothic page-turner in which nobody, including the unreliable nurse narrator, are entirely what they seem. A powerful exploration of religio …

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Traps

Traps

A Robin MacFarland Mystery

by Sky Curtis

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The Monster of Elendhaven

The Monster of Elendhaven

by Jennifer Giesbrecht

“Jennifer Giesbrecht'sThe Monster of Elendhaven is a black tide of perversity, violence, and lush writing. I loved it.” —Joe Hill, #1New York Ti …

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Siegebreakers

Siegebreakers

by Justin Podur

 

“Based on an industrious research, this dramatic and powerful tale shows once more the power of fiction to illuminate and expose what the media fai …

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The Wagers

The Wagers

by Sean Michaels

PRAISE FOR THE US CONDUCTORS:
“Us Conductors stretches its arms to encompass nearly everything—it is an immigrant tale, an epic, a spy intrigue, …

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An Honest Woman

An Honest Woman

by JoAnn McCaig

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Rag & Bone Man

Rag & Bone Man

A Novel

by Don Dickinson

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Skin House

Skin House

by Michael Blouin

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The Ticking Heart

The Ticking Heart

by Andrew Kaufman

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Arctic Smoke

Arctic Smoke

by Randy Nikkel Schroeder

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The Testaments

The Testaments

A Novel

by Margaret Atwood

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Benediction

Benediction

by Olivier Dufault
translated by Pablo Strauss

PRAISE FOR OLIVIER DUFAULT AND BENEDICTION
Longlisted, Prix France-Québec
“A breathtaking novel evoking the great desert spaces of the American We …

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Shot Rock

Shot Rock

by Michael Tregebov

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Different Beasts

Different Beasts

by J.R. McConvey

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Red Oblivion

Red Oblivion

by Leslie Shimotakahara

Celeste and Jill Lau only begin to learn the truth about their father when they rush from Toronto to his hospital bedside in Hong Kong. Stubbornly sil …

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The Difference

The Difference

by Marina Endicott

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR THE DIFFERENCE:
The Difference is such an immersive reading experience, the kind that makes one think, and think again . . . . I lo …

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Island

Island

by Johanna Skibsrud

Advance praise for Island:

"Reading Island is a searing, vertiginous experience. Hailing Conrad’s Heart of Darkness to interrogate our current momen …

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Of Vengeance

Of Vengeance

by J.D. Kurtness
translated by Pablo Strauss

A chilling justification of a life of violence, as nonchalant as it is grim.

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Set-Point

Set-Point

by Fawn Parker

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The Fellowship

The Fellowship

by Rachel Manley

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Watching You Without Me
Broke City
Worry
Crocuses Hatch from Snow
Unholy
The Journey Prize Stories 31
The Country Will Bring Us No Peace
This Has Nothing to Do With You
Women Talking
Little Blue Encyclopedia (for Vivian)
The Lost Sister
The Far Himalaya
The Somali Camel Boy
Towers of Babylon, The
In Rhino We Trust
Chasing Painted Horses
Elevator Pitch
Five Wives
Just Pervs
Greenwood
Empire of Wild
Gamechanger
A Dark House
An Idea About My Dead Uncle
Daughters of Silence
What Goes Around
Remembering the Dead
Something Read Something Dead
A Delhi Obsession
Blood of the Donnellys
Claremont
There Has to Be a Knife
The Gang of Four
Machine Without Horses
A Golden Grave
Here I Am!
The Eater of Dreams
Travellers May Still Return
A Roll of the Bones
Corridor Nine
I Saw Three Ships
Akin
Traps
The Monster of Elendhaven
Siegebreakers
The Wagers
An Honest Woman
Rag & Bone Man
Skin House
The Ticking Heart
Arctic Smoke
The Testaments
Benediction
Shot Rock
Different Beasts
Red Oblivion
The Difference
Island
Of Vengeance
Set-Point
The Fellowship
see all

On the Blog

Logo Words in the Woods

Your Fall 2019 Literary Festival Guide

By 49th Shelf Staff

Summer might be approaching its end, but literary festival season is just beginning! Find out what's happening near you, or even farther afield—because literary festivals make for good road trips. Just saying.

BooK Cover Freshly Picked

Freshly Picked: Amazing Food Books

By Jane Reid

A selection of inspiring books just perfect for harvest time. 

Quick Hits: 6 Books for Teens this Fall

Quick Hits: 6 Books for Teens this Fall

By Kiley Turner

These new books span everything from disability and difference to grief and homelessness – and so much in between. They're important books, and gripping reads.

The Chat with Michael Crummey

The Chat with Michael Crummey

By Trevor Corkum

Michael Crummey was recently longlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize for his novel The Innocents, a haunting story of two siblings orphaned in a remote cove in Newfoundland.

Celebrating & Exploring Indigenous Languages Through Literature

Celebrating & Exploring Indigenous Languages Through Literature

By Ian McCallum

Indigenous languages are an important aspect of daily life in Canada. Many provinces, town and city names, landmarks, bodies of water are identified by words in Indigenous languages. Cities such as To …

Book Cover A Killer in King's Cover

Reese's Book Club: CanLit Match-Ups

By Kerry Clare

Definitely keep these in mind for your book club and when you're planning your next great read. 

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Popular Lists

2019 CCBC Book Awards Finalists

After Life Ebb and Flow Mustafa Sweep: The Story of a Girl and Her Monster They Say Blue Africville The Funeral Bat Citizens Go Show the World Trash Revolution Turtle Pond Don't Tell the Enemy
see full list

2019 Scotiabank Giller Longlist

Days by Moonlight The Testaments Immigrant City Greenwood Small Game Hunting at the Local Coward Gun Club The Innocents Dream Sequence Late Breaking Dual Citizens Lampedusa Frying Plantain Reproduction
see full list

Fish School

Overrun Trout School Lure Lines on the Water Fish Wars and Trout Travesties Essential Fly Patterns for Lakes and Streams Vanishing Fish Fishing the High Country A Future for the Fishery Cod Collapse
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Women Who Work

Journeywoman My Mother's Daughter Campie Our Turn Whenever You’re Ready Bomb Girls Mothers and Others Light Years Eating Dirt Mudgirls Manifesto Mayann Francis Shrewed
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Shelf Talkers

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Indie booksellers from coast to coast tell us the books they can't stop recommending to their customers

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The Chat

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Great writers from across the country sit down with us to talk about their books, and the stories behind them

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The Recommend

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Authors and avid readers in the know love up their favourite Canadian reads

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On Our Radar

By Kerry Clare

We spotlight books generating buzz all over the web, and beyond

 

join us and get insider perks!

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