• Age: 14
• Grade: 9

British Columbia's fabled capital city has never looked better than in this multi-faceted photo essay, history and travel guide by two of the area's most talented long-time residents. Susan Mayse's compelling narrative is masterfully illustrated by photographer Chris Cheadle's vibrant images. With the authors' guidance, the reader explores Victoria's famous landmarks, from the Butchart Gardens to the possibly haunted Empress Hotel to the undoubtedly haunted Ross Bay Cemetery.

Victoria: Crown Jewel of British Columbia moves from Victoria's Inner Harbour -- the main point of arrival for visitors for 165 years -- to the surrounding areas including Port Renfrew on the wild west coast, the forested slopes of Malahat Ridge and the rolling farmlands of the Saanich Peninsula. It also travels backward through time from the Victoria of today to the area's diverse and sometimes bizarre history, and explores the future as the city grapples with environmental sustainability amidst increasing population pressures. Souvenir book, history and contemporary guide, Victoria is a volume that will appeal to residents and visitors alike.

Susan Mayse is a fourth generation Vancouver Islander who grew up on stories of the mining towns of Cumberland, Bevan, Nanaimo, and Wellington. She has written for many national and international publications including The Daily Mail, The Toronto Star, and The Malahat Review. She is also the author of a prizewinning novel, Merlin's Web and Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin, a BC Bestseller and winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for True Crime and the Edna Staebler Award for Creative Non-Fiction. She is the daughter of the late journalist and author Arthur Mayse.

Susan Mayse's profile page

Chris Cheadle is a professional photographer based in Sidney, north of Victoria, on Vancouver Island. His photographs are published around the world in advertising, books, magazines, calendars and an array of other media. His images have appeared in National Geographic, Canadian Geographic, Sunset, GEO, Conde Nast Traveller, Sunset, British Columbia Magazine, the London Times and MacLean's to name a few. As a long-time contributor to Getty Images and on assignment for such clients as Lonely Planet, he has worked throughout the world: across Canada and the United States, to Asia, the South Pacific, Central America, Alaska and throughout Europe. Chris's images can be seen at AllCanadaPhotos.com, of which he is the managing director.

Chris Cheadle's profile page

Victoria: Crown Jewel of British Columbia

This is a vibrant, friendly ode to BC’s capital city. Lavish, up-to-date colour photographs and double-page spreads plus historical black and white shots are all informatively captioned. Extensive aboriginal references, history, Vancouver Island lore, geography, geology, flora, fauna and travel guide tips reflect the balanced and comprehensive perspective of knowledgeable “insiders.” Each chapter explores a different area including Victoria, Esquimalt, Oak Bay, Saanich, West Shore and Sooke to Port Renfrew. Additional features incorporate environmental sustainability versus regional development issues, seasonal activities and a large map with a Legend of 32 landmarks.

Mayse is a journalist, editor and fourth-generation Vancouver Islander. She wrote Ginger: The Life and Death of Albert Goodwin.