When the Flood Falls - Judges' Comments

And the 2016 Dundurn 

Unhanged Arthur

for 

Best Unpublished 

First Crime Novel:

Jayne Barnard for 

When the Flood Falls

Judges' Comments:

"When the Flood Falls impressed us with the author's polished writing. The protagonist, and ex-RCMP officer, is engaging and flawed. Lacey's police career and marriage are in tatters, and she's currently working as security detail at a new art museum. Until she finds somewhere else to live, she's staying with a friend, the president of the building committee of the museum. Suspense is created by the threat of a midnight prowler.

What made this entry stands out is that a woman with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome plays an integral role in solving the case. Formerly smart and successful, her cells no longer produce enough energy and she deals with debilitating fatigue, watching the world through her window. A new medication allows her brain to briefly function the way it used to before the illness, and she is able to help solve the mystery.

When the Flood Falls depicts the shadier side of a favourite Canadian sport, portraying the power hockey team owners and agents have over their players. The writing shows confidence and the pacing expertly keeps the story moving toward its conclusion."

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