Aloha, Candy Hearts

Praise for Anthony Bidulka’s previous books: Praise for Amuse Bouche:

“Bidulka’s Amuse Bouche is an effervescent first novel that is much like the tasty French hors d’oeuvres from which it takes its name.”

– Quill & Quire (Toronto)

“First-rate mystery…by any standards.”

– The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“Bidulka unravels his tale with skill and gentle humour but his real strength lies in his characters and his evocation of…community in a smaller city.”

- The Voice (Ottawa)

“Amuse Bouche is a novel that entertains and broadens horizons; something…all literature should do.”

– NewWinnipeg (Winnipeg)

“Bidulka’s Quant is a wonderfully ’comfortable‘ raconteur.”

– Outlooks (Calgary)

“Suspense, humour, and ambiguity surround the colourful characters that meander throughout the pages of [Amuse Bouche], taunting and teasing you to dare to guess ’who did it?’ “

– Swerve (Winnipeg)

“[Amuse Bouche] is populated with a broad variety of interesting and very human characters, written with warmth and a genuine sense of humour.”

– FFWD (Calgary)

‘Choice of the Week’ – “Anthony Bidulka paints the Prairies a lighter shade of noir with Amuse Bouche.”

– The Georgia Straight (Vancouver)

“Bidulka has talent and this Amuse Bouche promises lots of tasty things to come.”

– The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

“Bidulka serves up strong characters and an intriguing plot…one hopes this book itself is only an amuse bouche…for those that are to follow.”

– Lavender Magazine (Minneapolis/St. Paul) DD6AA2AB841

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“Bidulka is so entertaining that he makes you consider a visit to that prairie province once famed for wheat.”

– The Blade (Laguna Beach, California)

“With first novel Amuse Bouche, Anthony Bidulka shows a certain je ne sais quoi.”

– in newsweekly (Boston)

Praise for Flight of Aquavit:

“…there is sincerity and just a hint of sage world-weariness about the self-questioning lifestyle and relationships the author draws from his charming, vulnerable detective.”

– Canadian Book Review Annual

“Bidulka treats the reader to enough red herrings with which to open a fishmarket and more than one writer’s fair share of keen observations and appealing bons mots.”

– Outlooks (Calgary)

“I was surprised at how ’comforting‘ it was to be reunited with familiar characters—almost like returning to school after summer break.”

– Outlooks (Calgary)

“…the pages turn at a frantic speed, each suspenseful chapter a chaser for the preceding.”

– Swerve (Winnipeg)

“…Quant is a delight to spend time with…”

- StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“Between Quant’s quips and hard-boiled comments and the colourful cast that includes enough suspicious characters to fill a rogues’ gallery, readers will find that Detective Russell Quant is a fun guy…”

- tobe (Ottawa)

“There’s plenty of action here, and Bidulka spreads it out with witty dialogue, smart commentary, and plenty of good, sharp writing.”

– Globe & Mail (Toronto)

“…Bidulka takes off and runs with it into a fast, compelling plot…”

- The Free Press (London)

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“Bidulka manages to spin a compelling detective story with colourful characters, hilarious situations, and touching relationships.”

– Midwest Book Review

Praise for Tapas on the Ramblas:

“The best thing about Bidulka’s mysteries is the cast of by now well-developed, endearing characters. Tapas on the Ramblas is a solid follow-up to his Lambda Literary Award-winning Flight of Aquavit.”

– Quill & Quire (Toronto)

“There’s intrigue at every destination, and each is as richly detailed in the writing as Saskatoon is in books past.”

–Xpress (Ottawa)

“…leaves us salivating for a taste of what is next to come in the world of Russell Quant.”

–Outlooks (Calgary)

“Bidulka-brand cliff-hanging suspense is still a trademark of the Quant series, but now accompanied with more action, an almost dizzying array of plot twists, and an intriguing conclusion that’s a tempting promise for more.”

–Swerve (Winnipeg)

“Tapas on the Ramblas is the third in the Russell Quant series, and the books seem to get better and better.”

–BooksnBytes

“…a Russell Quant tale is highly entertaining, from strange beginning to amusing, twisted end.”

– The Edmonton Journal (Edmonton)

“Tapas on the Ramblas…like its predecessors carries the reader along on an exuberant joy ride of action with sporadic pit stops for mayhem, menace and occasional romance.”

– Wayves (Halifax)

“In Tapas on the Ramblas, Bidulka has really hit his stride. Bidulka…shows himself to be a writer firmly in control of his story and able to give full rein to his considerable wit and wry observations.”

– Wayves (Halifax)

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“One of the book’s most enjoyable aspects is its lively descriptions of foreign places…it is clear that Bidulka has traveled there himself and his novel captures the flavor of those travels quite vividly.”

– Altar Magazine (Brooklyn, NY)

“Tapas on the Ramblas…is not your mama’s mystery.”

– OutTraveler (Los Angeles, CA)

Praise for Stain of the Berry:

“Saskatchewan’s master of all things mysterious is back with Stain of the Berry…Bidulka’s Quant mysteries always crackle with action, suspense, intricate plotting...”

– Planet S (Saskatoon)

“A terrifying stain is marring the beauty of the Prairies.”

– Swerve (Winnipeg)

“…the best of the series.”

– Globe & Mail (Toronto)

“If you’ve missed the previous three novels set in Saskatoon and featuring gay sleuth Russell Quant, you’ll want them first.”

– Globe & Mail (Toronto)

“…death will lead Quant into a strange but wide-ranging problem that proves quite disconcerting, and dangerous. It’s a strong mystery that calls on all his ingenuity.”

– The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“Bidulka is no slouch when it comes to snappy dialogue and campy one-liners that more than tip the hat to classic noir...”

– NOW Magazine (Toronto)

“…an Arctic escapade worthy of James Bond.”

– NOW Magazine (Toronto)

“With this fourth book, Bidulka really comes into his own as a writer—

the stakes are higher, the sense of menace much more realized throughout and the deepening of the mythology of the series makes everything come that much more to life.”

– Outlooks (Calgary)

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“Bidulka ups the chill factor, notch by notch, making the …Boogeyman specter into a palpable presence.”

– Lavender Magazine (Minnesota)

“This enjoyable series, which boasts an amiable and chatty…hero, really fires on all cylinders…”

– reviewingtheevidence.com

“Bidulka is a relaxed and fluent storyteller who creates some memorable characters…”

– reviewingtheevidence.com

“The strength of the books lies, as it so often does, in characters…I don’t see my admiration for the writer or his character waning any time soon.”

– CanadaEast (New Brunswick)

“This novel is the most complex in the series.”

– Lambda Book Report (New York)

“…the storyline brings a smile as pages turn with gorgeous images and smells of summer.…”

– Feminist Review

“Bidulka’s characterization is excellent. He has a way of nailing a person with a few words to evoke a strong mental image.”

– Spinetingler Magazine

“Quant…makes for a riveting hero…the kind of friend you want to have—unless you’re a killer.”

– Mystery Scene Magazine (New York)

“Bidulka is clear evidence that writing in the mystery genre does not automatically preclude character development or emotional connection with the reader.”

– Wayves (Halifax)

“Bidulka’s skill makes the story so vivid that we feel as if we are the friend holding the flashlight while Quant explores the tunnel ahead.”

– Wayves (Halifax)

“This thriller is guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your beach blanket.”

– Frontiers Magazine (Los Angeles)

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Praise for Sundowner Ubuntu:

“With his fifth in the series of Russell Quant mysteries, Saskatoon’s Anthony Bidulka continues to serve up a blend of winning ingredients.”

– The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“Truly amazing is Bidulka’s sense of sights, sounds and smells. Like a good journalist, he gives exquisitely detailed descriptions of the settings and provides history lessons...”

– The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon)

“The latest Russell Quant mystery is terrific, the best of the series.”

– The Globe and Mail (Toronto)

“…decadent passions of travel, fine wines, and cuisine are woven into the narrative in an organic fashion that a lesser writer would have had difficulty with.”

– Outlooks Magazine (Calgary)

“Bidulka…keeps the danger and actions sequences choreographed in such a way as to keep you from putting the book down...”

– Outlooks Magazine (Calgary)

“Bidulka’s books are almost giddily charming, and his latest, though it deals with serious subjects, is no exception.”

– Calgary Herald (Calgary)

“Even if you’ve never read a Russell Quant mystery, you’ll feel like he’s an old friend with the candid narrative and down to earth dialogue.”

– The Yellowknifer (Yellowknife, NWT)

“Anthony Bidulka’s Russell Quant novels offer an engaging variation upon the pattern established by [Joseph] Hansen and extended by writers like Michael Nava in the Henry Rios series and Sue Grafton in the alphabet series.”

– Gay and Lesbian Review Worldwide (Boston)

“...the Russell Quant mysteries are unmistakably stories for our times.”

– The Sherbrooke Record (Sherbrooke, QC) DD6AA2AB841

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“...Bidulka brings a fresh voice to Canadian crime fiction, with a sense of humour that is often outrageous and always original; he provides his readers with a cleverly crafted tale full of twists and turns, and challenges readers to broaden their perspectives.”

– The Sherbrooke Record (Sherbrooke, QC)

“The ending…is as satisfactory as any I have recently encountered, but I was not expecting it. Yet the author plays scrupulously fair with the reader.”

– reviewingtheevidence.com

“Despite all the darkness in the novel, this is the author’s most joyful to date. It is also his finest, a work that radiates a deep sense of humanity and wisdom.”

– reviewingtheevidence.com

“Bidulka is an experienced writer…and it’s apparent from the first three lines.”

– Wayves (Halifax)

“My first reaction in reaching the end of this book was to head to my computer to find how to get a hold of the four earlier books in the series...”

– Wayves (Halifax)

“…a satisfying episode in Quant’s ongoing professional saga.”

– PGN (Philadelphia)

“Russell Quant is a hero who is humble, vulnerable, but intelligent, resourceful, and all too human.”

– Midwest Book Review

“All dangers aside, though, when you’re through with this riveting book, you might find yourself booking the first flight to Cape Town. See you on the plane!”

– Mystery Scene Magazine (New York)

“Despite many reminders of how messy and even unpleasant human existence can be, there is a peacefulness about this novel that is new to the series.”

– Lambda Book Report (Los Angeles)

“The novel is by all odds the author’s most masterful to date...”

– Lambda Book Report (Los Angeles)

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