Anthony Bidulka Books In Order

Publication Order of Russell Quant Mystery Books

Publication Order of The Adam Saint Suspense Novels Books

Publication Order of Standalone Novels

Publication Order of Anthologies

Anthony Bidulka is a Canadian author of mystery suspense and thriller novels. Bidulka grew up on a farm near Prud’homme, in Saskatchewan in Canada. He spent most of his childhood in the small town, until he left to go attend the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. Similar to many young people from the countryside, moving to the city may seem like the first step towards an endless exploration of the world. However, once he went to university and travelled a bit, he just kept coming back to Saskatoon, the setting for most of his novels. Upon finishing his university studies and getting his B.A. in optometry and social work in 1983 and a B.Comm and B.Ed. in 1991 he decided to become an accountant. By 1993, he had attained his Chartered Accounting qualifications, and went to work with international accounting and audit company, Ernst and Young until 1999. Since he was a child, he had always dreamed of becoming a writer and after a decade of being a successful CPA, he left to become a full-time writer. Anthony loves to travel, and has toured extensively in the United States and Canada. He is a great believer in citizen participation in the community, and has been a member on the boards of many international, national, and local organizations in Canada and in the US. In fact, he is a recent inductee into the University of Saskatchewan’s Wall of Honor and was named his city’s Citizen of the Year. When he is not writing , he love to walk his dogs, collect art, travel the world, and throw a good party with close friends.

Bidulka wrote his first novel Amuse Bouche: A Russell Quant Mystery in 2003, four years after quitting his accounting job. The novel would be the first of a series of novels featuring the Russell Quant character, the chief protagonist. Russell Quant is a gay private detective that works out of a small town on the prairies of Saskatoon. The novel received much critical acclaim and much commercial success, eventually getting Bidulka on the shortlist for the Arthur Ellis Award from the Crime Writers of Canada. In addition to the long running Russell Quant series, Bidulka has also written two novels featuring Adam Saint, who is a James Bond type luxury loving, tough as nails Recovery Agent. In 2016, he published Set Free, a standalone novel that has some of the most exhilarating twists of plot, startling story turns, and gasp inducing drama you could ever find from an Anthony Bidulka novel. With his novels, particularly those of the Russell Quant series achieving national and international acclaim, he has been a nominee and winner of several awards over the years. The novels have been on the shortlist for the Lambda Literary Awards, a ReLit award, Saskatchewan Book Awards, and the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Award. The author was the first Canadian ever to win the Lambda Literary Award under the Best Men’s Mystery category, for his novel Flight of Aquavit.

Bidulka’s novels have an effervescent flavor, much like tasty French wine in being entertaining, amusing, and titillating stories that have some of the liveliest of characters. What makes the novels so fascinating is the author’s commentary and analysis of how the ordinary folk in the small towns live their lives. While he talks about serious issues, he manages to be lighthearted and even hilarious at times, making for very engaging mystery narratives. Unlike many mystery detective novels that are set in the big cities such as New, York, London Rome or Paris, Anthony’s hero lives in the small prairie town of Saskatoon, which results in quite an exotic feel to the novel. Even as Saskatoon is a small town, over the novels, it develops into a more of a character with personality and character, rather than just the setting where the narratives take place. Nevertheless, Russell Quant the chief protagonist moves a lot around the globe as part of his investigations. Quant has been to Spain, France, and even Africa. Still, the location of the narrative seems to revolve around Saskatoon where he spends most of his time. Like Bidulka, Quant was born in the farm and immigrated to the city in his later years to seek an education. His love for the small city and its people that include the vilest of miscreants and murderers is also similar to Anthony’s perceptions about small town Saskatchewan, where he grew up.

In Amuse Bouche, the first novel of the Russell Quant mysteries, one man has decided to leave another waiting on the altar and disappeared without a trace. The jilted man enlists the services of Russell Quant, a thirty something year old gay amateur sleuth, to help track down his missing lover. Even though he is Puzzled as to why he has been selected rather than some of the other detectives in town with better reputations, he simply cannot refuse such an opportunity. He is soon off to France to solve the case, using his nose for bad lies and good wine to snoop and cajole his way through the smudgy streets of Paris. His investigation leading him back to Saskatoon, he soon bumps into a client that just may be the man he has been looking for all this time. But with the target showing up in the most unexpected of places and with a motley crew of suspects to investigate that range from a snoopy neighbor, priest, lawyer, ex-lover, a colleague, best friend, and a vile sister, could the waters be too muddied for Quant. Has he even unearthed all the possible suspects? And that is not all, he has to juggle his personal life with a very demanding detective gig that would break any other man.

In Flight of Aquavit, the second novel in the series, Russell finds himself face to face with personal threats to his life from an unpredictable and cagey client, and a friend that just may turn out not to be one. On the trail of Loverboy, a menacing online dating blackmailer, he soon finds himself knee-deep in the world of parking lot romances and midnight dating rendezvous. His quarry lures him to New York City where his wit and wisdom are tested under the bright lights of Broadway and the kaleidoscope of nightlights. The unrelenting pace follows him back to Saskatoon, where he soon discovers even more deceit and decoys from some of the most innocent looking of suspects. But with Loverboy turning his threats into reality, Quant knows that he needs to track him down before he kills again.

6 Responses to “Anthony Bidulka”

1. George Breakey: 2 years ago

   Part 2 – MY GOD, THAT WAS 16 years ago. Living quietly here in the Okanagan. Jim met the man of his dreams (apparently I was the NIGHTMARE) and the ripe old age of 70 he married Patrick, an American. They split their time between Vancouver and Palm Springs.

   Reply
   • Anthony Bidulka: 10 months ago

     George – I only now just happened upon this! Email me if u get this. Be well!

     Reply
2. George Breakey: 2 years ago

   Have been wondering what you two have been up to!! Busy, busy boyz. I took early retirement at 54 –

   Reply
3. Anthony Bidulka: 2 years ago

   Hello,
   Thanks for adding Going to Beautiful to your excellent site. I have added a link to your site on my website. It’s an terrific resource. Keep up the good work.
   Anthony

   Reply
   • Graeme: 2 years ago

     Thanks so much for the link Anthony, it is much appreciated. Keep up the great work! We’ll be sure to promote Going to Beautiful in our May newsletter.

     Reply
     • Anthony Bidulka: 10 months ago

       Graeme
       Thanks for adding Livingsky.FYI Going to Beautiful just won a Crime Writers of Canada award for 2023 Best Crime Novel and an IPPY award for Best Fiction Novel Canada West.

       Reply