The Solitary Friend: A Joanne Kilbourn Mystery

by Gail Bowen

Amateur sleuth Joanne Shreve finds herself caught in the middle when her friend Vera Wang, the owner of a discreet escort service, The Right Woman, calls in a favor. Howard Dowhanuik, another long-time friend of Joanne’s and the former premier of Saskatchewan, has been a loyal client for years. That is until he started badgering Vera’s employees, trying to discourage them from performing their “meaningless” work. Given his recent verbal attacks against any and all opponents on his podcast, Joanne knows his erratic behavior must be part of a larger issue. Can Joanne talk Howard down and make him see sense before he goes too far?


To complicate matters, the release of scandalous photos with threatening demands targets both Howard and Calista Wallace. Having quit the escort service, Calista is now engaged to Noah Wainberg, a close member of Joanne’s inner circle, but the past could put their future together in jeopardy. Is this hate mail from a heartbroken ex-client or a disgruntled listener of Howard’s podcast? Or worse, could the culprit be someone closer to home? With her loved ones’ happiness — and their very lives — at stake, Joanne races to find the source of the mysterious messages before they make good on their menacing ultimatum.

Genres: Mystery

304 pages, Hardcover

First published October 14, 2025

About the author

Gail Dianne Bowen (née Bartholomew) is a Canadian playwright and writer of mystery novels. Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, the University of Waterloo and the University of Saskatchewan. She subsequently taught English in Saskatchewan, and is currently a professor of English at First Nations University of Canada. Bowen's mystery novels feature Joanne Kilbourn, a widowed mother, political analyst and university professor who finds herself occasionally involved in criminal investigations in various parts of Saskatchewan. Many have been adapted as Canadian television movies by Shaftesbury Films.

Series:
* Joanne Kilbourn Mystery

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Novel (1995): A Colder Kind of Death

Reviews

[Anna Quilter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living in Canada...I feel a little guilty I don't read many Canadian crime series......although Louise Penny is an exception.
I've just found my way back to this long established series...and found it's more of a (very well done) Soap Opera...with a Crime only happening in the final section of the book.
it's an interesting take...the crime is shown in detail...and the mystery is more like who than why...as a series of events hint of dark doings ahead.
it's an intricate world the Author has established in this Saskatchewan based book...and certainly a different way of constructing a mystery book.

[Terri (BooklyMatters) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book #23 in a mystery series featuring Joanne Kilbourn, this book came to this reader with history attached. Initially a Canadian series I loved, based in Saskatchewan, and featuring a wonderfully-accessible female professor,— a character authored so well, and decades before strongly centered, plain-spoken, independent female leads were a common literary thing.

Around the middle of the series, the stories changed — becoming less mystery-focused and more novel-like, occupied now mainly with Joanne and her ever growing web of family, friends, lovers, and political contacts, with just a touch of mystery thrown in. I lost track of the series around book #10.

Picking up book #23 now, out of the blue and a decade or so later, has been interesting. The author has stuck to her change in format, centering this book on the long and fabulously detailed series of happenings (mainly depicted as conversations) featuring Joanne and the hugely complex family and community she anchors. There is but a hint of mystery that eventually blooms in the last quarter of the book.

I enjoyed this book, and its meanderings. It’s relational sweetness and yes, even its hints of wealth, touching, some might say, on complacency. As throughout it all, there is indeed a genuine sense of compassion and conscientiousness that Joanne, now a grandmother and aging matriarch (still plain-spoken and depended on by absolutely everyone) shares with the reader. Less political now, she continues to want, it is abundantly clear to the reader, to do her part to make “the” world, her world, a better place. For all her solitary friends.

An appealing, evolving perspective.

So much so that going back to now read book #ten, or perhaps all the way back to the start of the series, might be a compelling idea.

A great big thank you to ECWpress for an ARC of this book. All thoughts presented are my own.

[Vontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have read this series since the beginning and have always looked forward to the next book. This is the second to the last book that will be published in the series, a decision that Bowen has made, no doubt influenced by the health challenge she faced in the past couple of years. I did get the sense of a pulling together of the various stories and people over the years, and look forward to the final book in the series when it comes. As a reader, there is the sense of saying good-bye to old friends, albeit with many surprises and challenging social issues(which have usually featured in her books).

Inevitably with the series running over so many years, people & families grow, age & change. That has been one of the strengths of Bowen's books which, along with Saskatchewan and Saskatchewan politics, has attracted me. That is especially because I lived in Saskatchewan during some of the years of the politics that are a strong theme throughout the series. Political parties & politics were certainly front & centre in the first book & threaded through subsequent volumes.

I am sorry to see this series come to an end, after reading it over 35 years. That's a lot of writing, and Bowen has deservedly been well recognized & rewarded for all her writing, as well as her years as an academic.

[Indydriven · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is book 23 in the Joanne Kilbourn mystery series. The primary plot line of the murder of a long-time friend of Joanne’s is fairly simple and straight forward compared to some of the other books in the series which I appreciated. I think it allowed time for the author to write more about the numerous characters’ everyday routines and general life which is part of the charm of this series.

There was a secondary plot line in the book, however, that I struggled with to the point where I discussed it with a couple of other people to try to understand if I was overanalyzing or whether I had a valid concern. In the book we are introduced to a business that is discreetly called an “escort service”, but let me be clear – it is a prostitution business. One of Joanne’s close friends had been using the service of one particular sex worker for approximately a year and they have fallen in love and are getting married. It turns out that Joanne and her husband had actually recommended and convinced their friend to use the service because they were concerned about his mental health after the loss of his wife. This is where my jaw hit the floor. What I am going to say next is not coming from a moral standpoint. I am aware that there are a great many reasons why women are in this business. Sadly, in the majority of cases it is because of being trafficked, or a way to support their addictions due to past unhealed childhood trauma and much of the time in order for the women to survive, they end up in this industry. The fact of the matter is that the sex industry is driven by the male demand for female bodies. The sex industry is a powerful economy that normalizes the commodification of women’s bodies. For the author to have her two primary characters (Joanne and Zack) try to normalize the sex industry to the point where the sex worker stated that she got into the business so that she wouldn’t have student loan debt is beyond being tone deaf, in my opinion. I have always been a great supporter of this author and these books, but I’m afraid that I cannot recommend this book simply due to how nonchalant the author was about sex work.

Thank you to ecwpress for an advance copy.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I loved the earlier mysteries in this series, but they have gotten increasingly convoluted with a too large cast of characters. When you need a character guide at the beginning of the book, you know there are too many people! And yet still I was confused, who is Jacob? It said he was Noah's grandson but who are his parents and why weren't they in the book? And whole plot premise of Joanne and Zack recommending their sad friend visit a bordello to cheer up is more than a bit odd to me. And this really wasn't a mystery, the death occurred very late in the book and you knew who did it.
There is only one book left to go in the series, and I will read it just to see how it's wound up.

[Gayle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not as good as others in this series

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I had expected a mystery and believe me, I just kept reading and reading and never really found much of one.
Most of the time I was just reading about another day in the life of Joanne and family. It began to bore me. In fact, I almost got sick of how wonderful and loving and helpful everyone was, and how things were so wonderful.
Yes, there is a murder, however it is one we all know about and read, towards the end of the book. No mystery there. True, it is sad and sort of unexpected, however I had an inkling something was going to happen to this fella.
Perhaps if I had been a loyal reader of Bowen's books, it would have been more enjoyable for me.
I really don't think I feel like picking up any of her past ones at this point though.

[Canadian Mystery · Rating 4 out of 5]

In The Solitary Friend, Gail Bowen once again proves why her long-running Joanne Kilbourn series remains one of Canada’s most enduring and socially attuned contributions to the mystery genre. Now well into her later years, Joanne—political scientist, former TV commentator, wife, mother, and reluctant investigator—finds herself drawn into another web of political deceit and personal betrayal.
The novel opens with Joanne stepping into the orbit of Valerie Trudel, a charismatic political star whose rise mirrors the intoxicating blend of ambition and idealism that Bowen captures so well. But when Valerie’s moral compass begins to spin and her private life spills into public scandal, Joanne’s loyalty and instincts as both friend and observer collide. The narrative becomes a layered study of how women in positions of influence navigate betrayal, power, and reputation in a world eager to scrutinize their every flaw.
Bowen’s prose, as ever, is clean, confident, and quietly cutting. She writes not for shock value but for psychological truth. The suspense here doesn’t depend on gunfire or chase scenes—it comes from conversations, glances, and moral hesitation. Bowen understands that the real thrill of a mystery lies not in discovering who committed the crime, but in asking why good people allow bad things to happen.
The Saskatchewan setting remains a quiet marvel. Through Bowen’s eye, Regina isn’t merely a backdrop; it’s a reflection of her protagonist’s state of mind—orderly, windswept, and tinged with melancholy. Her Canada is recognizable and intimate: coffee shops where gossip doubles as information exchange, legislative offices that hum with intrigue, and neighbourhoods where privacy is a fiction.
If there’s a fault, it lies in familiarity. By this point in the series, Bowen’s rhythms are well established, and seasoned readers may anticipate certain beats. Yet there’s a comfort in that predictability, too—a sense of returning to an old friend whose intelligence and empathy still surprise you in small, subtle ways.
Joanne Kilbourn remains one of the most compelling amateur sleuths in Canadian fiction precisely because she’s not really an amateur anymore—she’s a thinker, a moralist, and a woman whose greatest weapon is her capacity to see through human pretence.

My Humble Opinion: The Solitary Friend is an elegant, slow-burning mystery that rewards reflection as much as curiosity. Bowen delivers another deeply humane story—less about solving a crime than about understanding the cost of loyalty and the solitude that often comes with standing for what’s right.

[Denis Wheller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once again we are in Regina, Saskatchewan, where Joanne Kilbourn is still a friend and counsellor to family, friends, acquaintances and most everyone else. This is the 23rd book in the series, but can be read as a standalone, helped by the extensive cast list provided. Thirty-five years’ worth of backstory may seem a lot, but Joanne, basically the narrator as well as the chief protagonist, will fill in everything relevant as she explains things to the other characters. Because most of the exposition is made in conversations, there is a lot of repetition.
There are three interconnected strands to the plot. The first of these starts when Vera Wang, the ‘proprietor’ of a high class Escort Agency, contacts Joanne about the behaviour of Howard Dowhanuik, the former Premier, who is now around eighty and haranguing the escorts about their activities, as well as running a podcast where he is essentially haranguing everyone else. It also transpires that he has been in receipt of threatening letters. Back in his days as Premier, Joanne had worked with him and has family connections at second-hand. The second strand is connected to the first, in that Calista Wallace, a former escort with the agency, is now engaged to be married to widower Noah Wainberg, an old family friend of Joanne’s. Calista is worried about the disapprobation of the tight-knit local community. She is also the subject of threatening messages. The third strand is related to the second. Calista was an escort for some years, and many of her former clients live locally so the chances of meeting one of them are high. Two men, in particular, appear to be in love with her, and are possibly inclined to become dangerous.
The book is badged as a Mystery, and the earlier books were clearly in that genre. However, as the Kilbourne/Shreve world expanded, with more and more characters appearing, the series shifted more towards being a family saga with mysteries. Since I read mainly for the mystery in a story, I was less invested in this one than I might otherwise have been. However, as I’ve mentioned in previous reviews, there are a lot of readers who have invested years in the Kilbourne/Shreve world and I’m sure they’ll love this one. For them, this is a 5, for died in the wool murder-mystery readers it struggles to 3, mostly on the quality of the writing. So I’m at 4, again.
I would like to thank the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.

[Patricia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Long time Gail Bowen reader. I have read all of her books. I have struggled with the last few. See spoilers below. That being said, I do have some investment in the characters and will read her final (yet to be published) book in the series. This current book is really not a mystery.

Favourite quote from this one - p.259 - “…we don’t know how strong we are until being strong is the only option.”

Saw Gail in person years ago and found her to be an engaging speaker.


SPOILERS below






Spoilers - where I struggle.

Okay, I am not part of an elite or upper echelon of a community but it seems like the Kilbourn-Shreve family operate in a way that is not something I can comprehend nor does it seem realistic to me. They either insert themselves into every situation or are ‘consulted’ about all manner of things. Regina, while not a huge metropolis, is not a small town either. Perhaps I misjudge how the elite operate in that size of city.

Just a few examples… (and there were many)

1) How many people recommend that a despondent close friend goes to an upscale escort service? Oh, luckily some good friends of ours are neighbours of a woman who runs one such business. Let’s talk to her and refer our friend there.

2) Media Nation staff regularly discuss personnel issues with Joanne and Zach, who after all are the parents-in-law of Charlie D, Media Nation Regina’s “crown jewel,” so why not?!? Go around divulging personal staff info, weighing in on strategies to deal with situations…

3) Howard donates $10,000 to Doctors Without Borders in the name of the women who work at The Right Woman. A) Vera discloses this to Joanne, B) Joanne asks Vera if she (Joanne) can contact Howard to thank him for doing this and C) Vera agrees and asks Joanne to tell him that she (Vera) is grateful. Hmmm, again, divulging personal info, taking on a task/role that is not something that Joanne should be doing. Also if Vera is truly grateful, and does not just think that Howard did it to address his ‘bad’ behaviour, shouldn’t she be thanking him directly not through Joanne?

[Robin Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gail Bowen's novels all have an unique character and style which is entirely her own. She takes elements from several genres and weaves them into a colourful, compelling canvas.
Joanne Kilbourn is at the heart of Gail's best novels and has created a family saga effect with the inclusion of her ever-growing family within the plots. This certainly adds to the appeal of each new addition to the series.
The backdrop of Regina in Saskatchewan offers a rare glimpse of a location largely ignored by other novelists.
The mystery in this novel is a particularly tragic one. The slow-burn unravelling of events leading up to its deadly conclusion has an inevitable feel about it which is quite agonising at times. One of the author's great strengths is in allowing her characters to display their emotions and find resilience whatever the circumstances.
If one reads enough of the Joanne Kilbourn mysteries one begins to feel part of the family which is always a bonus and the sign of an author writing with pitch perfect precision.

[PeggySue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Solitary Friend by Gail Bowen
Joanne Kilbourn series book 23
I sort of fell into this series with book 15 but I enjoyed it so much that I went back and read or listened to the whole series. Now, reading a Joanne Kilbourn book is like a homecoming because I feel like I know all her family and friends. However, this book centers around a somewhat smallish group.
It is bittersweet knowing that this is the penultimate book in the series. And, of course, because the subject matter is very sad. Tears were jerked during the reading but the resolution was good. There were also some happy surprises.
My only problem was with the name of the character Vera Wang since there is a famous designer by that name and it kept pulling me out of the story.
Knowing the series will end soon, I think I might have to go back to the beginning and reread them all.
May thanks to Alexandra Dunn at ECW Press for this ARC.

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I find this series especially relatable since it’s set in the city I call home. The Solitary Friend is another enjoyable read that continues with familiar characters from the previous books. While it can be read as a standalone, I think the story is more rewarding if you read the whole series. Joanne, Zack, and their family are portrayed as clean-living, upstanding citizens who are always ready to help others. They may seem almost too good to be true at times, but that only adds to the charm of the story. I highly recommend this book and the entire series. It’s an easy, engaging read with believable characters that kept my interest to the very end.

[Linda Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well this was different. The perfect life of Joanne Shreve unravels in spectacular fashion. I have read this series from the beginning and her life just seems to get more perfect. Yeah, there ups and downs like everyone but now she seems to be in clover, married to an attorney, two houses, all the children grown up and doing their thing, good friends, loving and talented grandchildren. Sigh! I read somewhere the author is ailing and the ending of her series is imminent. This did seem like the beginning of a wrap up. Who knew Saskatchewan politics would be something you could put in a book and people would read?

[Allison · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is listed as a mystery, but there really is no mystery. We know who the killer is because the killing is described in detail close to the conclusion of the book. Strange !
This book is basically a beautifully written account of the day to day life of Joanne Kilbourn and her family and friends. I liked all of the descriptions of the environment and the details about the relationships in Joanne's life.
A great read, but not a mystery!

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bonkers that this is my first @gail_bowen1990.

I wasn’t quite prepared to start this TWENTY THREE volume series from the beginning, so I jumped in the deep end.

I loved the diverse cast of characters (thank gawd for the Character Guide), the contemporary political & social discourse, and distinctly Canadian feel. 🍁

[Anita Daher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not what I would consider a mystery, but enjoyed once I let that expectation go. Considered as a love letter to Joanne Kilbourn, her family and friends, the places she holds close, and all the stories that have come before, this is a lovely, warm story that will hearten you approaching the holidays. As usual, Gail Bowen takes on difficult subjects and approaches them with love.

[Dorothy Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book which brought the storyline forward. I couldn’t put it down! Gail’s character development throughout this series is awesome. I felt like a part of Joanne’s inner circle as I was reading it. I am truly sorry Gail’s next book in this series will be her last. I will miss the Kilbourn family ❤️📚

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am grateful every year when Gail Bowen writes another book in this series. Maybe I was in the mood for a book about reconciliation and evolving familial relationships, but I didn’t want this book to end.

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

My least favourite of her books. Had a hard time keeping the characters straight. The biggest mystery was figuring out who everyone was. Worth reading, but disappointing, too.