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The Laundryman
In the frozen heart of the 1883 Canadian frontier, a single death unveils a darkness that could consume a town—and the men sworn to protect it.
Corporal Belvedere, a Mountie scarred by a brutal past, and Surgeon Virgil Montgomery, a newcomer haunted by his own doubts, are drawn into a murder investigation in the isolated settlement of Prince Albert. As winter’s grip tightens, the killing exposes a web of secrets buried beneath the snow, threatening to unravel the fragile order of the North-West Territories.
In a community steeped in mistrust, Belvedere’s unyielding quest for justice collides with Montgomery’s struggle to uphold his oath to do no harm. Each clue they uncover draws them deeper into a maze of deception, where allies and enemies blur and every step risks a deadly reckoning. As the ice on the North Saskatchewan River begins to crack, they must confront a truth that could cost them their lives—or their souls.
A gripping tale of vengeance and redemption, The Laundryman plunges you into a world where justice battles betrayal, and the truth lies buried in a frozen wilderness.
Corporal Belvedere, a Mountie scarred by a brutal past, and Surgeon Virgil Montgomery, a newcomer haunted by his own doubts, are drawn into a murder investigation in the isolated settlement of Prince Albert. As winter’s grip tightens, the killing exposes a web of secrets buried beneath the snow, threatening to unravel the fragile order of the North-West Territories.
In a community steeped in mistrust, Belvedere’s unyielding quest for justice collides with Montgomery’s struggle to uphold his oath to do no harm. Each clue they uncover draws them deeper into a maze of deception, where allies and enemies blur and every step risks a deadly reckoning. As the ice on the North Saskatchewan River begins to crack, they must confront a truth that could cost them their lives—or their souls.
A gripping tale of vengeance and redemption, The Laundryman plunges you into a world where justice battles betrayal, and the truth lies buried in a frozen wilderness.
284 pages, Paperback
Published February 16, 2026
2 people are currently reading
9 people want to read
About the author
Dwayne Brenna
11 books3 followersDwayne Brenna is the award-winning author of several books of humour, poetry, and fiction. Coteau Books published his popular series of humourous vignettes entitled Eddie Gustafson’s Guide to Christmas in 2000. His two books of poetry, Stealing Home and Give My Love to Rose, were published by Hagios Press in 2013 and 2015 respectively. Stealing Home, a poetic celebration of the game of baseball, was subsequently shortlisted for several Saskatchewan Book Awards, including the University of Regina Book of the Year Award. His first novel New Albion, about a laudanum-addicted playwright struggling to survive in London’s East End during the winter of 1850-51, was published by Coteau Books in autumn 2016. It subsequently won the Muslims For Peace and Justice Fiction Award at the Saskatchewan Book Awards and was one of three English-language novels shortlisted for the prestigious MM Bennetts Award for Historical Fiction. In 2022, Pocol Press published his second novel Long Way Home, about a barnstorming baseball team travelling through the American Midwest in the eventful summer of 1934. His short stories and poems have been published in an array of journals, including Grain, Nine, The Cold Mountain Review, and The Antigonish Review.
He has acted at the Stratford Festival and has appeared on television in various nationally and internationally broadcast programs including For the Record, Judge (CBC Toronto), The Great Electrical Revolution, and The Incredible Story Studio (Mind’s Eye). His movie credits include The Wars, Painted Angels (with Kelly McGillis), Black Light (with Michael Ironside), and The Impossible Elephant (with Mia Sara). A series of character-based vignettes called The Adventures of Eddie Gustafson, written and performed by Brenna, had a five-year run on CBC Radio.
Brenna is also the author of several books on theatre research, including Scenes From Canadian Plays (Fifth House) and Emrys’ Dream: Greystone Theatre in Words and Photographs (Thistledown). His book Our Kind of Work: the Glory Days and Difficult Times of 25th Street Theatre (Thistledown 2011) was subsequently nominated for a Saskatchewan Book Award in Non-Fiction. He has contributed articles on theatre to Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Notebook (London UK), The Dictionary of National Biography (London UK) and the Czech journal Theatralia.
Having completed his PhD at the University of London (England), Dr. Brenna is an active proponent of internationalization at the University of Saskatchewan, where he is employed. He was involved in the development of an exchange with Mazaryk University in the Czech Republic, where he taught a module on Canadian theatre. He has taught (and learned) mask in the aboriginal village of Boruca in the mountains of Costa Rica. Most recently, he taught a course in mask at the University of Hyderabad in India, the first step in developing an exchange between that university and the University of Saskatchewan. He regularly leads a study abroad course in London and Stratford-upon-Avon for students at the University of Saskatchewan.
His stage plays have been produced at Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham, 25th Street Theatre in Saskatoon, and the Neptune Theatre in Halifax.
He has acted at the Stratford Festival and has appeared on television in various nationally and internationally broadcast programs including For the Record, Judge (CBC Toronto), The Great Electrical Revolution, and The Incredible Story Studio (Mind’s Eye). His movie credits include The Wars, Painted Angels (with Kelly McGillis), Black Light (with Michael Ironside), and The Impossible Elephant (with Mia Sara). A series of character-based vignettes called The Adventures of Eddie Gustafson, written and performed by Brenna, had a five-year run on CBC Radio.
Brenna is also the author of several books on theatre research, including Scenes From Canadian Plays (Fifth House) and Emrys’ Dream: Greystone Theatre in Words and Photographs (Thistledown). His book Our Kind of Work: the Glory Days and Difficult Times of 25th Street Theatre (Thistledown 2011) was subsequently nominated for a Saskatchewan Book Award in Non-Fiction. He has contributed articles on theatre to Canadian Theatre Review, Theatre Notebook (London UK), The Dictionary of National Biography (London UK) and the Czech journal Theatralia.
Having completed his PhD at the University of London (England), Dr. Brenna is an active proponent of internationalization at the University of Saskatchewan, where he is employed. He was involved in the development of an exchange with Mazaryk University in the Czech Republic, where he taught a module on Canadian theatre. He has taught (and learned) mask in the aboriginal village of Boruca in the mountains of Costa Rica. Most recently, he taught a course in mask at the University of Hyderabad in India, the first step in developing an exchange between that university and the University of Saskatchewan. He regularly leads a study abroad course in London and Stratford-upon-Avon for students at the University of Saskatchewan.
His stage plays have been produced at Dancing Sky Theatre in Meacham, 25th Street Theatre in Saskatoon, and the Neptune Theatre in Halifax.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 15, 2026
The Laundryman is set in late-19th-century Canada. The novel follows two North-West Mounted Police officers tasked with investigating the murder of a Chinese laundryman in the small frontier town of Prince Albert.
The novel’s perspective, largely filtered through Surgeon Virgil Montgomery, offers a compelling moral lens. Montgomery’s observations contrast sharply with the brutal realities he encounters. His uneasy partnership with Corporal Belvedere adds depth to the narrative.
Beyond its crime-fiction framework, The Laundryman confronts uncomfortable historical truths. The story is well paced without any dull moments in it. The twists and turns in the story made it a gripping read.
The Laundryman is a haunting, intelligent novel that blends mystery with historical realism and moral inquiry. The storyline kept me hooked till the last page. The narration is smooth and strong. I am definitely interested in reading more books by the author in the future.
The novel’s perspective, largely filtered through Surgeon Virgil Montgomery, offers a compelling moral lens. Montgomery’s observations contrast sharply with the brutal realities he encounters. His uneasy partnership with Corporal Belvedere adds depth to the narrative.
Beyond its crime-fiction framework, The Laundryman confronts uncomfortable historical truths. The story is well paced without any dull moments in it. The twists and turns in the story made it a gripping read.
The Laundryman is a haunting, intelligent novel that blends mystery with historical realism and moral inquiry. The storyline kept me hooked till the last page. The narration is smooth and strong. I am definitely interested in reading more books by the author in the future.
December 8, 2025
Visualize Corporal Belvedere, an officer of the North-West Mounted Police, riding his roan along the banks of the North Saskatchewan River, cradling his terrier in front of the saddle horn. The combination of his experience navigating the North-West Territories, coupled with his distaste for authority, led to an assignment to investigate the death of the laundryman in the isolated settlement of Prince Albert. Needing a medical examiner, a young surgeon named Virgil Montgomery had been hired as a commissioned officer. Each man seemed to have a checkered past. Montgomery worried about his “future as a surgeon in Her Majesty’s Constabulary.” He harbored a secret, a mistake that threatened his reputation. Belvedere seemed “equally capable of upholding the fragile new laws of the territories and of breaking them.” Since no barracks had been built, the duo would be billeted in the house of Reverend and Mrs. McLaughlin. The year was 1883.
There was plenty of blame to go around surrounding the death of Mr. Chen. Some settlers blamed his wife, others blamed the Indians. Murder was uncommon in the small town of Prince Albert. The town, however, had an unsettled nature. Arguments arose between the mounties and the sheriff. “There ain’t a lot of sympathy fer foreigners here.” Performing the autopsy on Chaoxing Chen, Montgomery noted “no physical altercation…(Chen) had been shot in the back at some distance.” Montgomery retrieved the slug, cleaning it and storing it for safekeeping. “There’s plenty of acrimony in this town…the settlers are afraid of the Indians, and the Indians are afraid of the settlers. And the Metis are afraid that their land is going to be taken from them.”
In addition to medical duties, Montgomery was tasked with the job of “keeping a close eye on Corporal Belvedere and report any irregularities in his behavior and any departures from the code of conduct to which all mounted policemen must adhere.” Montgomery’s journal entries denoting Belvedere’s confiscation and imbibement of illegal whisky were not shared with their commanding officer.
The town of Prince Albert contained a cafe run by the laundryman’s friend Sam Gee. The cafe would often be filled with loggers and flour mill workers. Conversing and imbibing, information was shared about an argument that Chen had with a fellow a few days before the murder. Although Sheriff McQuaid might have chosen to help with the investigation of Chen’s murder, he would have no rights to investigate when additional murders occurred outside his jurisdiction. Belvedere’s unorthodox investigative techniques and Montgomery’s medical analysis, which included bullet retrievals, would be highly valuable.
“The Laundryman” by Dwayne Brenna immersed this reader in life on the 1883 Canadian Frontier. A full cast of town dwellers, farmers and Indians inhabiting Prince Albert were presented with all their flaws. Frontier justice was often dispensed without proper evidence. Where there might be industrial progress in view, corruption would follow.
This multi-faceted read of historical fiction is highly recommended.
Thank you Wayne Brenna and Shadowpaw Press for the Print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
There was plenty of blame to go around surrounding the death of Mr. Chen. Some settlers blamed his wife, others blamed the Indians. Murder was uncommon in the small town of Prince Albert. The town, however, had an unsettled nature. Arguments arose between the mounties and the sheriff. “There ain’t a lot of sympathy fer foreigners here.” Performing the autopsy on Chaoxing Chen, Montgomery noted “no physical altercation…(Chen) had been shot in the back at some distance.” Montgomery retrieved the slug, cleaning it and storing it for safekeeping. “There’s plenty of acrimony in this town…the settlers are afraid of the Indians, and the Indians are afraid of the settlers. And the Metis are afraid that their land is going to be taken from them.”
In addition to medical duties, Montgomery was tasked with the job of “keeping a close eye on Corporal Belvedere and report any irregularities in his behavior and any departures from the code of conduct to which all mounted policemen must adhere.” Montgomery’s journal entries denoting Belvedere’s confiscation and imbibement of illegal whisky were not shared with their commanding officer.
The town of Prince Albert contained a cafe run by the laundryman’s friend Sam Gee. The cafe would often be filled with loggers and flour mill workers. Conversing and imbibing, information was shared about an argument that Chen had with a fellow a few days before the murder. Although Sheriff McQuaid might have chosen to help with the investigation of Chen’s murder, he would have no rights to investigate when additional murders occurred outside his jurisdiction. Belvedere’s unorthodox investigative techniques and Montgomery’s medical analysis, which included bullet retrievals, would be highly valuable.
“The Laundryman” by Dwayne Brenna immersed this reader in life on the 1883 Canadian Frontier. A full cast of town dwellers, farmers and Indians inhabiting Prince Albert were presented with all their flaws. Frontier justice was often dispensed without proper evidence. Where there might be industrial progress in view, corruption would follow.
This multi-faceted read of historical fiction is highly recommended.
Thank you Wayne Brenna and Shadowpaw Press for the Print ARC in exchange for an honest review.
November 19, 2025
340 pages
4 and 1 / 2 stars
It is 1883-4 on the vast Canadian plains in the dead of winter. Two RCMP officers have been tasked to travel to a small settlement called Prince Albert. A laundryman has been murdered.
This book is not just a murder mystery, or a police procedural. It is also a study of two very different men and their style of getting about in the world.
Corporal Belvedere is rather gruff and has serious addiction issues. Surgeon Virgil Montgomery is a new RCMP policeman who is a little timid. He is not at all sure of his traveling companion, Corporal Belvedere.
A long and tough journey leads them to Prince Albert. The weather is hazardous and the temperature is below freezing.
Prince Albert holds many secrets. The inhabitants are mistrustful, wary of strangers. The two officers do not get much cooperation. When more murders occur, the confusion and mistrust grows.
While Belvedere uses his fists, Montgomery sinks into a philosophical mind. He assists the local Lakota people, muses on his situation as he draws the locals, and takes instruction from Belvedere on shooting.
I enjoyed reading about Montgomery’s musings. I was thrown back into my college years when I earned a degree in philosophy. It was truly enjoyable.
This is a very good book. I despair at having insufficient words to describe it. The two protagonists were very well described. I got a very fine sense of who they were. The descriptions of Prince Albert were stark and I could feel the cold seeping through me. The mystery was well told. The tension was perfect. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, or just a good read about the early Mounties.
I want to thank NetGalley and the Literary Press Group of Canada for forwarding this book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
4 and 1 / 2 stars
It is 1883-4 on the vast Canadian plains in the dead of winter. Two RCMP officers have been tasked to travel to a small settlement called Prince Albert. A laundryman has been murdered.
This book is not just a murder mystery, or a police procedural. It is also a study of two very different men and their style of getting about in the world.
Corporal Belvedere is rather gruff and has serious addiction issues. Surgeon Virgil Montgomery is a new RCMP policeman who is a little timid. He is not at all sure of his traveling companion, Corporal Belvedere.
A long and tough journey leads them to Prince Albert. The weather is hazardous and the temperature is below freezing.
Prince Albert holds many secrets. The inhabitants are mistrustful, wary of strangers. The two officers do not get much cooperation. When more murders occur, the confusion and mistrust grows.
While Belvedere uses his fists, Montgomery sinks into a philosophical mind. He assists the local Lakota people, muses on his situation as he draws the locals, and takes instruction from Belvedere on shooting.
I enjoyed reading about Montgomery’s musings. I was thrown back into my college years when I earned a degree in philosophy. It was truly enjoyable.
This is a very good book. I despair at having insufficient words to describe it. The two protagonists were very well described. I got a very fine sense of who they were. The descriptions of Prince Albert were stark and I could feel the cold seeping through me. The mystery was well told. The tension was perfect. I truly enjoyed this book and recommend it to anyone who enjoys historical mysteries, or just a good read about the early Mounties.
I want to thank NetGalley and the Literary Press Group of Canada for forwarding this book to me. The opinions expressed in this review are solely my own.
February 9, 2026
Dwayne Brenna’s The Laundryman is set in the unforgiving landscape of Canada’s North-West Territories in the late 19th century. The story follows Surgeon Virgil Montgomery and the brooding Corporal Belvedere of the North-West Mounted Police as they investigate the murder of a Chinese laundryman in the town of Prince Albert. The victim is treated with indifference by many of the townsfolk. This gives the novel a moral weight beyond the central mystery: the murder becomes not just a crime to be solved, but a lens through which the reader sees the deep injustices embedded in frontier society.
The journey to Prince Albert feels bleak, setting the tone for a story in which survival itself is never guaranteed. The environment is not just a backdrop, it actively shapes the characters’ choices and tempers their humanity.
The partnership between Montgomery and Belvedere is another compelling element. Their dynamic creates tension throughout the investigation, raising questions about justice, authority, and complicity.
This is not a fast, plot-driven thriller; it is a slow-burn mystery that prioritizes atmosphere, character, and historical texture. Readers who enjoy richly detailed historical fiction with moral complexity will find much to admire here.
The journey to Prince Albert feels bleak, setting the tone for a story in which survival itself is never guaranteed. The environment is not just a backdrop, it actively shapes the characters’ choices and tempers their humanity.
The partnership between Montgomery and Belvedere is another compelling element. Their dynamic creates tension throughout the investigation, raising questions about justice, authority, and complicity.
This is not a fast, plot-driven thriller; it is a slow-burn mystery that prioritizes atmosphere, character, and historical texture. Readers who enjoy richly detailed historical fiction with moral complexity will find much to admire here.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Laundryman by Dwayne Brenna is a dark compelling crime fiction read. It has plenty of suspense, a dark atmosphere full of dread, and the deadly elements that make this so thrilling. Murder, deception, betrayal, and much more are inside this incredible entertaining tale by Dwayne Brenna. His writing has a way with words that leave readers picturing the characters and scenes as they happen. The main characters are assigned on a mission together. Neither of them wanted the mission but were left of no choice. One of them is military officer the other a military doctor. Both are needed to investigate the death of a laundryman in a town that has both a small military power and a sheriff's office that are at odds with each other. So many questions and few answers...they set out in a long journey to investigate the murder. Once there, things are still not easy. They only get more complicated. If you love a read that hooks up from first page and a complex plot then, this is for you! I highly recommend it.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
I received this copy from the publisher. This is my voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
The Laundryman is an upcoming historical fiction novel that explores a dark part of history. I will admit this book was slightly terrifying buy I managed to pull through and finish it. In the long run it displays just how realistic history can be and the meaningful lesson of managing to pull through when things are tough.
It takes place in the Canadian Wilderness in the late 1800's. A string of m*rders have been happening and no one knows why. Soon their is a deep mistrust among the people. Will the authorities be able to find the culprit before the community is torn apart?
It takes place in the Canadian Wilderness in the late 1800's. A string of m*rders have been happening and no one knows why. Soon their is a deep mistrust among the people. Will the authorities be able to find the culprit before the community is torn apart?
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews