Where the Bodies Lie

East of the Rockies

by Mark Lisac

In a small city somewhere in an oil-rich Canadian province just east of the Rockies, a political scandal has erupted: an aging cabinet minister has struck and killed a member of his local constituency executive with his half-ton truck, in broad daylight. But the premier suspects that there is more to this "accident" than meets the eye--and he wants to know the real reasons behind it before the media or his political rivals do.

Enter the premier's old friend Harry Asher--lawyer, former hockey star, self-styled intellectual, and recent divorce--who is hired to dig into the incident. And it isn't long before Asher's investigation threatens to expose a chain of corruption that implicates many of the province's most powerful citizens--including the province's legendary now-senile premier--as well as its most cherished founding myths.

In "Where the Bodies Lie," Mark Lisac (author of "Alberta Politics Uncovered" and "The Klein Revolution") draws upon his decades of experience as a reporter at Alberta's provincial legislature to craft an absorbing debut novel--part political thriller, part fable--that opens up timeless themes of friendship, love, the inescapability of grief, the weight of history, and the nature of truth.

269 pages, Paperback

Published April 15, 2016

About the author

Mark believes readers deserve writing of good quality and tries to deliver it, but not in a showoff manner. His most recent work is Dream Home, a novel that can be read as a satirical portrait of an Alberta politician, and/or as a parody of a famous work of fiction, or as a story that stands on its own. That book followed Red Hill Creek, a novel about friendship, loyalty, and the legacy of war — set in Hamilton, Canada, in 1957.
Mark grew up in Hamilton and was a journalist for forty years in Saskatchewan and Alberta before turning to fiction when not busy making wine and pizza, and watching CFL football.
His first fiction book, Where the Bodies Lie, was shortlisted by Crime Writers of Canada for its best first novel award in 2017.
Non-fiction produced during his work career included The Klein Revolution, the first book-length study of a crisis period in Alberta politics, and Alberta Politics Uncovered, which won the Writers' Guild of Alberta award for non-fiction in 2005.
He lives in Edmonton with his wife.

Reviews

[Elinor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alberta political journalist Mark Lisac has written a cleverly-constructed crime thriller featuring a lawyer turned detective who is asked by the provincial premier to investigate a suspicious death. Readers who know Alberta will find plenty of familiar references here, from the stately Legislature Building pictured on the cover, to the powerful premier whose party has a stranglehold on voters. A former Alberta resident myself, I especially enjoyed the author's lyrical descriptions of the prairie landscape in all seasons. "Thin glints of snow floated around him sporadically, caught in imperceptible currents of air rather than falling . . . Each one looked like a shattered flake of diamond light chipped off the fading sunshine."

However, it isn't necessary to know the prairies to appreciate the plot. Harry Asher is a complex character in the tradition of tough-minded yet emotionally vulnerable investigators. And he has an interesting if somewhat macabre pastime -- visiting cemeteries. Thanks to his powers of observation, the plot twists are unravelled to reach a satisfying conclusion. I was fortunate enough to be provided with an Advance Reader Copy of this novel by the publisher, NeWest Press in Edmonton. I hope the author will consider making this novel the first in a series featuring Harry Asher.

[Pat Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who? The good , the bad and the ugly.

What? Searching for the truth behind political corruption, loyalties and murder ( with a couple of dust ups )

Where? An Oil, Cattle and Land rich province of Canada.

When? The past , today and tomorrow.

Why? A need to be the cowboy wearing the white hat, seeking the truth and upholding consequences

How? With intellect , perserverance and the skin of his teeth.

Mark Lisac's journalistic background is evident in this cleverly written novel that makes you question just how much fiction is really in this story. Perfectly timed references to facts and vivid descriptions of his characters and their world make his words an interesting read.
His skill of working stories within the story allows smooth transition right to the end.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and hope that Mr. Lisac will have more to share , in the decades that come.

Thanks to the author and publisher for my free copy through Goodreads giveaways. The previous was my unbiased opinion.

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loved the Canadian content, but can't say it was an absorbing read.

The protagonist's past could have been more fully developed to give him more depth. At the beginning, there's mention of the death of a daughter, but by the end of the book, when it's referred to once more, I'd totally forgotten. What was the reason for his divorce? These are both major life changing events and worth development.

Thank you Goodreads First Reads for my free ARC.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads. It was interesting but at first I had a hard time keeping the characters straight, not sure why really. I'd read another book by this author.