Flight of Aquavit

Russell Quant #2

by Anthony Bidulka

At the dead end of a desolate country road, a late night meeting suddenly becomes an ambush. Gay private detective Russell Quant is faced with personal threats he can't ignore, a friend who may be a foe, and a cagey client with a treacherous monkey on his back.
As Quant trails a menacing blackmailer known only as Loverboy, he finds himself immersed in the midnight world of e-dating and parking lot romance. Lured to New York City, Quant tests his wit, wisdom, and wiles from the Old World grandeur of Fifth Avenue to the kaleidoscope world of Broadway's electric nightspots. The fast pace continues when Quant returns to Saskatoon, where he grapples with decoys and deceit, realizing that no one is as they appear. Threat turns into deadly reality and the need to uncover the identity of Loverboy becomes increasingly desperate.

Genres: Mystery, M M Romance, Gay, LGBT, Fiction, Canada, Gay Fiction

433 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2000

About the author

Anthony Bidulka is the author of the long-running Russell Quant mystery series, two thrillers featuring Disaster Recovery Agent Adam Saint, a stand-alone suspense novel, Set Free, and a stand alone mystery novel, Going to Beautiful (2023 Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Crime Novel) and the Merry Bell trilogy mystery series. The third and final book in the Merry Bell trilogy, Home Fires Burn, will be released June 2025.

Praise for Anthony Bidulka's books:

“…promises to become one of those that we look forward to each year and put on our shopping lists without waiting for the reviews.”

Reviewing the Evidence:

...Anthony Bidulka has created a whole new genre: Saskatchewan Gothic, which will both chill and warm your heart. Simply wonderful!

Alan Bradley, author of the Flavia de Luce series including The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

Going to Beautiful...is a testament not only to Bidulka’s skill in plotting and other novelistic stratagems, but even more to the unique setting and the wonderfully textured characters...

Felice Picano, author of Like People in History and Pursued: Lillian's Story, companion to Pursuit: A Victorian Entertainment

...poignant, often funny, always wise…the quiet joy and hopefulness of this novel are gifts readers will value for years to come.
Gail Bowen, author of the Joanne Kilbourn Shreve mystery series including An Image in the Lake

Anthony Bidulka has pulled off a literary coup in Going to Beautiful. Deftly balancing humour and heart...Bidulka hits it out of the park.
Terry Fallis, two-time winner of the Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour


Anthony Bidulka has dedicated his career to writing traditional genre novels in an untraditional way, developing a body of work that often features his Saskatchewan roots and underrepresented, diverse main characters. He tells serious stories in accessible, entertaining, often humorous ways.

Bidulka’s novel Going to Beautiful is the 2023 winner of the Crime Writers of Canada Award for Best Crime Novel. His books have been shortlisted for numerous awards including the Crime Writers of Canada Award of Excellence (three times), the Lambda Literary Award (three times), the Saskatchewan Book Award (five times). Flight of Aquavit was awarded the Lambda Literary Award for Best Men’s Mystery, making Bidulka the first Canadian to win in that category. Going to Beautiful, about a gay man rising from the depths of despair in search of joy on the Saskatchewan prairie, also won the Independent Publisher Book Award as the Canada West Best Fiction Gold Medalist.

In his free time Bidulka loves to travel the world, collect art, walk his dogs, obsess over decorating Christmas trees (it’s a thing) and throw a good party.


Anthony's Books:

The Merry Bell trilogy:
Livingsky (2023)
From Sweetgrass Bridge (2024)
Homefires Burn (2025)

Going to Beautiful (2022)

Set Free (2016)

The Adam Saint books:
When The Saints Go Marching In (2013)
The Women of Skawa Island (2014)

The Russell Quant books:
Amuse Bouche (2003)
Flight of Aquavit (2004)
Tapas on the Ramblas (2005)
Stain of the Berry (2006)
Sundowner Ubuntu (2007)
Aloha, Candy Hearts (2009)
Date With a Sheesha (2010)
Dos Equis (2012).

Reviews

[Richard Derus · Rating 3 out of 5]

WINNER OF THE 17th Lambda Literary Award—BEST GAY MYSTERY!

Rating: 3.25* of five

The Book Report: Saskatoon's only gay PI, Russell Quant, is hired by a mysterious client to discover and neutralize (this is Canada, folks, it doesn't mean "kill" to them) a blakcmailer known only as "Loverboy," who is making life a living nightmare for several people with secrets.

And doesn't every single body around Russell prove to have them? Neighbor and glamourous gal-pal Sereena seems to be a walking secret, as a trip to New York City makes sharply obvious. Even Russell's Ukrainian matushka, who--horrors!--arrives for a visit mid-case, even she has secrets!

And as Loverboy ratchets up the mean-and-nasty, Russell ends up in serious physical danger. When all comes right in the end, this reader was moved to cheer. Not recommended for those who do not live alone, though.

My Review: I swoon about every ten pages, I've fallen so deeply in luuuuv with Russell. He's so *dreamy*!

But on a more hard-headed note, the first novel in the series (Amuse Bouche) had character-development flaws that I'd've hoped not to see in this book. Not so. Some characters are treated to a big build-up and then left. Some have huge developments in their lives that are casually passed off. It grates on me a little bit.

But in the end, I really enjoy visiting Saskatoon, and I quite like the sense of joining Russell's life that Bidulka manages to convey. Particularly fun is Russell's heavily accented mother..."sonsyou" (basically "sonny boy") is the only thing she calls him...and the obvious thought is that Ukrainian gay boy Bidulka is drawing on life experience here.

Book three here I come! I need to know more about Russell. After all, we're going to be married. Soon as I get finished with that transfictional rematerializer in the garage.

[Paul Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

His “true self suddenly awakened … trying to claw its way, biting and scratching, out of a deep, dark closet.”

In many respects, FLIGHT OF AQUAVIT is a typical private investigator mystery – blackmail, ambushes, attempted murder, decoys and deceit, twists and turns, romance, and red herrings. Well written, well conceived, fast-paced easy reading and thoroughly enjoyable.

BUT (and here’s the trigger warning), the LGBTQ theme is absolutely relentless to the point of nearly overpowering the story itself. (In all fairness, Russell Quant IS a gay detective and I’m sure the power of the theme was absolutely intentional and intended to convey a message). If you find that to be the least bit distasteful, then perhaps you ought to question whether you have genuinely dispensed with your own closeted homophobia. After all, I put it to you that you would not be the least disturbed by reading a Sandra Brown hot and heavy romance thriller that is peppered with heterosexual innuendo and interludes.

Think about it!

AMUSE BOUCHE and TAPAS ON THE RAMBLAS, other titles in the Ray Quant series have definitely been added to my future reading list.

Paul Weiss

[Emanuela ~plastic duck~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book very much, because it's a light book with a touch of melancholy. There is no romance in which the main character, Russell Quant, is involved, but like in the first book of the series, Amuse Bouche, the love life which gets into the spotlight is that of Russell's client.

The mystery part was interesting, but it seemed to me that Russell didn't really invest much time or energy into his investigation, so I found myself trying to lead the PI to the right direction. His personal life and his friends and his mom were much more intriguing. Like in the first book, I kept waiting for a love interest to enter Russell's life, but my hopes were quenched. I really really hoped Jared would be the one, even if it meant to strain his relationship with Anthony. And what happened to that poor James made me very very sad.

I like Russell's voice, his sense of humor and his fixation with clothing and his outer appearance and his vanity. I don't usually like vain characters, but I think Russell makes fun of himself too and every time he talks about his "wonderpants" I can't help laughing.

Like in the previous book, I enjoyed the time Russell spends in places far from home (in the previous book it was Paris, in this book it's New York), because I can really relate to his descriptions, he talks about the same things I couldn't help noticing.

I am enjoying this series very much, because I find it incredibly relaxing, and I'm going to read the next book (I have already bought all the books in the series actually).

[Rhonda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Geez, I never imagined a gay male private eye in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, but I'm sure glad Anthony Bidulka did. And so gracefully! Look at the title, savor its poetry, ask yourself what it could possibly mean, then read the book and gasp (and possibly whack yourself in the head because you should have known it even before you opened the book)(unless you did). Besides being smart, Russell Quant is refined, unpretentious, warm, well-intentioned and just downright endearing. The gay aspect does wonders for the mystery genre: when anybody's gay, EVERYBODY can have a motive! so the possibilities multiply exponentially, keeping us especially busy here because Bidulka's so good at red herrings, we're like poodles on linoleum, scrambling around, trying to get some traction. My only reservation: I am less than wild about the female detective, who lurches into caricature. (She gets more plausible in the next book, though. Sort of.) I'm already into the next one and expect to plow right along for quite a while.

[Neet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second in the Russell Quant mystery series and we find Russell has his hands full personally and also with a new case. On the personal front, Russell ask his mother to spend the Christmas holiday with him .It's an invitation that he doesn't expect his mother to accept since she either to go to his brother or sister homes. So when Mrs Quant ( who is widowed) accepts his invitation, to say Russell is shocked would be an understatement. Also, Russell's best friend Kelly who is recovering from a serious illness ( won't say what) has not been herself. She is going through depression and just not herself, which worries Russell and Kelly's girlfriend. On the career front, Russell has a new case that is intriguing. Russell's client is a closeted married man who is being blackmailed to the tune of 50 thou.The lists of suspects grow. There are twists and turns.I won't say more other than this is such a good read!

[Joanne Hurley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a little leery at first, but this series keeps getting better. On to the next!

[Wayne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! I am so glad I discovered Anthony Bidulka. I don't know if it's because he's a Canadiam author or what but I had never heard of him until I either ran across him being mentioned online or he was one of those "you may like" recommendations you get on Amazon. Whatever the case, I've now read two of his books and plan on reading all of the Russel Quant series of books.

Flight of Aquavit is the story of a married man being blackmailed by a past male lover. But, trust me, all is not as it appears in this novel. Blackmail soon turns into murder. The action takes place in Saskatoon as well as New York City. The plot is not overly complicated but it's not one of those cases where you know who the guilty party is well before the end of the book. Compounding Russel's professional problems is his mother visiting for the holidays along with the possibility of moving in with him. Russel also is troubled by a close friend who has problems accepting the changes she faces as a result of having breast cancer.

What makes Bidulka's novels so extraordinary is the characterizations. Russel Quant is one of the most likeable gay characters I've ever come across. He is a nice guy who lives a quiet life with his (maybe) two dogs. He is not Superman nor is he a drop dead gorgeous sex machine like a lot of gay characters are in gay mysteries. He's a very relatable guy you'd trust as a friend. Inhabiting this world are the friends and neighbors of Russel. Each is drawn with unique personalities and the bond between these people is what draws me to the books. Bidulka is also that rare writer that maintains a sense of pacing in his books. The reader senses the tempo from scene to scene. This creates interest through variation. Nothing can cause a book to fall flat faster than a lack of tempo in the writing.

Flight of the Aquavit is a wonderful book I really enjoyed. I highly recommend it for mystery lovers.

[Dwain Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun revisit of a mystery I'd read a number of years ago, part of a series by this Canadian author. I picked it up in the famous Glad Day Bookstore in Toronto years back while visiting my then-future husband, and it had been so long since I read it I'd actually forgotten "whodunnit," so I thought it was a good time to run through it again.

The series revolves around a gay private detective in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. This particular book deals with a case of a closeted gay executive of an accounting firm who is being blackmailed, presumably by someone he's had a sexual encounter with. As a man who was deeply closeted for a long time myself, I found his depiction of the man - Daniel - to be very realistic, capturing much of the emotional struggles that many gay men have endured, and many continue to. The plot itself is pretty well balanced. I thought there were a few portions that might have been tightened up for better overall pacing, but that wasn't a major distraction to me. The first-person POV feels authentic, even when Russell, the main character slips into a few somewhat corny or contrived similes that I suppose are a common, maybe even expected, fun part of the private detective genre. The story concludes with an interesting twist - a bit of a double mystery.

I enjoyed the book, not only because of the plot itself, but also the believable way that it captures the lives and experiences of its multiple LGBTQ+ characters. If you're looking for something in the "gay private detective mystery" genre, this is a good offering - but it stands perfectly well on its own regardless of the sexuality of the various characters, and any mystery fan should enjoy it.

[Suz Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Moved this mystery - local and can relate to all places mentioned. great character development.

[Vasha7 · Rating 3 out of 5]

One type of modern private eye novel is a long way away from "down these mean streets a man must go". A typical one that comes to my mind is Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone series. These detectives are anything but loners, they always have an abundance of friends and a strong domesticity, although they are generally single -- following the developments in the characters' personal lives are one of the main things that pulls readers on from volume to volume in the series, and unresolved romantic tension is an important bait for that purpose.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that I enjoyed Flight of Aquavit, starring Russell Quant, more than I expected to -- I took the bait, so to speak. I want to see Russell's friend Kelly get her enjoyment of life back, I want to hear about Sereena's mysterious past, and I want Russell to get intimate with somebody -- the opportunity for sex slips away from him several times in this book. What makes this story, like others of its kind, so cozy is not just the abundance of camaraderie (and hugging); Russell, in spite of his daily complications, is fundamentally a happy man. As he tells his mother, "I have a life I love and I'm not looking to change it."

Where Bidulka's writing really shines is in the presentation of all the people that Russell interviews in the course of his investigation. Although most of them will only appear in the book for the length of one ten-minute conversation, they are described with great clarity and individuality. Most of them are so distinct it's a shame they're only present for such a short time. And the majority of them are women, which is really refreshing. The one who gets by far the most page time, Russell's client David Guest, a closet case in an oh-so-familiar situation, has a nice mix of the predictable and the unexpected to him; likewise, he can be highly exasperating, then say or do something that wins some sympathy.

Not all the writing is perfect -- the portrayal of Russell's mother's "ethnicness" is exaggerated and stereotypical, and it's odd that Bidulka makes Russell react to her cooking as if it's a bit strange to him and not as if he grew up with it (shouldn't be making the protagonist spokesperson for the reader's reaction). But when Bidulka gets away from this somewhat strained comedy and focuses on the particulars of her life and her relationship with her son, it gets quite interesting. In general, I noticed a sort of battle between some stereotypes and some vivid portrayals of characters and interactions, and the former were almost always in the service of "comedy" -- oddly enough, I think Bidulka would do better if he stopped trying to be funny. There would still be comedy emerging more naturally from some of the interactions. The one outlandish character I quite liked in this story was Jane Cross, who'd probably call herself a "private dick" or "shamus". I hope that Bidulka might reintroduce her in a future book, and give her a chance to demonstrate a little more competence.

Another downside of the novel is that the author telegraphs the plot developments and the identity of the villains in a way that makes Russell seem really slow on the uptake for not spotting them. But you can't have everything; not all authors are really skilled at plotting and writing suspense.

Would I read another novel in this series? I would.

[Writerlibrarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

Russell Quant, private gay detective in cold Saskatoon, Saskatchewan finds himself in a dangerous situation when he takes the case of a closet married gay accountant being blackmailed for stepping out with online "dates".

Russell Quant is back in a action pack plot involving blackmail, a trip to New York right before Christmas and his mom staying with him out of the blue. Less all over the place then the first novel in the series, the plot here keeps you interested, there's enough character development to make you care about Russell and his circle of friends. The "bad guy" is obvious but that's not a bad thing.

Almost 4 stars.

[Edgar W · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty fine mystery. I know what an Aquavit is but I'm still not sure what the title really means unless the cocktail has taken a fall. Mr. Bidulka, a Canadian, is a most descriptive writer but many of his characters can be a bit two dimensional that is except for the multi detailed PI Russell Quant.
The writer's descriptions of Mid Town New York City at Christmas time were quite on target and most enjoyable to read. They stirred up a bit of nostalgia for my home town (NYC). All in all it was good read - not too many surprises though. I shall try another.

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first novel I've read by Anthony Bidulka. Flight of Aquavit is a mystery novel, whether you are gay or not, should be on your to-read list. The author's descriptions of people, places and things combined with pages of really good humor left me sitting at the edge of my seat until the end. When you think something is going to happen, he pulls something out of left field. The publisher states, "irresistible entertainment" - how SO true!

[Nicholas · Rating 2 out of 5]

it's pretty cringe-worthy... lines like "you sway, Mary Kay" make you wonder why you started reading it in the first place. But it's a trashy mystery, and I like trashy mysteries. This one just happens to have a private detective who is gay. And sometimes it's kind of fun to fag out and have some romance that's guy on guy.

[Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like Russell character a lot... how couldn't you love someone who owns a pair of wonderpants ;) but more seriously... I think the plot was sometimes too slow and it made me lost interest at some point and took me forever to restart again.
I'm starting the next one... I'm hoping too much of it already because I love Barna

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. As always entertainingly paced with a well framed life of Russell the Protagonist. Alas although I share Mr. Bidulka's interest in exotic liquors, I don't share his fascination of clothes.

Pretty trivial criticism when you get down to it. I probably should raise the rating just because he includes both Akavit and Calvados in a single volume...

[Larry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another one Quants mysteries and another interesting story.Really picqued my interest and made me want to read more of his books. Would be interesting to see if the author would/could write other books. I think that he could write a really interesting gay love story.

[Mysteryfan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is set early in the series. The setting is unconventional for a private detective series - Saskatoon - but that adds to the enjoyment. He's gotten better as the series continued but it was a good entry. I like his characters.

[Jayne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of my favourites in the series, partly for the Christmas setting and partly because all the secondary characters are so fully formed. There is never a question in my mind that these are real people, not merely puppets, surrounding Russell.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little taste of Saskatchewan, love these mysteries.

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intriguing mystery set in Saskatoon. A private gay detective named Russell Quant.
Love the descriptions of the area, the weather and his friend

[Greg · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fun mystery

[Nikks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Russell and his black wonder pants.

[Drianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable book. The solution at the end (not unexpected) didn't quite hold together nor did the character development, but still fun to read.

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Second in a Canadian cozy series. This one has a little S'toon grimness built into it but it's still light mystery. Perfect for a hot bath on a snowy day. I didn't guess the who-done-it either.

[Nada Loughead · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this author's writing style - will have to go back and find Book 1 and then move up the series!

[Angel Pedroza · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a great fan of this author and his main character.

[Chuck Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Aquavit, too. Send me a case...along with someone who enjoys the burn...and I cannot decide if I would rather be in Saskatoon when drinking the nectar...or somewhere tropical....

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the adventures of Russell Quant, a hunky, gay Private Dick in Saskatoon Canada.

[Elias Samuels · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's an excellent book of a gay detective. I never expected the resolution.