Criminal minds at the IFOA

If I were still living in Toronto, I’d be attending the International Festival of Authors, which kicked off its 27th year last night with a reception feting the 100th anniversary of notable Canadian publisher McLelland & Stewart. Not just because the overall lineup is amazing – and IFOA *always* has a knack of inviting that year’s Booker Prize winner to take part – but because this year there’s a very healthy contingent of crime novelists in attendance.

Tonight, HarperCollins sponsors a special event featuring T. Jefferson Parker, Louise Welsh, Louis Bayard and Thomas King, where they are joined by Ted Dykstra, Nicola Pantin, Andrew Massingham and Ada

Balon in a theatrical event infused by literature, opera, dance, music,

and video. Other crime writers slated to appear include Mark Billingham, Michael Connelly, Michael Cox, Giles Blunt, Louise Penny, Asa Larsson, Michael Collins and Gianrico Carofiglio.

In other words, if you’re in the Toronto area, you must attend.