I’ve been lucky when it comes to reviews.
From the start, they’ve been uniformly excellent.* Buffalo Jump‘s first review was a rave from Margaret Cannon, the Globe and Mail‘s revered crime fiction critic. Over the years, dozens of leading publications have hailed the Geller series, including Publishers Weekly and Library Journal (both starred), Ellery Queen, Quill and Quire, National Post, Toronto Star, NOW Magazine and many other print and web-based critics.
They’re all here in chronological order, so the most recent are for my 2017 story from Montreal Noir, Milk Teeth, and Miss Montreal. Scroll further down for reviews of Boston Cream, High Chicago and Buffalo Jump.
*Okay. One or two were lukewarm. In his review of High Chicago, The Toronto Star’s Whodunit columnist Jack Batten was clearly underwhelmed, memorably referring to my rendering of the Windy City as “more than not bad.” I’m proud of the fact that Miss Montreal won him over.
Reviews of Milk Teeth (2017)
From Akashic Books’ 2017 anthology Montreal Noir
“There are no bad stories here, but there are many standouts. I particularly liked the selections in the section called On The Edge, especially Howard Shrier’s Milk Teeth.” –Margaret Cannon, Globe and Mail
“Howard Shrier (Miss Montreal, 2013) vividly evokes the mid-century Plateau in “Milk Teeth,” a grim police procedural about the murder of a young girl.” — Yutaka Dirks, Montreal Review of Books
“As in any good noir, poverty, drugs, and despair cloud many of the characters’ lives. But even the stories about druggies have a certain je ne sais quoi. Murderers also have their own cachet. Max, the hero of Howard Shrier’s “Milk Teeth,” searches for a young girl’s killer among the champions of professional wrestling… Noir’s different north of the border. Here’s hoping readers will say Vive la difference.” –Kirkus Reviews
“The stories in Montreal Noir are frequently graphic and push their material to the limits of what some readers might consider good taste, most especially in stories by Geneviève Lefebvre and Howard Shrier dealing with themes of pedophilia and child murder. Then again, readers who are uncomfortable being taken to some fairly grim places should probably avoid an anthology of noir fiction altogether.” — Quill and Quire
“Includes award-winning and best-selling authors such as Catherine McKenzie, Brad Smith, Peter Kirby, Robert Pobi, Johanne Semour, Melissa Yi, and Howard Shrier… Their tales will keep you up nights, first to finish them, and then because you can’t sleep.” — Jim Napier, Reviewing the Evidence
“American crime fiction fans will welcome the opportunity to sample the short fiction of some worthy Canadian authors.” — Publishers Weekly
“Montreal’s reputation as separate and distinct from the rest of Canada is reflected in this collection of diverse and often disorienting stories. Verdict: For fans of the series, the work provides an enjoyable introduction to many Montreal-based mystery authors.—Julie Elliott, Indiana Univ. Lib., South Bend
“A bicultural roster of talent by some of the city’s best crime-fiction specialists, with tales from the city’s many neighbourhoods.” —Sarah Murdoch, “Books That Will Spark Great Discussions,” Toronto Star
“A simply outstanding short story collection that will have very special appeal for dedicated mystery buffs.” — Midwest Book Review
Reviews of Miss Montreal
“Montreal is more than a background, it’s a character.”
“One of recent crime fiction’s shining stars.”
“One of the finest mystery writers extant.”
Reviews of Boston Cream
“Should make it three [Arthur Ellis Awards] in a row with this excellent effort.”
“Shrier is my top find of the year. He deserves much wider attention.”
“A mystery thriller of insight, compassion, with an infectious sense of urgency.”
Reviews of High Chicago
“Writes with an easy assurance and a killer sense of humour.”
“Buffalo Jump was terrific. High Chicago is even better.”
“A winning combination for any mystery writer.”
Reviews of Buffalo Jump
“A terrific opening to what is sure to become a solid series.”
“Continues the tradition of Robert B. Parker and Crais.”
“Top-notch, a page-turner to rate with the best of them.”
