TIFA RETURNS TO THE SCENE OF CRIME

Whodunnit? MOTIVE is now clearly established, and Toronto’s favourite crime and mystery festival is back!

Chilling thrillers, forensic scientists and true crime masterminds  – MOTIVE brings the best crime and mystery writing from Canada and around the world.

Lineup includes CSI-inspired forensic science workshops, a film screening of a beloved Agatha Christie novel, fascinating author conversations, free events, and much more.

The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) announced the lineup for the third annual MOTIVE, Canada’s premier crime and mystery festival, taking place June 7 to 9 at Harbourfront Centre.

Attendees can put on their detective hats to explore over 40 events all weekend long and meet some of the best crime and mystery writers from Canada and around the world including Ashley Audrain, Linwood Barclay, Kellye Garrett, Maureen Jennings, Shari Lapena, Walter Mosley, Abir Mukherjee, Nita Prose, Antti Tuomainen, among many others. 

From cosy crime to police procedural, psychological thriller to true crime, these page-turning genres have produced some of the most celebrated storytellers worldwide, who are loved by readers everywhere. MOTIVE will bring together crime storytellers of all forms from writers to investigators, scientists to podcasters, from around the world including Canada, USA, United Kingdom, Finland, Iceland and Korea. 

“With an international array of authors and a wonderfully diverse range of events, this year’s Motive Festival offers experiences for all crime and mystery fans whether you get your thrills on the page, screen or podcast,” said said Roland Gulliver, Director, TIFA. “It’s a special opportunity to get behind the scenes on how the most captivating stories are created. Now in its third consecutive year, we are looking forward to bringing together authors and audiences to celebrate and explore this captivating, fascinating genre.”

Conversations and readings: MOTIVE will welcome thrilling award-winning authors speaking on a range of topics from comedic crime to family secrets, supernatural to historical fiction.

Highlights include Walter Mosley presenting the latest book in his popular Ezekiel “Easy” Rawlins detective series, Ashley Audrain and Shari Lapena discussing their complex domestic thrillers, and Yun Ko-eun and Katrín Júlíusdóttir on corruption, greed and villainous companies uncovered in the stories.

Full lineup, below:

The Past Never Says Goodbye with Walter Mosley

I Will Ruin You with Linwood Barclay

Feather Dusters and Foul Play with Nita Prose

Tea, Cake & Murder with Elizabeth Renzetti and Kate Hilton (Coffee, tea and sweet treats will be served at this event)

Twisted Tales of Family Secrets with Ashley Audrain and Shari Lapena

Murder, Mayhem & Mysteries with Antti Tuomainen and Leonie Swann

When the Monsters Are Real with Drew Hayden Taylor and Kelley Armstrong

Daring Destinations with Catherine Mack and Roz Nay

Crime Writing Through the Ages with Otto Penzler and Margaret Cannon

To Speak For The Dead with Laurah Norton and Sarah Weinman

Caught in the Frame: Revealing Canada’s Art Fraud with Jon S. Dellandrea and Charles Reeve

Stirring Up The Past with S.G. MacLean and Jeffrey Round

The Business of Being Bad with Yun Koeun and Katrín Júlíusdóttir

The Fear Within Us with Rick Mofina and Abir Mukherjee

Thrills from Start to Finish with Ian Hamilton and Steve Urszenyi

Resilience Rewritten: Women’s Stories of Justice and Survival with Elizabeth Flock and Sarah Weinman

Protagonists Push Back with Conor Kerr and Kellye Garrett

In Pursuit of Revenge with Hannah Mary McKinnon and Jonathan Whitelaw

Spies and P.I.s: Women on the Move with Maureen Jennings and Roberta Rich

Partners In Fictional Crime with Alie & Hejsa Christense and Michael & Zack Urlocker

Page to screen: On Saturday, June 8, Motive will feature two special screenings with conversations about adapting books to film and television:

• Murdoch Mysteries: creator and writer Maureen Jennings will reminisce on the journey from idea, to page, to CBC television’s hit show followed by a screening of an episode Jennings wrote herself.

• Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None: a tribute to the grand master of the genre. Author Jeffrey Round and Editor Otto Penzler will discuss the immense impact of Agatha Christine in the literary and film worlds, before settling in for a screening of the 1945 classic film.

True crime: New this year, MOTIVE spotlights the popular True Crime genre through thoughtful conversations and interactive workshops.

Highlights include:

Free forensic science workshops in partnership with University of Toronto:

Forensic Science: The Real CSI – As Not Seen on TV!

The Secret of Blood: From Spatter to Science

Right Down to the Bone: The Identity of Jane Doe

Free Toronto Crime Tours where former Toronto Police Officers walk you through the city’s crime history.

Critical Conversations:

Through a Mirror Darkly: Why we Love True Crime Kristi Lee and Kevin Donovan

The Real World of Interrogation

Looking for a Familiar Face: The Justice System and Canada’s Diverse Communities

From Prescription to Peril: A Forensic Toxicologist’s Insight into the Opioid Crisis

Masterclasses:

Ask the Expert: Pitch Perfect with publishing powerhouses Karen Sullivan and Lisa Highton

Research with authors Hannah Mary McKinnon and Jonathan Whitelaw

Talking Tropes with Otto Penzler and Margaret Canon

Creative Writing Masterclasses:

Plot with Abir Mukherjee

Writing for Podcasting with Laurah Norton

Setting with S.G. MacLean

Characters with Leonie Swann

Dialogue with Kimberley Howe

Attendees can purchase a festival pass to explore as much of the festival as they wish (adult: $54.99, student / youth $34.99) or a day pass (adult: $18.99, student / youth $15.99).

New this year, attendees will have the opportunity to purchase Walter Mosley's new book Farewell, Amethystine at a discounted rate with their Festival Pass or Friday Day Pass for $35.

Masterclass tickets can be purchased separately for $49.

Passes on sale at FestivalofAuthors.ca/Motive and through the Harbourfront Centre Box Office by phone at 416-973-4000.

For more information, visit FestivalofAuthors.ca/Motive.

The 45th edition of TIFA’s flagship festival will take place September 19-29, 2024.

ABIR MUKHERJEE IN TORONTO!

Abir Mukherjee is the Times bestselling author of the Wyndham & Banerjee series of crime novels set in Raj-era India which have sold over 400,000 copies worldwide and been translated into 15 languages.

His books have won numerous awards including the CWA Dagger for best Historical Novel, the Prix du Polar Européen, the Wilbur Smith Award for Adventure Writing and the Amazon Publishing Readers Award for E-book for the Year.

His debut, A Rising Man, won the CWA Endeavour Dagger for best historical crime novel of 2017 and was nominated for the MWA Edgar for best novel. His second novel, A Necessary Evil, won the Wilbur Smith Award, and his third, Smoke and Ashes, was chosen by the Sunday Times as one of the 100 Best Crime & Thriller Novels since 1945. Abir grew up in Scotland and now lives in London with his wife and two sons.

Alongside fellow author, Vaseem Khan, he also hosts the popular Red Hot Chilli Writers podcast, where every fortnight, joined by special guests from the media and literature, he takes a wry look at the world of books, writing, and the creative arts, tackling everything from bestsellers to pop culture.

His new novel Hunted is published in May 2024. A propulsive standalone thriller that finds two devastated parents in a race against time to track down their children, who are suspected of terrorist atrocities.