About the author
John Brooke lives in the Villeray quartier of Montreal, a short walk from Marché Jean Talon and Parc Jarry, with his French-born wife Annie and Mick the cat.
[…] the kind of writer who can consistently achieve that noblest of fiction’s aims: to render the local so faithfully that it becomes, paradoxically, universal. – Montreal Review of Books
Before writing, John worked as a film editor and made four short films about modern dance. Life with Annie opened the way to summers in France, home of Inspector Aliette Nouvelle. The Voice of Aliette Nouvelle was published in 1999. The Aliette series comprises seven books. Walls of a Mind was short-listed for the CWC Arthur Ellis Award.
John’s short story The Finer Points of Apples won the prestigious Journey Prize in 1998. This story became the inspiration for Last Days of Montreal, a novel focusing on life in a quiet cul-de-sac during and after the 1995 Referendum on Sovereignty.
In 2001, John won a CBC short fiction prize for The Death of PJ Barford, which became the starting point for The Barford Threesome, a novel revolving around the travails of three fathers, recently completed and currently seeking a publisher.
Currently
The Barford Threesome is ready to head out…
A family-values oriented investment-genius billionaire with 3 wives and 13 kids.
An elegant millionaire with two bad sons, one is disgrace, the other in prison.
A childless actor who dreams of being King Lear – dysfunctional dad writ large.
Present time, more or less… 115,000 words / 386 ms pages
Currently seeking publication.
The Barford Threesome
Three fathers, each caught up in a sense of personal power and possibility.
Arc of Aliette
A hero(ine)’s progress
Seven policiers featuring Inspector Aliette Nouvelle of the Police Judiciaire.
[…] a real delight […] We are in Fred Vargas territory here… a smart, sophisticated mystery with lots of Gallic verve. – Globe and Mail
[…] a fascinating study of detection in which one soon begins to wonder who is tracking whom. – Halifax Daily News
The writing may feel impressionistic but the climax is as threatening as they come. – Hamilton Spectator
[…] a very unusual mystery story that challenges all sorts of conventions. – Art Talks, CBC Radio
[…] we feel as if we are right there in France, in a city on the Rhine. – Geist
[…] a convincing familiarity with forensics, detailed knowledge of the art trade, and an ability to breathe life into his depictions of French culture as the novel develops. – SubTerrain
[…] less about a criminal investigation than about the myths we construct to mask life’s grimmer truths. – Montreal Gazette
[…] far from the North American thriller. Violence is there but does not dominate; the book focuses on the dangers within our minds. – Mysteries and More from Saskatchewan
[…] a great eye for detail and a dab hand with dialogue. – Globe and Mail
[…] a compelling, complex and intelligent character […] Brooke has a good ear for dialogue and is adept at explaining the intricacies of the French legal and police systems. – Creemore Echo
The Voice of Aliette Nouvelle
A hero and the myth of freedom. A “what if” story inspired by a myth that’s out of step with history.
All Pure Souls
A hero in the realm of the Goddess. Because all heroes require spirituality.
Stifling Folds of Love
Heroes need love too. Things gets deadly as Aliette fights to separate essential love from gaudy romance.
The Unknown Masterpiece
When love turns out wrong, some heroes get a bit crazy. But there is still a murder to be solved.
Walls of a Mind
Our hero moves on to a new life in the south of France. A murder in wine country. A second chance at love for Aliette.
Tropéano’s Gun
A hero in a world of deadly force. The messy conclusion to her first big case brings an order from Division: Chief Inspector Aliette Nouvelle must wear the sidearm she has mostly ignored throughout her career. And be ready to use it.
While the Music Lasts
A hero caught in the space between Eros and Mother-hen. This seventh book was inspired by the plight of musician Bertrand Cantat after his release from prison for the murder of his film star lover.
Last Days of Montreal
Last Days is a message…
Last Days is a state of mind.
[…] ribald, serious fun – subTerrain
[…] the period just before, during and after the 1995 Referendum is an inspired choice of setting for a novel. – Montreal Gazette
[…] gritty, tragicomic…skillfully and humorously explores the political tensions in Quebec society in the 1990’s – Prairie File
[…] compassion, a quality Last Days of Montreal possesses in spades. – Montreal Review of Books
This book whets the appetite for a good laugh and delivers. […] light, love, eroticism and grace in many guises. […] a delightful romp through the hazards and perils of living in Montreal. – subTerrain
Last Days of Montreal
Sometimes the best thing to do is munch a beautiful apple, crack open a perfect beer – and enjoy!
Contact
info@johnbrookewriting.ca
Call : 514-272-6002
Text : 705-888-9351
voila… What I’ve been doing. What I have done. Thanks for having a look …jb