 | Thursday, July 31, 2025 | |  | | | | If you're wondering what to read next this summer, this list of fiction books featured on the first season of CBC Radio's Bookends with Mattea Roach is a good place to start.
On the show, Roach talks to authors from Canada and around the world. Take a look back at the fiction titles that sparked the conversation this past year. | | |  | | | | As a mystery writer herself, Amy Stuart is always looking for thrilling stories that transport you to another time and place. While working on her upcoming thriller, Stuart is constantly looking to her fellow contemporaries to learn about the inventive new ways to surprise readers through fiction.
Stuart shares three of her favourite thriller recommendations on The Next Chapter with Antonio Michael Downing. | | |  | | | | In the novel We, the Kindling, Otoniya J. Okot Bitek weaves together stories of women who were abducted as children by a rebel militia in northern Uganda.
Through the writing, each powerful voice tells a haunting story of loss, survival, friendship and what it means to hold on to hope, no matter how small. On Bookends with Mattea Roach, Bitek spoke about being Acholi in Canada and exploring the cartography of Uganda through stories. | | |  | | | | Based on the 2014 novel by Canadian writer Michael Crummey, Sweetland tells the powerful story of Moses Sweetland, the one person in a small Newfoundland community who refuses a government resettlement package.
Sweetland was adapted by fellow Canadian filmmaker Christian Sparkes in 2023 and is available to watch now on CBC Gem. | | |  | | | | From boozy crime and corruption to pirate treasure heists, these crime and mystery books will keep you turning pages all summer long. | | |  | | | | Among the 13-book longlist for the 2025 Booker Prize are two Canadian writers. B.C.-based Maria Reva is nominated for her novel, Endling, and Montreal-born David Szalay is nominated for his novel, Flesh.
The annual prize will award the winning writer £50,000 (approx. $92,000 Cdn). | | |  | | | | Conor Kerr is a Métis and Ukrainian educator, writer and harvester best known for his novels like Old Gods and Prairie Edge. As a judge for the 2025 CBC Short Story Prize, Kerr appreciates the power of a captivating short story.
He spoke to Antonio Michael Downing on The Next Chapter about some of his favourite collections of short fiction. | | |  | | | | Canadian creators Mariko Tamaki and Boum have won prizes at the 2025 Eisner Awards.
The U.S. prizes recognize the best in comic books and graphic novels in 32 categories. The books must be published in the U.S., but nominated creators are from around the world. The winners are chosen through voting by professionals in the comic book industry. | | |  | | | | When the award-winning Canadian author Heather O'Neill was approached to write a serialized novel, she knew she wanted it to be set in the Montreal Metro, which had long served as both an inspiration and an escape for her.
O’Neill was joined by her daughter and artist, Arizona, who added illustrations throughout the book, Valentine in Montreal. Heather and Arizona joined Tom Power on Q to talk about about their collaboration. | | | |
