About me

I have a passion for crime fiction and for the people who read it, write it, edit it, represent it, and publish it.

“

I enjoy creating complex characters with interesting careers who are facing significant challenges.

The story of

Laurie McLure

I am a graduate of what is now known as MacEwan University and the University of Alberta’s School of Business Management Development Program. Throughout my career, I have gained extensive writing experience with the Government of Alberta’s Department of Culture, the Legal Aid Society of Alberta, and a variety of non-profit organizations where I have worked and volunteered. Working closely with communications teams, I have been responsible for speechwriting, government briefings, news releases, policy development, reports, and a wide range of other written materials.

Through my novels, I hope to immerse readers in compelling mysteries, introduce them to unforgettable characters, and keep them guessing until the very last page. Every story is crafted with suspense, complexity, and the desire to leave readers thinking about the crime, the clues, and the people at the heart of the mystery long after the case is solved.

Books Published

Books in the Mountain Shadows Mystery Series

Storyline

I’ve loved reading all my life. I guess it was a natural progression that I’d eventually begin to believe I could write a novel. An idea for a book began to percolate and an outline was scribbled in notebooks and phone apps. It was a hodgepodge of ideas influenced by the places I was visiting. Snippets of my debut novel were written in Australia, New Zealand, Hawaii and the Panama Canal. The book truly began to form while visiting England, Scotland and Ireland, the land of the storytellers.

Lockdown. I had time on my hands and the quote, “If not now, when?” reverberated in my mind and I got to work. With the support of family and friends, I wrote the first draft of my novel. The road to completion was much harder than I ever imagined but worth it.

Iceland Noir Writers Festival – In Reykjavik, I met some of my writing heroes including Ruth Ware, Lucy Foley and Shari Lapena. Iceland is a special place where I met wonderful fans of mystery novels, and I was inspired to keep writing.

Thrillerfest Writers Festival- In New York City I met more of my writing idols and left with a renewed sense of purpose.

My debut novel Mountain Shadows was published. A series of book signing events and feedback from readers fueled me to keep going. The sense of accomplishment I felt is beyond description.

Book 2, In the Dark Shadows was published and I was so grateful for the loyalty of my readers and for local and national bookstores for their support.

Bouchercon Crime Writers 2026 – Calgary, Alberta

I attended my first Bouchercon writers conference in 2017 in Toronto where I met the incredible Louise Penny. At her book signing I asked her to write a special message to me and she did. At my request she wrote, “Finish your darned book.” I’ll see Louise again in Calgary and hope to thank her for her continued brilliant writing and encouragement.

Work continues Book 3 of the Mountain Shadows Mystery Series.

"A gripping, fun whodunnit! This one had me switching guesses right until the end."

Amazon Reviewer

Review for Mountain Shadows