Joanne Kilbourn is a fictional

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

detective A detective is an investigator, usually a member of a law enforcement agency. They often collect information to solve crimes by talking to witnesses and informants, collecting physical evidence, or searching records in databases. This leads th ...

, who appears in mystery novels by

Gail Bowen Gail Dianne Bowen ( Bartholomew; born September 22, 1942) is a Canadian playwright, writer of Mystery fiction, mystery novels and educator. Biography Born in Toronto, Ontario, Bowen was educated at the University of Toronto, where she earned a ...

Overview

In ''Deadly Appearances'', the first Kilbourn novel, she is a political strategist and advisor to Andy Boychuk, a politician who is murdered just hours after being elected Leader of the Opposition in the

Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan The Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan is the legislative chamber of the Saskatchewan Legislature in the province of Saskatchewan, Canada. Bills passed by the assembly are given royal assent by the Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan, in the na ...

. Kilbourn is forced to solve his murder while contending with the fact that the murderer is attempting to kill her too. In later novels, Kilbourn subsequently changes careers, becoming a

political science Political science is the scientific study of politics. It is a social science dealing with systems of governance and power, and the analysis of political activities, political thought, political behavior, and associated constitutions and la ...

professor in Regina, and later serves as a political commentator with a local television station. In the course of the later novels, she solves crimes committed both within the academic community and throughout the province of

Saskatchewan Saskatchewan ( ; ) is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province in Western Canada, western Canada, bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, to the northeast by Nunavut, and on t ...

. Kilbourn is also a widow, whose husband was himself murdered several years before the events of ''Deadly Appearances''. In ''A Colder Kind of Death'', she is forced to investigate the killing of her late husband's murderer.

Adaptations

Six of the Kilbourn mysteries were adapted for television by

Shaftesbury Films Shaftesbury Films is a film, television and digital media production company founded by Christina Jennings in 1987. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Background Shaftesbury is a creator and producer of original content for television and ...

and CTV.

Wendy Crewson Wendy Jane Crewson (born May 9, 1956) is a Canadian actress and producer. She began her career appearing on Canadian television, before her breakthrough role in 1991 dramatic film '' The Doctor''. Crewson has appeared in many Hollywood films, inc ...

played Kilbourn.Roberts, Jerry (2009).
''Encyclopedia of Television Directors''
Vol. 1, p. 50. Scarecrow Press, Inc.

Victor Garber Victor Joseph Garber (born March 16, 1949) is a Canadian-American actor and singer. Known for his work in film, television, and theatre, he has been nominated for three Gemini Awards, four Tony Awards, and six Primetime Emmy Awards. He has also ...

, and later

Shawn Doyle Shawn Doyle (born September 19, 1968) is a Canadian actor known for his roles in ''The Expanse'', '' The Eleventh Hour'', ''Big Love'', '' 24'', ''Desperate Housewives'', and '' Star Trek: Discovery''. Early life and education Doyle was born an ...

played her police assistants. List of films *''Love and Murder'' (2000) (adapted from ''Murder at the Mendel'') *''Deadly Appearances'' (2000) *''The Wandering Souls Murders'' (2001) *''A Colder Kind of Death'' (2001) *'' A Killing Spring'' (2002) *''Verdict in Blood'' (2002)

Joanne Kilbourn mysteries

* ''Deadly Appearances'', 1990 * ''Murder at the Mendel'', 1991 * ''The Wandering Soul Murders'', 1992 * ''A Colder Kind of Death'', 1994 * ''A Killing Spring'', 1996 * ''Verdict in Blood'', 1998 * ''Burying Ariel'', 2000 * ''The Glass Coffin'', 2002 * ''The Last Good Day'', 2004 * ''The Endless Knot'', 2006 * ''The Brutal Heart'', 2008 * ''The Nesting Dolls'', 2010 * ''Kaleidoscope'', 2012 * ''The Gifted'', 2013 * ''12 Rose Street'', 2015 * ''What's Left Behind'', 2016 * ''Winner's Circle'', 2017 * ''A Darkness of the Heart'', 2018 * ''The Unlocking Season'', 2020 * ''An Image in the Lake'', 2021

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kilbourn, Joanne Fictional amateur detectives Fictional Canadian people Fictional characters from Saskatchewan Saskatchewan in fiction