"The Bidding", by Bill Haugland

 2nd novel in the Ty Davis mystery

Former Montreal news anchor Bill Haugland recreates in his Ty Davis mystery the life of an eager crime reporter with his cameraman at his side and his trusty pen and notebook ready to follow ambulances and police cars in a quest to capture the next great scoop. This second novel is a mix of murder accented with arcane symbols reconstructing events that made the news during the 1970s. The main theme digs deep into scandals involving a religious cult, the action focuses on senior news reporter Ty Davis who works at CKCF, his character was first introduced to us in 2009 with "Mobile 9".

The story begins in 1972, with the abduction of a Montreal girl walking home from school. When her body with those of her kidnappers are found in a farmhouse in St-Sauveur, the nucleus of the investigation relocates to the vibrant Laurentian community. The police soon discover strange circles, symbols and triangles drawn on the floor of a secret room in the basement leading investigators to believe there is more behind this strange abduction. Could this be an occult ritual killing?

Ty Davis and his French counterpart Réal Gendron are well-known for their aggressiveness in bringing the latest breaking news to the public ear. With their strong contacts they are soon drawn into a bizarre sequence of events and find themselves in the middle of a complex international conspiracy that weaves back and forth between the Quebec and the Swiss headquarters of a religious cult.

Meanwhile, on the home front, Davis faces personal problems that also need to be addressed while he pursues the demands of his job.

Mr. Haugland has delivered a captivating glimpse into the past, a blend of actual events and fiction that brings back memories of headlines, a blast from the past. The novel may not tell the full story but reading it brought me back to a very tumultuous time, not only with this sad event but also with the political and labour unrest that made the news on a daily bases. The author’s long experience and passion for reporting the news enhances the story tenfold. His writing style is down to earth and expertly captures the atmosphere of the time.

In my review of "Mobile 9", I mentioned how much I loved the intrepid Ty Davis and the rest of the cast, I am still smitten, once again the author has penned an exciting read and I am looking forward to Ty’s next adventure.