“Amy Tector doesn’t disappoint: The Foulest Things is an intriguing little novel that combines history with a mystery and a light romance.”
- The Globe and Mail
The Foulest Things
Crime Writers of Canada Finalist: Best Novel Set in Canada!
Ottawa, January 2010. Canada’s historic Dominion Archives.
Junior archivist Jess Novak is struggling to find her footing in her new role. Her colleagues undermine her, her boss hates her, and her only romantic prospect hides a whiskey bottle in his desk. Desperate to make a good impression, Jess’s luck begins to change when she discovers a series of mysterious letters chronicling life in Paris at the start of the Great War. Thinking she has landed her ticket to career advancement, Jess dives into research in the art vault, where she stumbles upon the body of one of her colleagues.
As if finding a corpse isn’t frightening enough, Jess soon notices she is being stalked by a menacing figure. It’s only when Jess makes the connection between the letters, the murder, and a priceless Rembrandt that she realizes just how high the stakes are. Can Jess salvage her career, unravel a World War I–era mystery, shake off her ominous stalker, solve a murder, and—oh yeah—save her own life before it’s too late?
“A fascinating mystery! ”
“Readers will eagerly look forward to Jess’ further adventures ”
“Amy Tector has created a fascinating, hugely likeable main character in Jessica Kendall. The Foulest Things follows archivist Jess from discovering letters hidden in antique books, to the underbelly of the art world. With twists and turns, action and dashes of humour, we are sent on this literary joy ride. I can only hope this is the start of a wonderful series.
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“The Foulest Things is a fast-paced romp through the world of archives, art history and murder. Jess has to use her archivist training to solve a century-old mystery while also unraveling a present-day murder. A great read and the first in a series.
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About the Novel
Jess Kendall is desperate to make a good impression on her new boss at the Dominion Archives and thinks she’s hit the jackpot when she finds some mysterious letters from the First World War. Setting out to unravel their story, Jess stumbles across a body in the archives’ vaults. It’s only when Jess makes the connection between the letters, the murder and a priceless Rembrandt, that she realizes just how high the stakes are. Her knowledge makes her the murderer’s next target and suddenly it’s not her career she’s worried about, but her life.
Finalist in the 2023 Crime Writer’s of Canada Best Novel Set in Canada