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# Paul Masson, writer of detective novels

The ABC Files, Hamish Cameron Investigates

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [NEW--You can order books from me directly!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/new-you-can-order-books-from-me-directly/) - I got a number of questions yesterday at the Market in the Village asking where people could buy my books. If you are local (that is, fairly close to Niagara on the Lake--including St. Catharines, Niagara Falls, etc.) then please reach out to me using the Contact Form and we can figure out a way
- [The Market at the Village on Saturday, September  5th](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/the-market-at-the-village-on-saturday-september-5th/) - Three other NOTL Writers' Circle authors and I will display our books and happily sign them for those who buy them, at the market to be held at the Clayfield Commons from 8 am to 1 pm. I will be selling my latest, Sufficient Unto the Day, as well as the other novels in my
- [Book Launch with Richard West at Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library on September 1st](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/book-launch-with-richard-west-at-niagara-on-the-lake-public-library-on-september-1st/) - We have both recently published books, but in very different genres. My mystery novel, the eighth in the series The ABC Files, is entitled Sufficient Unto the Day. Richard has published a speculative fiction book, Magic Trick. We are both members of the Niagara-on-the-Lake Writers' Circle. We thought it would be interesting to discuss differences
- [Launch of "Sufficient Unto the Day" on September 1st](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/launch-of-sufficient-unto-the-day-on-september-1st/) - The Niagara-on-the-Lake Public Library will host a conversation on Tuesday, September first, at 6:30 pm, between myself and another local author, Richard West, about our recently released novels. We write in two very different genres. My book, Sufficient Unto the Day, is a detective novel, while Richard's , Magic Trick, is speculative fiction. We will
- [Books at the Barn, June 20, and an upcoming signing event on August 22](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/books-at-the-barn-june-20-and-an-upcoming-signing-event-on-august-22/) - My fellow authors Sally Basmajian, Sharon Frayne, and Richard West had a good time chatting with readers and signing our books on the occasion of the St. Andrews Strawberry Festival. As usual, the weather cooperated and we had fun. It's really good to meet face to face with existing readers and to get a chance
- [EBOOK version of Sufficient Unto the Day is published!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/ebook-version-of-sufficient-unto-the-day-is-published/) - Have a look on Amazon at the latest novel in the ABC Files series. It is enrolled in KDP Select so if you're in that program, you can read it for free! It's also available in paperback.
- [My new ABC Files novel, Sufficient Unto the Day, is published!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/my-new-abc-files-novel-sufficient-unto-the-day-is-published/) - I have published a paperback version of my detective novel on Amazon and IngramSpark. You can order it online, or meet me at one of these upcoming events: Books at the Barn on June 20 (opposite the St Andrews Strawberry Festival here in Niagara-on-the-Lake), at a signing event at Chapters bookstore in St Catharines, on
- [A New Novel is on the Way](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/a-new-novel-is-on-the-way/) - I have written a complete draft of a new novel, the eighth one in the ABC Files entitled Sufficient Unto the Day. Without giving too much away, the book interweaves the narratives of Sean Carroll, who is heading down to Florida on his sailboat with Marjoree; Beth Phillips, who is working on a case in
- [Salon des Refusés](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/salon-des-refuses/) - I am attending a public event on Thursday, March 20, where I and nine other local authors will read from our works. It is to be held at the St Catharines Artists Centre, 354 St Paul Street, from 7 to 9 pm. The get-together is patterned after the 1863 Salon in Paris, where the Impressionists
- [NOTL Writers' Circle will be represented at the Reif Mother's Day Market.](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/notl-writers-circle-will-be-represented-at-the-reif-mothers-day-market/) - You can get my latest novel there, Ignorance is a Pleasant Evil.
- [Launch of the 2025 Writers' Circle Anthology, September 24, 5:30-7:30 pm](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/launch-of-the-2025-writers-circle-anthology-september-24-530-730-pm/) - Join us authors at an event at the NOTL Library to hear readings from the compilation of short stories and poetry. Refreshments will be provided. For more details, see https://allevents.in/niagara-on-the-lake/anthology-launch/200028833824136
- [I'm Happy to Work with Book Clubs](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/im-happy-to-work-with-book-clubs/) - Two of my ABC Files books have been picked up by book club organizers to be discussed at upcoming meetings. Evil Ever Lives is to be discussed by a Toronto book club, and Ignorance is a Pleasant Evil by one located here in Niagara-on-the-Lake. If you're interested in discussing my books, I'll be happy to
- [Where do I get ideas for my novels?](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/where-do-i-get-ideas-for-my-novels/) - People sometimes ask me where I get the ideas for my series, The ABC Files. This is a stock question for all writers of fiction. The short answer is that I usually get them while I lie awake in bed at 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning. Something in my circadian rhythms wakes me
- [Little Libraries in Niagara-on-the-Lake](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/little-libraries-in-niagara-on-the-lake/) - I must confess that much of my reading these days comes from books I borrow from the bookcases along streets where I walk. There are at least five Little Libraries that I frequent. Since I write in the mystery/thriller genre, which is popular with the general public, I find that it's a good way to
- [Welcome](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/162-2/) - Welcome to my corner of the web. I'm Paul Masson, a retired economist turned detective novelist, and this is home to The ABC Files — a series of mysteries featuring retired judge Hamish Cameron and his partner Sean Carroll, set in the fictional Nova Scotia seaside town of Ashcroft-by-the-Sea. If you're new here, the best
- [NOTL Writers' Circle at Reif Holiday Market, December 6-7](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/notl-writers-circle-at-reif-holiday-market-december-6-7/) - Several authors in the Writers' Circle will be attending the market, which will be held from 11 am to 5 pm both the Saturday and Sunday. Judging by last year's event, it should be a great success! I'll be there all day on Sunday, and I will have my detective series The ABC Files on
- [Learn about creative writing in Queenston, Ontario, September 27-28!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/see-us-at-culture-days-at-the-south-landing-inn-queenston-ontario-september-27-28-and-learn-about-creative-writing/) - The NOTL Writers' Circle will be participating in Ontario's Culture Days at the lovely South Landing Inn in the historic town of Queenston, where we will be offering various activities for adults and kids. Meet NOTL writers and hear examples of short literary works; then try your hand at writing under their guidance. Writers will
- [Motive Crime and Mystery Festival, June 27-29, 2025](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/motive-crime-and-mystery-festival-june-27-29-2025/) - I attended this event on Sunday, June 29. It was a beautiful day, and I had a good time. The highlight for me was a panel discussion entitled Trope and Dagger: Playing (and Breaking) the Rules in Mystery Novels. Panelists were Margaret Cannon, Karen Sullivan, and Gregg Hurwitz. My takeaways included the following: "Come into
- [Come See us at 'Books at the Barn' in Niagara-on-the-Lake!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/come-see-us-at-books-at-the-barn-in-niagara-on-the-lake/) - Once again the Niagara-on-the-Lake Writers’ Circle will provide an opportunity to meet with local authors on the day of the Strawberry Festival here in town. I will host Books at the Barn in front of my red barn at 322 Simcoe Street–across the street from St. Andrews Church–on Saturday, June 21st, from 9am to 3pm.
- [Latest novel is now available!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/latest-novel-is-now-available/) - You can now buy Ignorance is a Pleasant Evil in paperback on Amazon. It will be available from Ingram Spark starting March 28. The eBook version will be published shortly. This is the seventh detective novel in the series The ABC Files. It features a new detective, Beth Philips, who is given the task of
- [Books at the Barn](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/books-at-the-barn/) - As in some previous years, I hosted a book fair for the Niagara-on-the-Lake Writers’ Circle across the street from the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, on Saturday. As usual, we had a good time, sold a few books, and chatted with new and returnng readers. Thanks to all those who participated! Here is a picture, courtesy of the
- [Crime Writers of Canada (CWC)](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/crime-writers-of-canada-cwc/) - I decided to join the organization after attending a conference in Toronto that they organized. The high point for me was a moderated discussion between Otto Penzler, a long time editor and book seller of mysteries and crime fiction, and Margaret Cannon, reviewer of mysteries for the Globe and Mail. They discussed 19th century mysteries,
- [Why I write](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/why-i-write/) - Why does any writer put pen to page, or nowadays, finger to keyboard? To communicate with readers. I’ve always felt more comfortable with the written word. Perhaps it was the result of growing up speaking two languages. I was afraid of making mistakes in either French or English. Each of my parents was a stickler
- [Why Detective Fiction?](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/why-detective-fiction/) - People ask how I got started writing detective fiction. My job as an economist led me to publish a number of scholarly articles and several books. After I retired, I looked for a way to continue writing, which I enjoy, and I decided to try penning mystery novels. Writing fiction posed different challenges from the
- [A New ABC Files Mystery is on its way!](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/a-new-abc-files-mystery-is-on-its-way/) - The new mystery is titled Ignorance is a Pleasant Evil. It is set partly in Nova Scotia, and partly in Alberta, in the Athabasca Oil Sands. As usual, the partners in the Cameron and Carroll detective agency, Hamish and Sean, play starring roles. In addition, a new comer, Beth Phillips (who appeared in a previous volume, Memories of

## Pages

- [](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/books/) - Books All books in the series are available as eBooks on Amazon. Books 1–3 are also available as a paperback collection, and Books 4–8 are available individually in paperback. If you're new to the series, start with Book 1 below. Hamish Cameron is a retired judge who becomes an unlikely sleuth when troubling events at
- [About](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/about/) - I'm a retired economist who spent decades studying how the world works — and I've spent my second act writing detective fiction exploring how people work. My series, The ABC Files, follows retired judge Hamish Cameron and his partner Sean Carroll as they unravel crimes in Ashcroft-by-the-Sea, a fictional Nova Scotia seaside town with more
- [Paperbacks available in the ABC Files series](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/in-paperback/) - Hamish Cameron is an unlikely candidate for a private investigator. A retired former judge, he has decided to spend the rest of his days in an upscale retirement residence in Ashcroft-by-the-Sea, Nova Scotia. But troubling events lead him to investigate what is going on there, with the help of a volunteer social worker, Sean Carroll.
- [ebooks in the ABC Files series](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/ebooks/) - Hamish Cameron is a retired judge who becomes a sleuth when he notices that things are not quite right at his retirement home. New Dawn is located in the idyllic Nova Scotia seaside town of Ashcroft-by-the-Sea. When his friend John Devlin dies, he rightly suspects that the residents are being used as guinea pigs for
- [Contact Me](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/contact-me/)

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/uncategorized/)
- [Alberta Oil Sands](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/alberta-oil-sands/)
- [Detective Fiction](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/detective-fiction/)
- [Nova Scotia](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/nova-scotia/)
- [My Inspiration as Writer](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/my-inspiration-as-writer/)
- [Background](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/background/)
- [Writers' Groups](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/writers-groups/)
- [markets](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/markets/)
- [Author News](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/author-news/)
- [NIagara-on-the-Lake](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/category/niagara-on-the-lake/)

## Tags

- [CWC](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/cwc/)
- [Motive Crime and Mystery Festival](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/motive-crime-and-mystery-festival/)
- [Culture Days](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/culture-days/)
- [NOTL Writers' Circle](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/notl-writers-circle/)
- [The ABC Files](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/the-abc-files/)
- [sailing](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/sailing/)
- [Portapique](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/portapique/)
- [evil](https://paulmassonwebsite.com/tag/evil/)