Hunter and Tate Mysteries Series

The hardest part is not knowing…   Ottawa is baking under a July heatwave when the Homicide and Major Crimes Unit is called to help track down missing three-year-old Charlie McGowan. This is the second missing person case in nine months — a university exchange student never made it back to her Carleton University residence from a downtown party in November.   At first, the two disappearances appear unrelated, but as true crime podcaster Ella Tate and Detective Liam Hunter dig deeper into both files, unsettling relationships begin to emerge. Evidence, however, remains frustratingly out of reach as the clock keeps ticking and concern for both missing victims takes on a heightened urgency. And then Liam Hunter gets a call that a body's been found on the Ottawa River Parkway …   REVIEWS   "...wows with well-crafted tension and original characters. In a genteel Ottawa neighborhood, ...Literary sleight-of-hand comes naturally to Chapman, and the culprit could be one of many poker-faced or temperamental suspects as in any worthy mystery-thriller. A tryst with an escort, a traumatizing roofie, a naive vigilante, and plenty of delectable surprises make When Last Seen a treat for mystery readers." -Bookllfe   "WHEN LAST SEEN is a descriptive and compelling novel showing the fractures in a family when the worst occurs, and the strength and resilience of those who push forward to seek the truth." -Fresh Fiction   "The dynamics between Hunter and Tate - true friends and colleagues without being lovers - forms the heart of this intricate, riveting tale of a missing child, family jealousy, business skullduggery, and the deepest sort of betrayal. Hunter and Tate are a duo to root for. I'm looking forward to their next outing." -Vicki Delany, national bestselling author   "A wonderful book, beautifully written and engrossing. I was drawn in and carried along from the first chapter right through to the last page." -Alex Brett, Author of the Morgan O'Brien mysteries   "... compelling characters, an interesting plot and a conclusion that one does not see coming." - Glebe Report   "Once again, Brenda Chapman serves up a compelling array of complex characters, disturbing situations and twisty plotlines. What's not to love?" -Mary Jane Maffini, Author of the Charlotte Adams and Camilla MacPhee mysteries

Nobody's safe when a killer has you in their sights.   True crime podcaster Ella Tate is shaken to her core by the horrific assault and murder of Josie Wheatly, a teacher she has never met … because not only had Josie moved into Ella's vacated apartment three months earlier, but her Facebook photos reveal a striking resemblance between the two women. Within days, two people close to Ella are harmed, and she fears that she's become the target of twisted revenge from her crime-reporting days. Reluctantly teaming up with her neighbour Tony, a hairdresser who loves the finer things in life, and Liam Hunter, the persistent detective assigned to the cases, Ella struggles to stay one step ahead before she becomes the target of the final kill.   REVIEWS: "...a well-crafted page-turner that explores the evil lurking in the shadows of the nation's capital." - Ottawa Citizen   "Never at a loss to weave a spellbinding story, Chapman has seamlessly made the transition from portraying police detectives to depicting an amateur sleuth in over her head ... The result is a credible, well-crafted story that will keep readers turning the page, and when finished, thirsting for more. Highly recommended." - Ottawa Review of Books   "Chapman has spent her COVID time well and come up with another winner. Blind Date will hook you from its early pages and reel you in, holding on until its final page." - Glebe Report   "Lively pacing, a plausible plot, and crisp, forward-moving prose will attract a wide variety of thriller lovers. Mystery fans will be engrossed in trying to work out the identity of the bad guy (or is there more than one?) from a well-developed cast of likely characters, but Chapman's skillful plotting- complete with numerous tantalizing red herrings-power the narrative, keeping readers guessing until the final page is turned. Ella and Hunter make a memorable pair, and readers will look forward to future installments of their adventures.This taut and well-written mystery/thriller will keep even the savviest amateur sleuths guessing up until the tale's end." -Booklife   "When I settled back with Blind Date by acclaimed author Brenda Chapman, I only meant to read the opening chapters, but I ended up reading late into the night. It was that good. Blind Date's the introduction to a promising new series. Get yourself invested in this well-paced and well-told mystery as true-crime podcaster Ella Tate gathers clues and attempts to solve a teacher's murder." -- Dietrich Kalteis, Under an Outlaw Moon   "Blind Date is an absolute page turner and a promising debut for Ella Tate: blogger, crime reporter and scrappy fighter with a heart as big as a punching bag. This is Brenda Chapman at her best." -- Tim Wynne-Jones, Edgar and two-time Arthur Ellis winner   "This riveting read offers edge-of-your-seat tension as you fear for the complex characters. Prepare to be up all night." - Mary Jane Maffini, author of the Camilla MacPhee, Fiona Silk and Charlotte Adams mysteries   "Blind Date is a captivating thriller, well-paced, and full of unique characters and twists and turns." - Karen Grose, The Dime Box