What began as a lighthearted suggestion at a book club meeting during the COVID-19 pandemic blossomed into an acclaimed murder mystery novel for Orillia book lovers
What started as a creative way to pass the time during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic has become something none of the six women behind it ever expected — a published, well-reviewed murder mystery novel that continues to raise money for a local women’s shelter.
The book is called The Red Canoe: A Spider Web Mystery, and it was written collaboratively by six residents of an Orillia condominium overlooking Lake Couchiching: Wendy Morgan, Sandy Eaton, Morag Harvey, Mary McGill, Marilyn Holland, and Yvonne Mitchell.
The novel follows six women from vastly different backgrounds who all end up living at “Northview Towers,” a fictional lakeside condo complex not unlike their own. During a Canada Day celebration, a red canoe and a body wash ashore — and from that moment on, nothing in the lives of the residents is quite what it seems.
With clever plot twists and subtle clues, the book keeps readers guessing until the final page. And while the book has proven a hit with local readers — the first printing sold out — what’s perhaps more remarkable is the way it brought a group of neighbours together, transformed their friendship, and gave back to the community at the same time.
“I was just as stressed as everyone else during the pandemic,” said Wendy Morgan, who has lived in Orillia for more than 60 years. “So one day, before one of our book club meetings, I said, ‘Wouldn’t it be fun if we wrote a book together?’ I didn’t know then how much that one idea would change all of us.”
Five other members of the book club said yes, and they began a slow and steady journey that would last nearly two years. Each woman created her own character and storyline, and each month, they agreed on a theme — how their character arrived at the condo, how they met the others, and later, how the murder mystery would unravel. They would write independently, share chapters, then gather to read, laugh, revise, and plan what would happen next.
“It was like weaving a tapestry,” said Morag Harvey. “We were all writing different strands, but somehow they had to come together in the end and make sense.”
And they did. Despite having six unique writing styles and no formal literary background, the group managed to maintain a consistent, compelling narrative.
The real challenge, said the women, came during the editing stage.
“Editing was a beast,” said Sandy Eaton. “Every meeting after a draft, Wendy and I would sit down and comb through everything, line by line. Our goal was to keep everyone’s personal writing style intact, but also make sure it all fit together seamlessly.”
It meant agreeing on every little detail: what the murdered man looked like, where the canoe washed up, what time events happened, and what colour shirt someone wore at a party.
“If one of us said David, the victim, was heavyset and unattractive, then someone else couldn’t describe him as slim and charming,” Morgan explained. “Those things matter. Otherwise, the story falls apart.”
Even when Morgan had to spend a winter away, she and Eaton kept editing over Zoom. One morning, she recalls working on the manuscript in the condo’s common room after aqua-fit, dressed in nothing but a swimsuit cover-up.
“People must have walked by thinking, ‘What is she doing editing a murder mystery in a bathing suit at 9:30 in the morning?”
While A Spider Web Mystery is entirely fictional, many of its moments — and its emotional depth — come from real experiences.
“Most of us retired here,” said Mitchell. “We didn’t really know each other before moving in. I met everyone at a Canada Day celebration — just like in the book.”
McGill, who moved from Toronto, used her first year in the building to slowly get to know her neighbours. Marilyn Holland admits she “wasn’t a great reader” before joining the book club, but now finds herself immersed in the world of fiction.
Their past careers, relationships, and personalities inspired many character details. Mitchell named her characters after family members. McGill made hers deliberately unpleasant.
“I figured there’s always a character in a book you don’t like,” she said. “So I made her mean — awful, even. What surprised me was that people who’ve known me for 50 years couldn’t tell which character was mine.”
As the book evolved, the women say it became a mirror of their shared experience — the parties, the stories, the support they gave each other, especially during the isolation of the pandemic. And the project sparked something deeper.
“We got to know each other in a way we never would have otherwise,” said Holland. “We laughed a lot. And we learned a lot about ourselves and each other.”
Designing the cover became another collaboration. Harvey recalls the challenge of getting the exact right colour for the red canoe. They added a spider — a nod to the subtitle A Spider Web Mystery — at Eaton’s suggestion.
Morgan did much of the book’s formatting herself, learning the technical aspects from scratch, with help from Orillia Public Library staffer Morgan Fitzgerald, who is thanked in the acknowledgements.
And when the book finally launched, it exceeded everyone’s expectations.
“Our first launch was incredible,” said McGill. “There was real excitement in the air. People bought books, brought friends, and said the nicest things. We had 20 people on the waiting list before the second printing even arrived.”
They’ve heard from dozens of readers — some from the condo, others who discovered it at local shops — many of whom praised the book’s pacing and surprise ending.
“Some even said it was better than books by authors they usually read,” Eaton said. “That floored us.”
From the beginning, the women knew they wanted to give back. They chose Green Haven Shelter for Women, which supports women and children fleeing abuse, as the beneficiary of the book’s proceeds.
“We’re women, and we wanted to support women,” said Morgan. “Green Haven does incredible work. It was an easy choice.”
The first donation raised $300. A portion of all second-edition sales is also being directed to the organization.
“We didn’t write this to make money,” said Harvey. “It was about friendship, creativity, and helping others.”
The group recently gathered for a celebratory lunch on June 24, marking the two-year milestone and reflecting on what they’d accomplished.
“There were so many times I didn’t think we’d finish,” said Morgan. “But we did. We’re authors now.”
“No one expected us to write a book — and yet here we are,” Holland added. “Still friends, too. That might be the real plot twist.”
The Red Canoe: A Spider Web Mystery is available for $20 at Mariposa Market, Manticore Books, and the Stephen Leacock Museum, where the authors will hold a signing on Sunday, July 27 at 3 p.m.. You can also purchase directly by emailing Morgan at [email protected].