Reichs has a novel idea for St. Patrick’s Society

Byron Toben

April 2012

“Local Irish Community Leaders Suspected of Murder.”

Don’t panic. They really aren’t. But they may be, in the next novel by popular author Kathy Reichs, who was the guest speaker at the Montreal St. Patrick’s Society Luncheon on March 16.

Kathy Reichs signs books in Toronto last year. Photo: Atia, Wikimedia Commons

About 500 supporters of the non-sectarian charitable society (est. 1834) packed the hall at Hotel Bonaventure, where Reichs said that she might base her next novel on murder most foul at the 2013 St. Patrick’s dinner dance ball.

Among the suspects in her presentation were such notables as society president Patrick M. Shea, parade grand marshal Paul Loftus and pub-owner Bill Hurley (Irishman of the Year).

Mayor Gérald Tremblay and Concordia head Frederick Lowy were other possible perps.

Reichs, a Chicago-born forensic anthropologist, is no stranger to Montreal. She has worked at Concordia and McGill and is a forensic consultant with the Sûreté du Québec.

The luncheon began with beautiful renditions of the Irish national anthem (in Gaelic) and that of Canada (in French and English) by Kathleen McAuliffe.

After a toast to Ireland by Ambassador Ray Bennett, an invocation by Bishop Thomas Dowd and the introduction of the 36-person head table, Irish Deputy Prime Minister Eamon Gilmore stressed that Ireland has turned the corner after several years of recession and is open for business.