cross-border crimes / bouchercon 2026
GUESTS OF HONOUR
We are pleased to introduce you to our guests for the following Guest of Honour categories:
Lifetime Achievement
Canadian / Fan / Toastmaster
Keep an eye on this page for new additions
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT GUEST OF HONOUR
LOUISE PENNY
LOUISE PENNY, a former CBC radio journalist, is the #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Globe and Mail bestselling author of the Chief Inspector Armand Gamache novels. She has been awarded the CWA Dagger, Nero, Macavity and Barry Awards, as well as two each of the Arthur Ellis and Dilys Awards. In addition, she has won the Agatha Award (eight times), and was a finalist for the Edgar Award for Best Novel. The series has been translated into 35 languages. In 2017, she received the Order of Canada for her contributions to Canadian culture. Louise Penny lives in a small village south of Montréal.
FAN GUEST OF HONOUR
STEELE CURRY
STEELE CURRY has been a passionate reader, collector and sometime reviewer of mystery fiction and thrillers for over the past 40 years. During that time, Steele has tried to offer encouragement and support to a number of author friends from around the globe. Since 2000, Steele has been a regular attendee of Bouchercons where he developed close relationships with other attendees and enjoyed meeting his favorite authors. From 2008 to 2012, Steele was a member of the board of directors of the Bouchercon National organization and, for the latter year, served as its Co-Chair together with Mike Bursaw. In 2021, Steele donated his collection of some 8,000 first edition books, mystery-related publications and “archives” to the University of Calgary to be held in its special book collections department as the “Steele Curry Mystery, Espionage and Thriller Collection”. This will enable students, researchers, budding authors and film writers to access his collection at the University.
CANADIAN GUEST OF HONOUR
JENNIFER HILLIER
JENNIFER HILLIER is the USA Today, Toronto Star, and The Globe and Mail bestselling author of Things We Do in the Dark, described as “an intoxicating thrill ride” by the New York Times and “propulsive and chilling” by People magazine. It was an Indigo Top Ten Best Book of the Year, an Amazon Editor’s Spotlight Pick, a Goodreads Choice Award nominee, a Loan Stars pick, and her third consecutive novel to be honored as a Library Reads pick, which places her in their Hall of Fame. She’s also the author of six other novels including the USA Today bestselling Little Secrets, which is currently being adapted for Peacock by Tish Cyrus’s Hopetown Entertainment and Universal Television, and Jar of Hearts, which won the ITW Thriller Award for Best Hardcover Novel. A Filipino-Canadian, she was born in Toronto and spent several years in Seattle before returning home to Canada. She currently lives in Oakville, Ontario with her family.
TOASTMASTER
P.J. VERNON
P. J. VERNON was born in South Carolina. His latest novel, Bath Haus, praised as a “twisted, pulse pounding cat-versus-mouse thriller” by the L.A. Times, was nominated for a 34th annual Lambda Literary Award. He writes, loves and lives on Treaty 7 territory (Calgary) in Canada with his husband and two wily dogs.