The Seaboard Review of Books, December 29, 2025
Volume 2, Issue 58 of The Seaboard Review of Books, December 29, 2025
In this issue:
Still by Joann Cockerline (Fiction)
The Inquisitive Raven by Richard Wagamese, illustrated by Bridget George (Fiction, Children)
Students by Day: Colonialism and Resistance at the Curve Lake Indian Day School by Jackson Pind (Non-Fiction)
Still Bobbi: A Memoir by Bobbi Brown
Thou Shall (Not) Commit Typographical Errors (Opinion)
Thanks for reading this issue of The Seaboard Review of Books! The next issue will be out Monday, January 5th, 2026.
James M. Fisher, editor-in-chief
Fiction
The Inquisitive Raven by Richard Wagamese, illustrated by Bridget George
The Inquisitive Raven, we need you. All of us, all ages, everywhere.
Still by Joann Cockerline
Joanna Cockerline’s Giller Prize-long listed novel, Still, tells the harrowing story of 19-year-old Kayla, living on the streets of Kelowna after fleeing an abusive and dangerous situation in her hometown of Guelph, Ontario.
Non-Fiction
Students by Day: Colonialism and Resistance at the Curve Lake Indian Day School by Jackson Pind
The experiences of Indigenous students at Indian day schools have received little attention, though close to 700 of these were operated by the Canadian government and the Church during the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. These schools, located on-reserve and sometimes staffed by Indigenous teachers, were conceived as part of an overall assimila…
Still Bobbi: A Memoir by Bobbi Brown
Bobbi Brown, formerly of her namesake cosmetics company and now Jones Roads, is an icon in the makeup industry. For her natural no-makeup look, she believes skin should look like skin. Brown has released books in the past on trends, tips and tricks for the industry.
Opinion
Thou Shall (Not) Commit Typographical Errors
**Note: this is a reprint of an article by Robin McGrath that originally appeared in the Northeast Avalon Times newspaper.
New, Old & Notable is a recurring column by Gordon Phinn in which he concisely reviews several books from the past and present.
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Operation Betrayed by Helen C. Escott
Operation Betrayed is the sixth novel in the “Operation” series, centred around Inspector Nick Myra of the Major Crime Unit of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. I reviewed the previous entry, Operation Masonic (see below) which, at the time, I believed to be the best of the series. My opinion has changed with Operation Betrayal. It is a longer read (just under 380 pages), but well worth every page. It is taught, tensioned-filled and cleverly written. If you are a fan of Vera (the BBC TV series), you’ll enjoy how Nick Myra and his team solve this one (although I guessed a major clue right at the start). You needn’t have read any of the previous entries, as the backstory is kept to a minimum. A great, 5-star crime thriller from Helen C. Escott. (Contributed by James M. Fisher)
Operation Masonic by Helen C. Escott
Operation Masonic is Helen C Escott’s latest crime thriller and it is a very good one.
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