Erratic
by Gretchen Roedde
Unusual deaths start to occur in a rural northern Ontario's doctor's practice. These appear to be "hot shots" -deliberate overdoses of narcotics. The bodies are each found near an erratic boulder, a huge rock moved by glaciers thousands of years ago. Dr. Barbara O'Rourke has a friend, a lawyer, Chloe Wexford, who helps when one of Dr. O'Rourke's patients is arrested for a possibly related death of her husband years earlier. Dave O'Reilly, an OPP officer who is also a friend of Dr. O'Rourke, may or may not be implicated in the erratic boulder deaths. There are also links to a fire in Ottawa decades earlier. Not unusual in small towns in the north, there are challenges bringing the perpetrators of the "hot shots" to justice. The murders take place near an erratic boulder moved by glaciers thousands of years ago and the path to justice takes a shaky, erratic road as well. The information on drug abuse statistics including hot shots or deliberately lethal overdoses has been taken from data at the time of this novel. The situation continues to worsen.
This book is the basis for an upcoming television series. See the announcement here.
Gretchen Roedde has worked in 40 countries in the last 40 years. The challenges and successes of that global health work were outlined in her first book A Doctors Quest written in 2012. It was on the best seller list one week before publication because of pre-orders from church groups, raised tens of thousands of dollars for mother and child health and HIV/AIDs, went into a second print one week later and came out as a second edition in 2019. Her second book Deep Water Dream raised tens of thousands of dollars for indigenous health and palliative care. It was nominated for the Speaker of the Legislature award and is also available as an audiobook. Erratic is her third book, a fictional murder mystery set in northern Ontario. Gretchen Roedde grew up on Toronto Island and has a home there as well as one in northern Ontario.
Go here to see what people are saying about Erratic
ISBN:978-1-998656-27-1 | WMPub#1275 | 6 x 9" | 256 pages Trade Paperback | $24.95
 Available In EPub Format Here: $9.95 CDN | |
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What people are saying about Erratic
"What a treat to read Erratic, a Canadian murder mystery with its heartwarming romantic drama. This is Dr. Gretchen Roedde's third novel. It is first class. The story has suspense. It offers characters you quickly know, care about, root for. It tenderly, yet emphatically delivers moral and life lessons, shaping Erratic into more than an entertaining story; it is enlightening.
Dr. Roedde knows how to tell a story. Sharing her passions and extensive knowledge of northern Ontario culture (with generously sprinkled recipes and animal symbolism). Gretchen creates tangible characters planted in authentic settings. Her backdrop is the goodness of the community, family bonds, friendship and trust amid life's relentless trials.
Erratic is brave storytelling. It exposes the despair of those less fortunate, the brutality of those in power, and the courage of a few who fight for what is right. With her eye focused on social justice, Gretchen raises the bar for all of us to be a voice for morality, truth and advocacy for the underdog. This author reminds us there is a societal cost of looking the other way, and a pay-it-forward benefit (across generations) of standing up for each other. She humbly points out that the personal responsibility of balancing these acts is not easy.
You want Dr. Gretchen Roedde to be your doctor, neighbour, friend, mother, gramma, colleague. You know she has your back. Here's hoping she has plans for a sequel."
Dr. Nell Thomas is a family physician in Minden Ontario. She is highly skilled dealing with opiate use for her cancer and chronic pain patients in addition to meeting the complex needs of her multi-problem patients, many of whom are low income.
I enjoyed reading Erratic because the well-constructed plot kept me turning the pages. Great characters and an indelible picture of Ontario’s north, where the illegal drug trade has added to the suffering of an already struggling population.
John Bemrose, author of The Island Walkers, nominated for the Giller and the Man Booker prizes and The River Twice.
Erratic is a murder mystery with real depth. It’s an engaging and fun whodunit read, but what stayed with me most was everything layered around the plot: the world of rural medicine, the perspective of a single professional woman, and indigenous teachings woven in with care. The setting is vivid and alive, with northern Ontario’s seasons, wilderness and wildlife almost becoming characters themselves. If you’ve ever wondered what draws people to live and work in the North, this book makes it easier to understand right down to explaining the allure of the infamous ice fishing huts. It’s suspenseful, thoughtful, and unexpectedly beautiful. An even more fun read when you realize how much of it is based on real life experiences of the amazing author – Gretchen Roedde.
Dr. Karen Breeck, physician and pilot.