Affectionately known as the Seaway Valley’s Queen of Crime, Maggie Wheeler launched the final book in her best-selling ‘Lost Villages’ historical murder series, The Last Wave By, on November 6, 2022.
The intimate launch took place at the Legion in Long Sault, where fans gathered to say goodbye to a series that spanned more than 20 years.
The seven-book series follows much-loved protagonist, Farran Mackenzie. It showcases the social, cultural, historical, and psychological fallout from the St. Lawrence Seaway and Power Project of the 1950s – with a side of murder.
“The launch went very well. It was great to see the turnout and have the chance to speak with so many of my readers. I think we gave Farran Mackenzie a lovely send off!” said Wheeler.
David Hill, a member of the Lost Villages Historical Society alongside Wheeler, said that while her stories are fiction, they bring back a lot of memories. Hill grew up in Moulinette, one of the Lost Villages, and his grandfather’s barbershop is one of the sites at the Lost Villages Museum.
“We sell her books at the bookstore; they bring people into the museum. I’ve read each one of them and they’re well researched and very interesting,” Hill explained.
When asked if any new books were on the horizon, Wheeler told Seaway News that she plans to take a break from novels for a few years and work with smaller items, non-fiction included.
