I don't know whether you are like me, but I often read a book, particularly mysteries, so I can travel. Once a big fan of John D. MacDonald, I loved nothing better than on a cold blustery winter day to transport myself to the sun and warmth of his Florida. I decided to visit the American southwest after reading Tony Hillerman's Leaphorn and Chee series. Whenever I want the British experience I pick up a book by some of my favourite British authors, Ruth Rendell, P.D. James and authors like Peter Robinson or Elizabeth George who also set their series in the U.K. I mustn't forget Scandinavia, which I have come to know very well through books by such authors as Camilla Lackberg, Henning Mankell or Jo Nesbo.

If I want to explore my own country, Canada, I will read Peter Kirby, John Farrow and John McFetridge for a true Montreal experience. Barbara Fradkin and Brenda Chapman bring alive a place I know very well, Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Retracing my steps to the Maritimes, Anne Emery's Father Brannigan Burke series will immerse you in the seamy side of Halifax. A stop in Quebec is a must with Louise Penny's Inspector Gamache series. To get to know Canada's largest city better, Robert Rotenberg and Howard Shrier are experts at bringing Toronto alive.

On the way to the west coast, check out Saskatchewan with Gail Bowen's Joanne Kilburn series or Anthony Bidulka's Russell Quant series. Of course no trip to Canada is a trip without a visit to the Rockies. Vicki Delany's Constable Molly Smith's series takes you right into their magnificence. William Deverell, Sam Wiebe, L.R. Wright, Don Easton are only a few that set their mysteries in what I believe is Canada's most beautiful province, British Columbia.

My plan had been to write about the settings of my Meg Harris series, but I've decided to leave this for another blog.

So what about you? Which authors do you like to read to transport you to another world?