Peter, who lives with Asperger's syndrome, works as a junior income tax auditor. Eleanor is a retired librarian. Twice-divorced Walter teaches linguistics and philosophy at the university. Suzette is a fitness instructor. Playing bridge is what they have in common. The Bytowne Bridge Club sponsors a spring cruise from Ottawa to Gaspé. Peter, Eleanor, Walter and Suzette all have their own reasons for going. Peter buys tickets as a birthday gift for his mother. Eleanor invites a friend along for the ride. Walter has private plans for the trip, and Suzette's plans involve getting private with Walter. The group of friends meets on board for dinner the first night, but one seat remains empty. Walter has vanished. Suzette is annoyed and Eleanor is concerned. The group plays tourist by day and bridge by night as they float down river towards the Atlantic Ocean. They stop at the flea market, tour the historic Chateau Montebello, absorb culture in Montreal, play on the beach, relive history in Québec City and go whale watching in Gaspé. Meanwhile, on board the ship, there is a man overboard, a wedding, a birthday party, a murder-mystery evening, and a lot of bridge. Peter befriends Beth, another Aspie. Their mothers compare notes on the joys and difficulties of raising these special kids. Eleanor becomes friends with Belle. Suzette finds other men to chase. On the last night of the cruise, Walter's disappearance is explained. The next day, most of them fly back to Ottawa. Who is left behind, and why?
About the Author: Marion Voytinsky is a retired Federal Public Servant who lives in Bells Corners, a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. She has also lived in Kingston, Jamaica and Pachuca, Mexico. She started to play bridge (badly) at age eleven, in math class. She continued to play badly all through her secondary education at Confederation High School in Nepean, now part of Ottawa. She graduated from Queen's University at Kingston with degrees in theatre and education, mainly because she cut back on her bridge playing. She is happily married to a man who does not play bridge, with children who play every other game under the sun except bridge. She has lived most of her adult life with controlled bipolar disorder. The idea for Bytowne Bridge Buddies came when she was approached to go on a cruise by her mother (which she declined) about the same time as she was taking bridge lessons at the Nepean Seniors' Centre. The story was written mainly during NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November 2013. The story within a story arrived in dream form during a well-deserved nap. When not writing, she enjoys playing board games. She is a member of Toastmasters International. She reads many forms of fiction - mysteries, science fiction, light romances and contemporary novels. She has also written Cheaper Than a Cruise, a travelogue about teaching English overseas; Face Your Fears, a self-published novel; Infinity Plus One, a self-published novel; and created Anna's Amazing Quest, a family board game. Bytowne Bridge Buddies is her third novel. Her next project is The Catalyst.