Ulla Hakanson of Nanoose Bay, B.C. was born in Ornskoldsvik, Sweden in 1941. She worked at The Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm as draftsperson for one of the institute's scientific publications. She arrived in Canada in 1968 and worked at Ontario Hydro and Gore & Storrie Ltd. in Toronto where she continued her drafting career, receiving a commercial art degree and running her own design business. She came to British Columbia in 1996. She is planning a sequel to her thriller that was inspired by a kayaking trip, The Price of Silence (BroadPen Books, 2013), about a woman (Amy Robinson) who is stalked by her criminal ex-fiance in the wilderness.

Flight Across the Water (BroadPen Books, 2023) is a sequel and Hakanson's heroine is now married. Amy Robinson Malik is honeymooning in a seaside cottage with her police detective husband when they get caught up in the mysterious death of small plane pilot and his wife. Then Amy's new husband disappears. Police refuse to share any details so Amy sets out to find out on her own.

According to promotional materials about The Price of Silence:

"Trying to put an abusive relationship behind her, Amy Robinson joins her cousin on a kayaking trip into the wilderness of British Columbia. She makes new friends, and together they face the thrills of the rapids and the hungry bears.

"But the biggest danger facing Amy has nothing to do with nature. Her ex-fiance Tyler has followed her from Vancouver, on the run from drug gangs and in desperate need of cash - the cash Amy has saved for her expanding hair-salon business.

"Luckily for Amy, one of her new friends is a cop, and although she's wary of his affection at first, Amy is gradually drawn to Police Detective Ben Malik.

"But Tyler lures Amy away from the safety of her companions, away from the beauty of the landscape and into an ugly underworld. When the ruthless thugs chasing Tyler catch Amy instead, she faces torture and almost certain death. Her only hope is Ben, but can he find her before it's too late?"

BOOKS:

The Price of Silence (BroadPen Books, 2013) $15 9781481063210

Flight Across Waters (BroadPen Books, 2023) $24.99 9780992050313

[BCBW 2023]