Chris Laing is a native of Hamilton, Ontario. He worked in private business for twenty years before joining the Federal Public Service, where he served in the Department of the Secretary of State and National Museums of Canada until his retirement. In the past few years he has expanded his long-time interest in detective stories from that of avid reader to writing in this genre. His short stories have appeared in a number of literary journals. His first novel, "A Private Man:, was published by Seraphim Editions and was a finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel in 2013. His second novel in the Max Dexter Series, "A Deadly Venture", was published in 2014 and it won The Kerry Schooley Award, 2015, presented by the Hamilton Arts Council. "West End Kid: Tales from the Forties" is a collection of 9 short stories based loosely upon the Chris' experiences growing up in Hamilton during WWII. It is available as an ebook only at all online retailers. He now lives in Kingston, Ontario with his wife, artist Michèle LaRose.