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Toronto Star
19 hours ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
Best online casinos in Canada for 2025
Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post. The sites listed in this article represent the views and opinions of Ltd. The posting of this content does not constitute an endorsement from The Toronto Star or its affiliates. Looking for the best online casinos Canada has to offer? Learn more about the top legal casino sites for Canadian players in this guide, including the payment options, games, and special features they provide players. Top Online Casino Sites in Canada Use the following table to explore our curated list of the top 10 Canadian online casinos, each carefully reviewed for quality, trustworthiness, and overall player experience. Online Casino Sites Play Here Rating Advantages 1. Royal Panda Play Here 4.9/5 Great for high rollers Strong live casino Fast Interac payments 2. 888casino Play Here 4.8/5 Classic table games 24/7 multilingual support Lower wagering requirements 3. JackpotCity Play Here 4.8/5 Games global software Progressive jackpots Instant play & mobile 4. BetVictor Play Here 4.7/5 Sports betting integration High withdrawal limits Live chat support 5. CasinoDays Play Here 4.7/5 Over 6,000 casino games Interac deposits accepted Top live dealer games 6. Casumo Play Here 4.7/5 Innovative reel races Diverse table games Accepts CAD currency 7. LeoVega s Play Here 4.7/5 Multi-award-winning platform 100+ live dealer tables Fast withdrawal processing 8. Spinz Play Here 4.6/5 2500+ slot titles Easy navigation Multiple payment options 9. Wildz Play Here 4.5/5 Unique WILDZ Wheel Instant play enabled Responsible gambling practices 10. Royal Vegas Play Here 4.4/5 Progressive slot titles Multiple banking options Cross-platform Compatibility If you're still unsure which operator to choose, the following list simplifies your top options for Canadian casino sites by highlighting their staple features. Royal Panda: Best online casino overall 888casino: Top for classic table games JackpotCity: Great for games global titles BetVictor: Recommended for high payouts CasinoDays: Best-rated for Interac users Casumo: Top-ranked for innovative features LeoVegas: Renowned for numerous industry awards Spinz: Recommended for diverse payment methods Wildz: Best for responsible gambling tools Royal Vegas: Top cross-platform compatibility Our top choices aren't just leaders in Canada's online casino space — they're also renowned international operators with valid gambling licenses in good standing. Reviews for the 10 Best Casino Sites in Canada Explore reviews for our recommended online casinos below, highlighting their key advantages and potential drawbacks for Canadian players. 1. Royal Panda: Best Online Casino Canada Contributed Royal Panda is a well-known global online casino brand popular in Canada, especially in Ontario. This casino is especially suitable for Canadians who value an exceptional selection of payment methods, including Interac, the country's most-used online payment method. Alongside a robust selection of payment methods, players can indulge in popular casino games, classic titles, and innovative options from industry-leading providers. Pros Numerous payment methods Great customer support Frequent software updates Cons Limited payment currencies No dedicated app 2. 888casino: Top for Classic Table Games Contributed 888casino earns a high spot primarily because of its game catalogue, which features many exclusive in-house games alongside top titles from renowned software providers. The platform's well-organized lobby features specially branded live casino games from 888casino, providing a unique experience not available at other sites. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Additional online casino highlights include its sportsbook (888sport), a dedicated casino app for iOS and Android, and many trusted payment methods in Canada. Pros Award-winning security protocols In-house titles Multiple device compatibility Cons Occassional withdrawal delays Limited cryptocurrency options 3. JackpotCity: Great for Games Global Titles Contributed Jackpot City Casino is one of the longest-standing and most recognizable online casinos available to Canadian players. It's known for its strong reputation, brand familiarity, and extensive portfolio, which includes many Games Global titles. Like any safe casino site, JackpotyCity holds multiple licences and is especially popular for its progressive jackpot slot games. One drawback is that customer service is challenging to find, though overall accessible. Pros Many games global options Progressive Jackpot Slots Regular game provider updates Cons Poor navigation No phone customer support 4. BetVictor: Recommended for High Payouts Contributed With its plentiful game catalogue, including many titles with high RTP values, BetVictor attracts many Canadian players, especially those who enjoy user-friendly mobile gameplay with quick payouts. Despite the smaller game selection, strengths like responsive customer support, usability, and excellent safety features grant this operator a spot in our top casino sites in Canada. Pros High RTP online slots Many NetEnd games Integrated sportsbook option Cons Limited live dealer games No support in French 5. CasinoDays: Best-Rated for Interac Payments Contributed CasinoDays impresses Canadians with over 6,000 popular online casino games from over 40 industry software providers, including some slots where you can win free spins. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The operator offers certified payment methods that are safe, cost-free, and flexible, accepting popular Canadian payment methods such as Interac. Some drawbacks include improved user experience and a smaller library for the mobile app than the desktop version, but overall, CasinoDays satisfies the needs of the user. Pros Accepts multiple payment methods, including Interac High table game limits Fast account verification Cons Slow customer support Technical issue 6. Casumo: Top-Ranked for Innovative Features Contributed Casumo greets new and returning customers with a clean and intuitive interface, unlike some traditional online casinos Canada offers. The gambling website offers an easy-to-navigate lobby, especially when playing on a smartphone with its mobile-first design. The operator has four active regulatory licences and implements a unique adventure theme with a gamified loyalty program, merging fun and practicality into one exciting platform. Pros Unique gamification features Fast verification process Supports multiple e-wallets Cons Limited live chat hours Missing some popular titles 7. LeoVegas: Renowned for Numerous Industry Awards Contributed LeoVegas has a global reputation has become a premium gambling choice for Canadian players. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW LeoVegas consistently receives numerous industry awards, including those for best casino and mobile operator of the year. Its main strength is its mobile excellence, along with its exclusive game offerings and its dedicated sports betting platform. Pros Award-winning mobile app Pragmatic play software Great reputation Cons Only Interac and credit card deposits Limited desktop customization 8. Spinz: Recommended for Diverse Payment Methods Contributed Spinz has been operating for over two decades and has since distinguished itself from other Canadian gambling sites through its versatile banking options. While the payment methods offered lack crypto, Canadian players have many alternatives, including Interac, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, MiFinity, InstaDebit, MuchBetter, and Payz. With games from over 60 software providers, Spinz offers an additional layer of entertainment with a unique live-streaming platform, live casino streaming, where players can watch streamers enjoy games. Pros Over 60 software developers 24/7 live streaming Many payment options Cons Slow customer support No cryptocurrencies 9. Wildz: Best Responsible Gambling Tools Contributed Wildz is an online gambling site with a powerful approach to protecting players, and it has enhanced its approach to protecting players from harmful gaming habits. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW The operator offers personal deposit limits, reality-check reminders, and a self-exclusion option. There's also access to helplines, extra resources, and self-assessment tools. Wildz offers 2,500 high-quality games, fast payouts, and engaging features. Pros Fast withdrawals Low minimum deposit Excellent responsible play features Cons Restricted banking flexibility Only live chat customer support 10. Royal Vegas: Top Cross-Platform Compatibility Contributed If you like to play slot games, Royal Vegas has a sizable catalogue and casino table games from some of the world's leading software providers, making it a leader in Canada's online gambling space. Though some drawbacks include a modest live dealer selection, it has multiple licenses and many helpful features. Nonetheless, Royal Vegas has provided top-tier casino games since 2000 and continues to satisfy customers with its sleek desktop platform and dedicated mobile apps for iOS and Android. Pros eCOGRA certification High payout limits Great game features Cons Limited live tables Tight game variety What is an Online Casino? An online casino is a digital platform that allows visitors to play various casino games for real money. These virtual casinos aim to replicate the traditional land-based gaming venues and bring the casino experience online. Many online casinos even feature live dealer games streamed in real time, bringing remote players an even more realistic gambling experience. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW With a stable internet connection, players can enjoy the convenience of anytime-anywhere access if they have a stable internet connection with a desktop or mobile device. How to Pick an Online Casino in Canada Following this simple list of criteria when looking for online casinos in Canada to improve safety and security when playing online. 1. Ensure Casino Licensing and Regulation It is essential to choose Canadian online casinos licensed by iGaming Ontario. A trustworthy online casino has a license from a reputable agency, is compliant with laws, secures data, and is transparent. This results in a safe and fair gaming environment. 2. Check for Security Protocols Leading real money gambling sites enhances security with biometric verification, and two-factor authentication. A trusted casino site will also employ highly secure, anti-fraud payment methods and undergo routine third-party audits to maintain the highest data protection standards. 3. Review for Fair Play and RNG Certification Review the Random Number Generators (RNGs) to ensure fair game outcomes when looking for the best online casino in Canada. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Certifications from independent testing agencies like Gaming Labs International (GLI), eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA), and iTech Labs mean the casino provides unbiased results. That prevents manipulation and means compliance with regulatory fairness standards. 4. Read the Terms and Conditions Carefully reviewing an operator's terms and conditions is crucial. Doing so will clearly outline player agreements and help avoid disappointment while protecting your funds. Consider all factors directly connected to your gameplay. This can include table limits, registration requirements, minimum and maximum deposits and withdrawals, online casino bonus deal terms, potential fees, and any game restrictions. 5. Review Online Casino Games and Their Software Providers A trustworthy online casino should offer titles from reputable developers such as Games Global, Playtech, Pragmatic Play, NetEnt, Microgaming, and many more. Well-known developers are known for providing high-quality execution, smooth gameplay, and fair odds. 6. Review Accepted Payment Options Online gambling with recognizable payment methods, such as Interac, is always a good move in Canada. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Choose a casino site that supports multiple secure transaction options. Look for fast, transparent deposits and withdrawals with minimal fees. Also, emerging trends like cryptocurrencies are gaining traction for providing secure and speedy transactions. 7. Check Mobile Compatibility and Dedicated Casino App As mobile play dominates the Canadian online gambling industry, an online casino should provide a fully responsive mobile casino app or, at the very least, access to an optimized platform for your mobile web browser. Mobile casinos should work well with iOS and Android devices and offer easy navigation, fast loading times, and many online casino games. 8. Use Responsible Gambling Tools Regulated Canadian online casinos are required to promote safe and controlled gaming practices by law actively. Before playing with any online gambling site, browse the responsible gambling tools available, such as deposit and loss limits, self-exclusion, session reminders, and reality checks. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Many operators also offer direct access to professional support organizations, such as the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA). With such features, you can manage gaming habits, prevent addiction, and play within your budget. Online Casino Laws by Province and Territory While online casinos in Canada sit in a gray market, each province and territory have its authority to regulate online gambling, which dictates specific rules and legal gambling age restrictions to protect players. Offshore casino websites are also available and legal, but internationally recognized authorities should always license them appropriately. Learn more about where your province or territory stands for online gambling below. Alberta Alberta is set to launch a regulated online gambling market by 2026 under the iGaming Alberta Act. The Alcohol, Gaming and Cannabis Commission (AGLC) regulates the market, while the new Alberta iGaming Corporation will manage commercial operations. The province will offer private operator licences and centralized self-exclusion. The minimum age for placing bets is 18 years. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW British Columbia The British Columbia Lottery Corporation (BCLC) manages British Columbia's online gambling. It operates PlayNow, the province's sole legal online gambling site. Compliance is enforced by The Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch (GPEB) following the Gaming Control Act. You can play if you are 19 years old. Manitoba The government-operated PlayNow dominates the online casino world in Manitoba. The Liquor, Gaming, and Cannabis Authority of Manitoba (LGCA) regulates everything, overseeing licensing, compliance, and measured gambling behaviour. The legal gambling age is 18. New Brunswick When gambling in New Brunswick, you are protected by The New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation (NBLGC). It is the regulatory body for online gambling in the province. It monitors compliance with provincial laws, including the one for the gambling age, which is 19. Newfoundland and Labrador The Newfoundland and Labrador Lottery Corporation (NLC) operates provincially licensed gambling services. Wagering outside NLC offerings is considered illegal. The province emphasizes compliance and player safety. Only gamblers who are at least 19 years old can play. Northwest Territories If you are 19 years old, you can play online casinos in the Northwest Territories. The liberal approach towards online gaming allows all forms of gambling. The Liquor and Gaming Commission of the Northwest Territories (LGC) regulates these activities. Nova Scotia The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation (NSGC) regulates gambling and offers legal gaming through licensed platforms. The province allows players only if they are 19 years old. Winnings are usually tax-free. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Nunavut Nunavut's gambling activities are legal, limited, and tax-free. They are regulated by the Nunavut Liquor and Gaming Authority (NLGA). It ensures compliance with territorial laws. Only players who are 19 years old can gamble legally. Ontario Ontario operates a regulated gambling market monitored by the Alcohol and Gambling Commission on Ontario (AGCO). Since 2022, iGaming Ontario has managed licensing and market operations, allowing multiple private operators to offer safe, legal gambling with strong consumer protections. You must be 19 to play online casino games. Prince Edward Island The Prince Edward Island Gaming Commission regulates gambling in this province in Canada. It allows legal online gambling through licensed operators. The commission ensures that all related actions comply with provincial laws and safe gaming standards for people over 19. Quebec Quebec regulates online gambling through Loto-Québec, which operates the province's official online platform, Espacejeux. Licensing and enforcement are under the jurisdiction of the Régie des alcools, des courses et des jeux (RACJ). Quebec allows gambling from the age of 18. Saskatchewan The gambling market has a good mix of government-operated casinos. The Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority (SLGA) executes the regulations. PlayNow is the leading provider, but many residents access offshore gambling platforms. The legal gambling age is 19. Yukon Yukon's geography and population size pose some challenges. The Western Canada Lottery Corporation (WCLC) tightly regulates the small market. Sports betting and casino gaming online are not licensed locally. Residents can legally access offshore gambling sites if they are 19 years old. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Responsible Gambling Tips for Canadians Experts agree that mindful gambling is a shared obligation involving players, operators, and regulators that consists of playing within limits, understanding risks, and utilizing tools to prevent harm. Play only at licensed and regulated casino sites that prioritize player safety. The best online casinos recommend and support responsible gambling and work with organizations that provide access to confidential help and guidance. Moreover, responsible gambling tools like setting personal financial and time limits should always be available. Resources, such as education on bankroll management and awareness of gambling behaviour, are also always available to avoid developing gambling addiction. Resources for Safe Online Gambling in Canada Before participating in safe online gambling, Canadians should recognize the signs of problems at an early stage, done by consulting free resources for problem gambling. Canada has a strong network of trusted resources to help with that. They offer free, confidential, and accessible support. These include the Responsible Gambling Council's (RGC) national initiatives and expert clinical services through the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH). ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW FAQs About Canada's Online Casinos Are online casinos legal in Canada? Yes, but online gambling is permitted at licensed gaming sites. According to the Canadian Criminal Code, these sites usually follow provincial or territorial regulations. Offshore online casinos are operating in a legal gray area. It is not illegal for players to use them if legitimate regulatory bodies properly license them. Is it safe to play at online casino sites? Yes, online casinos are safe if the gambling site is appropriately licensed. The level of protection is crucial because it safeguards financial and personal information. To ensure security, choosing casinos that use encryption technology and offer responsible gambling tools is best. Are Canadian casino websites regulated? Canadian casino websites are regulated provincially, whereas offshore sites operate in a legal gray market without Canadian regulation. Ontario is the only province in Canada with a fully regulated casino market. Alberta and British Columbia plan to regulate online gambling in late 2025 or early 2026. Other provinces and territories mainly offer government-run gaming platforms. What is the best online casino for Canadians? The best online casino depends on your personal preferences and gaming desires. All recommended Canadian online casinos on this page are safe, regulated, and promote responsible gambling. Before picking a platform, you must decide which features, real money games, and services are most important. Are online gambling winnings taxed? Generally, casino winnings are not taxed. The Canadian Income Tax Act exempts amateur or recreational gamblers from income tax. However, professional gamblers must report winnings as income on their tax return. Correction – July 4, 2025. This article has been updated to reflect that Ltd is associated with this article, not iGaming Ontario, as stated incorrectly in a previous version.
Los Angeles Times
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
A pyramid scheme seemed like a good idea — until one of the Bishop sisters was murdered
Leave it to Megan Abbott to tap into the American zeitgeist and play on her readers' fears like a conductor leading a doomsday orchestra. As high school and college graduates across the country celebrate the completion of a major milestone, they — and their nervous parents — are looking ahead to a future marked by political uncertainty and economic insecurity. In an eerie echo, Abbott begins 'El Dorado Drive,' her 11th novel, with a graduation party at the beginning of the Great Recession. Though the party is not a lavish affair — just a gathering for friends and family in the backyard of a rental property on El Dorado Drive in Grosse Pointe, Mich. — it's more than Pam Bishop can afford, and every one of her guests knows it. Any party, no matter how modest, reminds Pam and her two older sisters, Debra and Harper, of all that they've lost. Born into a world of wealth and privilege thanks to Detroit's automotive-fueled postwar prosperity, the Bishop sisters — along with their parents, their peers and their children — watched it all disappear during the decline of the American automobile industry. Pam's ramshackle rental on El Dorado Drive, though several steps down from the home she grew up in or the mansion she moved into when she got married, is a symbol of the reckless pursuit of wealth that destroys those who can't see through the illusion. 'When you grow up in comfort and it all falls away — and your parents with it — money isn't about money,' Abbott writes. 'It's about security, freedom, independence, a promise of wholeness. All those fantasies, illusions. Money was rarely about money.' For Pam's ex-husband, Doug Sullivan, money is a game to be played in order to get what he wants, and he will stop at nothing to get it. But when Pam is brutally murdered in the opening pages, he emerges as a prime suspect. The first half of the novel backtracks from the discovery of Pam's body to the graduation party nine months prior, when each Bishop sister is struggling with serious financial hardship. Locked in an acrimonious divorce with no end in sight, Pam doesn't know how she's going to pay her son's college tuition or handle her rebellious teenage daughter alone. The oldest sister, Debra, is buried under a mountain of medical bills while her husband suffers through another round of chemotherapy and her son slips away in a cloud of marijuana smoke. Harper, the middle child, struggles to make ends meet while rebounding from a relationship that ended in heartbreak. The solution to their money problems arrives in the form of a secret investment club called the Wheel. Run for and by women who have fallen on hard times, the program is simple but sketchy. It costs $5,000 to join, but once the new members recruit five new participants, they are 'gifted' five times their initial buy-in. If this sounds too good to be true, you have more sense than the Bishop sisters. Such is their desperation they don't quite allow themselves to see this is a fairly basic pyramid scheme that depends on fresh blood — and their bank accounts — to keep the Wheel turning. The novel follows Harper, the outsider in the family, due to the fact that she's never married nor had children. She's not part of the community, either, because she's recently returned to Grosse Pointe after time away to mend her broken heart. The first half of the novel concerns the Bishops' dynamics and their found family in the Wheel, which operates like a combination of a cult and a recovery group for women who've lost everything. At a moment of vulnerability, Harper is buttonholed by an old classmate named Sue. 'It's called the Wheel because it never stops moving,' Sue said. Twice a month, we meet. A different member hosts each time, and the meetings were just parties, really. And at these parties, they took turns giving and receiving gifts to one another. To lift one another up. As women should, as they must.' Behind the rhetoric of sisterhood lurks avarice and greed. When Harper asks Pam if anyone ever left the group after just one turn of the Wheel, Pam — a true believer — can't fathom backing out of the group. 'Why would anyone do that?' she asks. The answer proves to be her undoing, and the second half of 'El Dorado Drive' follows Harper as she tries to solve her sister's murder. It's a classic whodunit story with Harper — who has plenty of secrets of her own — playing the role of the reluctant detective. Despite the book's suggestive title, the landscape is anything but illusory for Abbott, who grew up in Grosse Pointe and spent the first 18 years of her life there. Evoking a rich setting has never been a weakness of Abbott's stories. Her novels have a hyperreal quality and are often populated by characters churning with desires they cannot manage. Abbott is especially adept at rendering the hot, messy inner lives of young people and at making a book's backstory as suspenseful as the narrative engine that drives the plot. In 'El Dorado Drive,' however, the focus is on adults, and the past mostly stays in the past. The result is a novel in which the story is straightforward and the stakes are low. Nevertheless, true to her penchant for shocking violence, Abbott delivers a revolting revelation that sets up a series of twists that propels the story to its inevitable, but no less satisfying, conclusion. But then there's the matter of the Wheel. When we watch a video of people in a boat who are drinking, carrying on and disobeying the rules of the road, we don't feel badly for them when they end up in the water, no matter how spectacular the crash, because they brought it on themselves. The same logic applies to the participants in the Wheel. We can empathize with the calamities that prompted these characters to take such foolish chances, but we would never make those choices ourselves. Or would we? One could argue that our era will be defined not by whether the American dream lives or dies but by the questionable choices of our political leaders and, by extension, the people who elected them. We may not know where we'll be tomorrow, but Abbott knows wagering that the wheel of grift, greed and corruption will keep on turning is always a safe bet. Ruland is the author of the novel 'Make It Stop' and the weekly Substack Message from the Underworld.
Irish Times
15-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
Crime fiction: Megan Abbott, Elmore Leonard, Luke Beirne, Paul Vidich, Karin Slaughter and K Anis Ahmed
Megan Abbott's El Dorado Drive (Virago, £22) is a dark, satisfying delight. Abbott's writing has always been hypnotic, projecting a powerful sense of women's inner lives and desires through the prisms of noir and suspense. El Dorado Drive – her first novel explicitly set in her hometown, the archetypal old-money Detroit suburb of Grosse Pointe, where 'Eisenhower was still president' – anchors that strength in a newly intimate sense of place. Abbott also has some new razor-edged fun here with American suburbia's satire-ready pathologies as they break through the patina of country club life. The three Bishop sisters take centre stage: Pam's ex has stolen their kids' college funds; Debra's helping her husband through chemo; and Harper's coping with a break-up. Born into comfort, these three 'never thought about money until it was gone and then it was all any of them thought about'. Heavily indebted and newly evicted, Harper's crashing with Pam, who tells her about the Wheel. Ostensibly a women's support group, each meeting of the Wheel concludes with a woman receiving a pile of cash from the newest members. Although one character unconvincingly insists the Wheel's 'not a pyramid … It's a triangle,' Harper recognises it means 'selling the women you knew. Even the ones you loved,' by capitalising on their economic vulnerability. Struggling with her own secrets and debts, Harper sets aside her unease to join the group. READ MORE As the scheme plays out, a narcotic mix of regret, fear and love drives Abbott's characters forward, until someone winds up dead. The local cops, used to 'toilet paper vandalism and DUIs', are quickly out of their depth, leaving Harper to push for answers. As Harper tries to piece it all together, Abbott subtly moves her characters through slyly crafted surprises to a satisfying conclusion that betrays none of this book's intoxicating depth. Another great Detroit-area writer, Elmore Leonard – one of America's most distinctive crime novelists – gets some well-designed reissues from the Penguin Modern Classics: Crime and Espionage list. Like Abbott, Leonard has a gift for giving characters their own voices, his spare prose doing so as concisely as possible, even when – as in the lead reissue, Rum Punch (Penguin, £9.99) – describing extravagantly dramatic things like Nazi killing, gun running and money smuggling. Elmore Leonard in Detroit, Michigan, in 1992. Photograph: Michael Brennan/Getty Three of Rum Punch's main characters return from another welcome reissue, The Switch, where the kidnapping of a Detroit developer's wife very much fails to go as planned. Ordell, Louis and Melanie haven't grown noticeably luckier, smarter or kinder since then, but Rum Punch gets a different spark from airline steward Jackie, who's entangled in their schemes. Both more complex and easier to root for, Jackie is drawn as vividly as anything in Leonard's best work, and she makes Rum Punch sing. Irish-Canadian journalist Luke Beirne's third novel, the quietly moving Saints Rest (Baraka Books, CAD$24.95), is set around St John, Newfoundland, an atmospherically drawn landscape that's key to the story. Narrator Frank Cain is the junior member of a small PI agency, weighed down by a job that too often involves 'helping the rich stay rich and the poor stay hungry'. Warily, he takes on a new client, Malory Fleet, whose son Jason, a low-level dealer, was murdered exactly a year ago. Now, Jason's girlfriend Amanda has disappeared, and Malory, who sees her as a daughter, wants her back. Immersing himself in the case, Frank soon loses his moorings, uncertain even whether Amanda fled or was taken. As he tries to find Amanda without losing himself along the way, Saints Rest unfolds quickly to a short, sharp shock of a conclusion. Paul Vidich's The Poet's Game (No Exit, £18.99), an espionage thriller set in 2018 Washington and Moscow, is a worthy follow-up to his memorable Beirut Station. Vidich details political gamesmanship with an exactitude in the tradition of John le Carré, whose influence he ably honours. A former CIA operative, Alex Matthews now runs Trinity Capital, a financial firm in Moscow, a city he knows well from his days as the CIA station chief. When the CIA director asks Alex back to help extricate an asset he recruited – code name Byron, the last remaining agent of his old network – Alex agrees. His sense of duty lingers, though his commitment to the CIA had long been diminishing 'like a slow dusk' because of the agency's growing hypocrisy, leading to his marginalisation and early retirement. As Alex soon discovers, that institutional hypocrisy has endured: it looms large here, resting uneasily alongside his own love, guilt, and grief. A tragic personal backstory reverberates throughout the novel, adding depth to Alex's character without overwhelming the central plot. The action moves ahead at an elegant pace and concludes on a pitch-perfect note. Hugely popular bestseller Karin Slaughter starts a new series with We Are All Guilty Here (HarperCollins, £22). Although some of the seams show – this is a long book, full of plot twists and more than enough characters to populate several titles – Slaughter's clearly a real pro who's very, very skilled at what she does. The propulsive first third captures the pressure between being a teen in a small town and the often naive helplessness of the adults struggling to love them. Desperate to be adults, Madison Dalrymple and Cheyenne Baker find themselves dangerously out of their depth. When they disappear, the community rushes to find them. While trying to ensure that fear doesn't make neighbours 'tear each other apart', Deputy Emmy Clifton-Lang and her father Sheriff Gerald Clifton quickly find damning physical evidence, but their interrogations provide the leads that matter most. Twelve years later, another girl disappears in disturbingly similar circumstances. This case throws its shadows over Emmy's own family, leaving bruises that will surely linger through the series. Embedded in its small Georgia town, We Are All Guilty Here stands out for often being as invested in these families as in the crimes they encounter. Spinning a tale of hubris, Bangladesh memories, and exotic meats, K Anis Ahmed's Carnivore (HarperCollins, £16.99) is an energetic romp through a moneyed world that stops at nothing to feed its ego. Bangladeshi emigrant Kash Mirza opened an exclusive Manhattan restaurant in the summer of 2008, when 'alpha-nerds with PhDs in stochastic mathematics or God-knows-what had no clue … markets would tank …everyone would be a millionaire.' Kash rode this wave as blindly as the rest, never anticipating the imminent crash. By the fall, though, those financial sharks 'turned into broken relics' and Kash faces being broken too, by Boris, a gangster from whom he borrowed a bit too much a bit too often. Trying to figure out how he landed in such a precarious situation, Kash summons the ghosts of his childhood and of his fellow ex-pats. As Boris presses for repayment, cutting off Kash's pinky along the way, Carnivore follows Kash's increasingly inspired efforts to survive. He soon double-talks his way to a meeting with an international group of billionaire gastronomes, selling them an 'Evening of Danger' to appease their ennui. As the novel moves to its culinary climax and Kash's rationalisations accumulate, Ahmed surrounds him with a vivid secondary cast, making this a charmingly gruesome depiction of his race for survival.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Vanna White's ‘Wheel-y' Wild Gift to Ryan Seacrest Left Everyone Stunned
It's easy to see that Vanna White and Ryan Seacrest developed a strong bond. Ever since Seacrest took over for Pat Sajak on Wheel of Fortune, he's gotten comfortable with his new role. He also found a new friend in his co-host. She revealed her unique gift for Seacrest that has fans buzzing. The official Wheel of Fortune Instagram account shared a clip of White's thoughtful gift for Seacrest. The two stood outside the CBS studios. White held a pair of keys in her hands as she said with a sly smile, 'I have something for you.' Searest said, 'V. Dubs. You did not.' READ NEXT: Wheel Of Fortune Co-Host Vanna White Sets the Record Straight On Friendship With Pat Sajak The two walked up to the original Ghostbusters car, also known as the Ecto-1, which is the 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor ambulance. 'Do you have any idea what this vehicle means to me?' Seacrest exclaimed. White gave him the opportunity to ride the classic vehicle in honor of the last episode of Season 42, which fell around Ghostbusters Day, the anniversary of the release of the original film. WoF fans are still buzzing over this over-the-top gift. They took to the comments section to share their thoughts. Most of them posted GIFs from the beloved film. Meanwhile, other fans were shocked by the nickname that Seacrest gave White. 'V. Dubs. What a great nickname,' one fan commented. Some fans also congratulated the co-hosts on their first season together. 'Congratulations on your first season; it was very good,' another user wrote. 'The BEST🥰 it was another great week to watch; enjoy your summer ☀️,' a third user added. READ MORE: Vanna White Shares An Update On Wheel Of Fortune Alum Pat Sajak Most fans have warmed up to Seacrest's hosting abilities. What's helped is that they love his dynamic with White. 'You two are the best and a delight to watch!❤️' another fan complimented the Wheel duo. What are your thoughts on White's gift for Seacrest? Let us know in the comments section.
Wales Online
09-06-2025
- Wales Online
Man left victim fighting for his life after travelling 100 miles to meet him
Man left victim fighting for his life after travelling 100 miles to meet him Scott Wheel, 28, suffered life-threatening injuries including four stab wounds inflicted by Ricco Douglas, 25, who had travelled from Birmingham to Llandrindod Wells to conduct a drug deal. Ricco Douglas, 25, wounded Scott Wheel by stabbing him four times after a drug deal "went awry" (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police ) A drug dealer repeatedly stabbed a man and left him with life threatening injuries in a drug deal "gone awry". The victim suffered substantial bleeding in his chest and a collapsed lung which required him to undergo hours of surgery to save his life. Ricco Douglas, 25, had driven from his home in Birmingham to Llandrindod Wells in order to meet with Scott Wheel, 28, in order to conduct a cocaine deal. But matters went terribly wrong and Mr Wheel drew a blade which the defendant disarmed him of and used to stab him four times to the chest and back. A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Monday heard Douglas had become involved in the planned exchange, which was organised by Calum Samuel who had met the defendant in prison and was known to Mr Wheel. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter. As he travelled to Llandrindod Wells in his mother's Ford Kuga, Douglas was in touch with Samuel about the deal and arrived at Hillcrest Rise at around 8pm on December 14 last year. A resident who lived nearby later described hearing the sound of people running which caused him to look out of the bedroom window. He said he saw two or three men run around a parked car and one of the men was fighting with two others, who were dressed in black. The witness later changed his account to say there were only two men at the scene. Article continues below In his opening, prosecutor Michael Jones KC said: "Ricco Douglas at some point repeatedly stabbed Mr Wheel with a knife to the point Mr Wheel suffered life-threatening injuries." At around 8.15pm, Mr Wheel's friend Liam Langley was at the victim's home nearby when described Mr Wheel returning and throwing his keys at him, telling him to "lock the door" in a panicked and shaken voice. Mr Langley said he thought someone was pursuing Mr Wheel, who tried to pull his top up. Mr Langley said he could see the victim was "saturated in blood". Calum Samuel, 23, was found to have been involved in the supply of almost 2kg of cocaine after his associate stabbed another associate. (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police ) Mr Wheel said: "I don't feel good, I don't feel good, I have been hit". Mr Langley told his friend he had been stabbed, and described him as "panicked, swearing, with the eyes rolling in the back of his head". The court heard Mr Wheel passed out in the kitchen but Mr Langley revived him and took him to the living room, where he applied pressure to his wounds with tea towels. The emergency services were called and armed response officers were dispatched to the scene, where they found relatives of Mr Wheel inside and outside the property who had been called to provide assistance. The victim was overheating, struggling to breathe and could only speak in whispers. His injuries were described as "life-threatening" and the decision was made to transport him to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff by road, in a journey which took an hour and 30 minutes. Mr Wheel was found to have suffered four stab wounds, two to the left side of the chest wall, each measuring four to five centimetres, and two wounds of the lower back close to the spine, each measuring two to three centimetres. There were significant amounts of blood in the chest cavity and one of the lungs had been punctured, causing it to collapse. The chest wall was drained of fluid, the back wounds were closed and the victim received blood and plasma transfusions. An emergency operation was carried out, a procedure which lasted four hours, during which a lung was removed and puncture injuries to the diaphragm and spleen were stitched. Following the operation, Mr Wheel was diagnosed with a chest infection but he was discharged from hospital on December 22 with pain relief medication. He did not attend any follow-up appointments and refused to cooperate with the police investigation. An examination was carried out on £180 of cash found in a flower bed in Hillcrest Rise which was found to contain blood belonging to both Douglas and Mr Wheel. Cash amounting to £2,340 found in Mr Wheel's home was also examined and was found to contain the victim's blood and traces of cocaine. Swabs taken from Mr Wheel's car were also found to contain traces of cocaine. The police looked for vehicles which had entered Llandrindod Wells shortly before the stabbing and left immediately afterwards, and saw the defendant's vehicle had been picked up by ANPR cameras. The Ford Kuga was seen by officers near the Hagley Roundabout in Stourbridge at 9.50pm and efforts were made to box in Douglas, but he failed to stop and managed to evade the police. The car was later found abandoned in the West Midlands with the key left inside. Blood staining inside the vehicle was found to belong to Douglas and his DNA was found in various places. On December 17, the defendant was seen by police driving an Audi A3 in Coventry Road, Birmingham and the vehicle was brought to a stop by a stinger device. Douglas, of Pershore Road, Edgbaston, was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder but he later pleaded guilty to wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The court heard he has previous convictions for possession of a bladed article and multiple robberies. For the latest robbery, he was sentenced to six years imprisonment and subject to licence at the time of the attack on Mr Wheel. In mitigation, Michael Mather-Lees KC said a search of Mr Wheel's premises resulted in the discovery of a "substantial amount" of drugs and cash, and two prohibited weapons including a Glock and blank firing pistol. The barrister suggested the victim may have been armed at the time of the incident. Mr Mather-Lees accepted his client had acted "excessively" but said the defendant "wishes to change his way of life". Sentencing, Judge Daniel Williams said: "I am satisfied you were both involved in a drug deal and there was an argument inside in the car which continued outside the car. Scott Wheel pursued you and produced a knife. During a scuffle you disarmed him and stabbed Scott Wheel a number of times and you accept in doing so you used excessive force.... The knife has not been recovered." Douglas was sentenced to a total of five years and three months imprisonment. Calum Samuel was sentenced to five years and six months imprisonment at an earlier hearing, having pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Following the hearing, Dyfed-Powys Police detective chief superintendent Ross Evans said: 'This was a violent incident which occurred on a residential street, just before Christmas last year. It was highly fortunate that there was no loss of life which would have deprived a family of a loved one. "We know this incident has been a shock for the local community, in particular for those most affected. "We welcome the sentencing of Ricco Douglas today and hope it provides clear reassurance to everyone that we will not tolerate violence on our streets. "I would like to thank all the first responders and the staff at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, on the night for the level of care and treatment provided to the victim, which may well have saved his life. I would also like to thank our police officers and staff, who demonstrated great determination to bring the offender to justice on behalf of the victim and his family and the wider community.' Article continues below
