No, this isn’t the plot for a game of Clue; it’s the story line for a new novel being penned by Gail Bowen. The well-known mystery writer is making the University of Regina the site for her seventh novel and has already selected the perfect murder location. While the Political Science professor is fictional, three other ‘characters’ are well known on campus. Last year, Bowen, who teaches English at the Saskatchewan Indian Federated College (SIFC), offered to include in her book the names of the three highest bidders in a Hurricane Mitch fund-raiser. The entire effort, put on by SIFC students and the Students’ Union, raised more than $3,000 for the relief fund. The largest donation – $1,000 – was made by an anonymous donor whose fictitious name in the new book will be "Ben Jessie." Wes Stevenson, SIFC vice-president (finance/administration), donated $650 to the cause and purchased a Christmas present for his wife, Kristy Stevenson, who will have her name in the book. Mary Vetter will also have a role thanks to a donation made by her husband, Geography professor Dave Sauchyn, who contributed $500.

Bowen said the donations won’t change the plot. Although she hasn’t yet picked a name for the book, the murder site "has everything I needed." The room, a storage space for archival materials, is not readily accessible to the public but it’s used often enough that the ‘victim’ will be found eventually, she said.

The new book is due out in the fall of 2000. In the meantime, filming begins in April on television movies based on Bowen’s first two novels, Deadly Appearances and Murder at the Mendel, featuring Kate Nelligan as detective Joanne Kilbourn.