Gail Anderson-Dargatz (born 1963) is a Canadian novelist whose fiction has moved between literary rural narratives, suspense, and books for literacy learners. Her work is closely associated with the landscapes of British Columbia’s Shuswap region, where she lives and which recurs in her settings.
Her first novel, The Cure for Death by Lightning, established her national profile. It was a finalist for the 1996 Giller Prize and received the Betty Trask Prize and the Ethel Wilson Fiction Prize. Her second novel, A Recipe for Bees, was a 1998 Giller Prize finalist. Subsequent novels include A Rhinestone Button, Turtle Valley, The Spawning Grounds, and the domestic thrillers The Almost Wife and The Almost Widow. She has also written hi-lo novellas for middle-grade, teen, and adult readers strengthening their literacy skills.
Anderson-Dargatz taught for nearly a decade in the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing MFA program and now works as a writing coach and developmental editor. Her official site lists The Atlas Keeper, a time-travel romance, for release on August 25, 2026. Her career encompasses fiction writing, teaching, and mentorship, with an enduring focus on place and character.
This profile is awaiting source review; collected books are already linked below.
