Swann: A Mystery

Swann: A Mystery is a novel by Carol Shields that details the impact of an obscure Canadian poet, Mary Swann, upon four individuals: a feminist literary critic, the poet's biographer, a small-town librarian, and a crusty, brilliant newspaper editor. The book is divided into five sections, the first four each centering one of the characters, and the last detailing (in screenplay format) what happens when all congregate for a conference on Swann. First published by Stoddart Publishing in 1987, the novel was inspired by the 1975 murder of Canadian poet Pat Lowther.