Suzette Mayr is one of Canada’s most inventive and celebrated contemporary authors. Winner of the 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize for her novel The Sleeping Car Porter, she’s known for blending sharp humor, historical depth, surreal elements, and unflinching explorations of race, sexuality, and identity. Whether you’re new to her work or a longtime fan looking to read everything in order, this guide has you covered.
Here’s every Suzette Mayr book in publication order (including short stories and edited works where relevant), plus recommendations on where to start.
List Of Suzette Mayr Books In Order by Year
Discover the complete list of Suzette Mayr’s books in order by year, featuring her award-winning novels and literary achievements. This detailed guide helps readers explore her writing journey, themes, and publication timeline. Perfect for fans, researchers, and new readers looking to start with the right book. Stay updated with Suzette Mayr’s impactful works and storytelling legacy.
| # | Year | Title | Genre / Key Themes | Awards & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1995 | Moon Honey | Magical realism, body transformation, queer love, surrealism | Debut novel |
| 2 | 1998 | The Widows | Absurdist comedy, feminism, adventure | Features Cleopatra Jones going over Niagara Falls |
| 3 | 2004 | Venous Hum | Dark satire, horror-comedy, cannibalism, vampires, suburbia | Fan-favorite for sharp humor |
| 4 | 2011 | Monoceros | Literary fiction, grief, LGBTQ+ issues, suicide aftermath, unicorns | Shortlisted – Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner – ReLit Award, W.O. Mitchell Book Prize |
| 5 | 2017 | Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall | Campus satire, horror-comedy, bureaucracy, mental health | Widely considered one of the funniest Canadian novels of the 2010s |
| 6 | 2022 | The Sleeping Car Porter | Historical fiction, Black queer experience, trains, 1920s Canada | Winner – 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize Longlisted – Booker Prize 2023 |
Note: Suzette Mayr does not write traditional series (no ongoing multi-book series with recurring characters). Every novel is completely standalone.
Other Works (Non-Novel)
| Year | Title / Contribution | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Shuffle (co-edited with Esta Spalding) | Anthology | Poetry & prose anthology |
| 2003 | “Toot Suite” | Short story | Published in Queer Codes anthology |
| Various | Multiple short stories & poems | Literary journals | PRISM international, The Malahat Review, etc. |
Suzette Mayr Books in Chronological Order
- Moon Honey (1995) is Mayr’s daring debut novel. A young woman named Carmen begins spontaneously turning into a man under the full moon. Wildly imaginative, erotic, and funny, this magical-realist love story announced Mayr as a bold new voice. Perfect if you love: Angela Carter, Carmen Maria Machado, body horror with heart.
- The Widows (1998) Three elderly widows (one of them Cleopatra!) decide to go over Niagara Falls in a barrel. Absurdist, feminist, and delightfully irreverent. Think: Leonora Carrington meets a road-trip comedy.
- Venous Hum (2004) is A deliciously dark satirical novel about high-school reunions, cannibalism, vampires, and suburban despair in Calgary. Mayr’s humor is at its sharpest here. Fan favorite for its biting wit and genre-bending chaos.
- Monoceros (2011) is A heartbreaking and poetic novel about the aftermath of a gay teenager’s suicide in a Catholic high school. Explores grief, faith, bullying, and unicorn mythology. Shortlisted for the Scotiabank Giller Prize and winner of the ReLit Award, and others. Emotionally intense – have tissues ready.
- Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall (2017) A campus satire so funny and unhinged it feels like David Lynch directed a tenure-track nightmare. Dr. Edith Vane battles bureaucracy, haunted buildings, and sentient hares while trying to keep her sanity. Universally beloved by academics and anyone who’s ever worked in an office.
- The Sleeping Car Porter (2022) – Scotiabank Giller Prize Winne.r The book that put Mayr on the international map. Set in 1929 aboard a cross-Canada train, it follows Baxter, a Black, queer sleeping car porter fighting exhaustion, racism, and his own secrets over one fateful journey. Lyrical, immersive, and unforgettable. Widely considered her masterpiece (so far).
Short Story Collections & Contributions
- “Toot Suite” appeared in the anthology Queer Codes (2003)
- Several stories in literary journals (PRISInternationalal, The Malahat Review, etc.)
- Co-editor of the anthology Shuffle (with Esta Spalding, 1998)
Where Should You Start Reading Suzette Mayr?
- Want her most acclaimed and accessible book? → The Sleeping Car Porter (2022)
- Love campus satire and laugh-out-loud dark humor? → Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall (2017)
- Craving something surreal, sexy, weirdness? → Moon Honey (1995) or Venous Hum (2004)
- Ready for something deeply emotional? → Monoceros (2011)
Quick Reading Order Recommendation
- The Sleeping Car Porter (jump in with her best-known)
- Dr. Edith Vane and the Hares of Crawley Hall (for maximum fun)
- Monoceros
- Venous Hum
- The Widows
- Moon Honey (save the wild debut for last – it’s a treat)
Final Thoughts
Suzette Mayr’s books are smart, strange, funny, and profoundly human. Whether she’s writing about suicidal unicorns, haunted universities, or the quiet heroism of a 1920s train porter, her voice is unmistakably hers – playful yet piercing, historical yet timeless.
Ready to dive in? Start with The Sleeping Car Porter – you won’t regret it.
Happy reading! 📚
Which Suzette Mayr book are you picking up first? Let me know in the comments! 👇
