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Poster featuring black and white text and an illustrated image against a red background. Left: MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival. Victoria University in the University of Toronto. Right: A silhouetted figure of a man wearing a fedora and trench coat, standing in a doorway, his shadow turning into a fountain pen as it stretches down toward the lower right corner.
A graphic illustration in red and white. A silhouetted figure of a man wearing a fedora and trench coat, standing in a doorway, his shadow turning into a fountain pen as it stretches down toward the lower right corner.

Join mystery masters Join mystery masters

for a weekend of thrill & true crime.

Home Events Reading MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival 2026

MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival 2026

Three days only – from Friday, June 5 to Sunday, June 7, 2026 – The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) turns up the suspense with the fifth anniversary of the MOTIVE Crime & Mystery Festival, featuring more than 55 events, author talks and immersive workshops designed to captivate crime and mystery lovers of all kinds. Presented at Victoria University in the University of Toronto.

Join the leading masters of mystery for a thrilling weekend!

MOTIVE 2026 unveils its most expansive and riveting program to date. From cozy crime and police procedural to psychological thriller and true crime, explore and celebrate the genre that has inspired some of the world’s most compelling stories and beloved characters.

International guests include Clare Mackintosh, former UK police officer and author of 11 novels, including the #1 international bestsellers I Let You Go, I See You and Let Me Lie. British novelist and biographer Nicholas Shakespeare, whose body of work includes Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, will lead a fascinating re-examination of the works of literary icon Graham Greene. And this year, the Festival shines the spotlight on the exciting world of French crime writing, featuring major voices such as Hannelore Cayre and Olivier Norek.

MOTIVE also proudly showcases an outstanding roster of Canadian talent, including Nita Prose, author of The Maid; former lawyer and teacher turned novelist Shari Lapena; and Detective Murdoch series author Maureen Jennings.

You can find this year’s book selection here.

Fascinating conversations & masterclasses!

Featured events for the 2026 Festival include:

About the Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA)

The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) is a charitable organization that inspires and connects through stories. The organization provides engaging opportunities to meet, hear and learn from the world’s best authors and artists across a range of literary genres. For over 40 years, TIFA has presented an annual fall festival celebration, bringing together readers and writers from all over the globe to explore and celebrate the joy of stories. TIFA also offers year-round events, activities and mini-festivals, and has partnered with major literary awards. Alongside public offerings, TIFA runs the International Visitors (IV) Programme for international publishing and festival representatives to engage in Canadian literature and enable promotion overseas. Read more about them here.

Black & white close-up of an evidence bag of dental x-rays to the left, on top of a pile of report papers, with two Polaroid photos paperclipped to the John D. Doe description on the right. There's a latex glove at the bottom right corner.

(Photo credits: Toronto International Festival of Authors.)

 

Event details

Hosted by: Toronto International Festival of Authors

Type of event: crime & mystery book festival

Featured authors: See the list of this year’s authors here.

Featured books: Find this year’s book selection here.

Dates: Friday, June 5 – Sunday, June 7, 2026

Start times: Friday events begin at 1:30 PM ET; Saturday & Sunday events begin at 11:00 AM ET. Please see the schedule for individual event times.

Duration: Varies – please consult individual events.

Cost: Prices don’t include HST. With their Pass system, you can access multiple events for one price. Masterclasses are ticketed separately and not included in Passes.

  • 3-day Pass: Regular C$79.00 / Under 30 C$39.00
  • Friday Pass: Regular C$24.00 / Under 30 C$15.00
  • Saturday Pass: Regular C$36.00 / Under 30 C$20.00
  • Sunday Pass: Regular C$36.00 / Under 30 C$20.00
  • Masterclasses: C$39.00 each (present your QR code for entry at the door)
  • Writing Workshop: Murder by Archetype: Unlocking Crime Stories with Tarot (registration required): Included with any masterclass (add this workshop to your itinerary before you check out)
  • Chill Before the Thrills: Meditative Morning Yoga for Crime Lovers (registration required): Included with any masterclass (add this workshop to your itinerary before you check out)

Location: Victoria University, University of Toronto, 73 Queen’s Park Crescent, #106, Toronto, ON, M5S 1K7

Booking link: Book your passes & tickets here.

After purchasing a Pass online, you’ll receive a QR code. Present it at the on-site MOTIVE Box Office in the lobby of Victoria College to get your festival badge, which grants access to all standard events.

Contact details: Toronto International Festival of Authors, 215 Spadina Avenue, Suite 400, Toronto, ON, M5T 2C7, Canada; info@festivalofauthors.ca, festivalofauthors.ca

 

Content warning: Please refer to individual events.

Accessibility: Please contact the organizer.

Refund policy: Please contact the organizer.