Picture a Caribbean-born storyteller who traded sunny shores for Vancouver’s misty streets, weaving gritty crime tales that grip you till the last page—meet Sheena Kamal! This Canadian author has carved a niche in the thriller world with her Nora Watts series, a pulse-pounding saga that dives deep into themes of identity, belonging, and society’s forgotten corners.
With a background in crime research and investigative journalism, Kamal crafts stories that feel raw and real, starring a heroine who’s as flawed as she is fearless. Her debut, Eyes Like Mine, introduced the world to Nora Watts, and readers haven’t looked back since.
The Making of Sheena Kamal
Born in the Caribbean, Sheena Kamal moved to Canada at age six, growing up in a world far from her tropical roots. She studied political science at the University of Toronto, earning a prestigious TD Canada Trust scholarship for her activism tackling homelessness. This passion for society’s underdogs later seeped into her writing. Before picking up the pen, Kamal worked in film and TV, researching crime dramas—an experience that sparked her knack for crafting taut, suspenseful narratives.
Her shift to writing wasn’t planned but felt fated. While working in a research office, Nora Watts burst into Kamal’s imagination, demanding to be written. This loner heroine, with her sharp wit and troubled past, became the heart of Kamal’s storytelling journey.
Sheena Kamal’s Unforgettable Stories
Kamal’s Nora Watts series is a masterclass in crime fiction, blending gritty realism with emotional depth. Her debut, Eyes Like Mine (also published as The Lost Ones, 2017), follows Nora, a biracial ex-investigator with a knack for spotting lies, as she searches for her missing daughter, Bonnie. The novel’s raw portrayal of Vancouver’s underbelly and its exploration of identity won it the 2018 Macavity Award for Best First Novel and the Kobo Emerging Writer Prize.
The series continues with It All Falls Down (2018), where Nora digs into her father’s mysterious suicide, traveling from Vancouver to Detroit’s broken streets. No Going Back (2020) ramps up the stakes as Nora faces a triad enforcer targeting her daughter. Kamal also penned a short story, In the Grip of It (2018), offering a bite-sized Nora adventure. Her standalone YA novel, Fight Like a Girl (2020), showcases her versatility, following a Trinidadian teen navigating Muay Thai and family secrets.
Kamal’s style is unflinching yet poetic, with a feminist edge. Nora, often compared to Lisbeth Salander, is a complex antihero—tough, vulnerable, and fiercely independent. Themes of race, class, and gender violence weave through her work, reflecting Kamal’s activism and her own experiences as an immigrant navigating identity.
Why Sheena Kamal Matters
Sheena Kamal’s impact lies in her ability to shine a light on the marginalized. Through Nora Watts, she exposes the cracks in society—poverty, racism, and the neglect of missing girls who don’t fit the “ideal” victim mold. Her stories challenge Canada’s polished image, earning praise from authors like Jeffery Deaver and Roxane Gay for their psychological depth and fearless protagonists.
Kamal’s work resonates with readers craving authentic, diverse voices in crime fiction. By centering a half-Indigenous, half-Palestinian heroine, she’s broadened the genre’s landscape, proving thrillers can be both heart-pounding and socially conscious. Her rise from film researcher to award-winning author inspires aspiring writers to embrace their unique stories.
- Born: Caribbean, immigrated to Canada at age six
- Key Works: Eyes Like Mine (2017), It All Falls Down (2018), No Going Back (2020), Fight Like a Girl (2020)
- Awards: 2018 Macavity Award, Kobo Emerging Writer Prize
- Fun Fact: Kamal once worked as a film extra, blending into the background while dreaming up Nora’s world.
Snag Eyes Like Mine and dive into Sheena Kamal’s thrilling, thought-provoking crime fiction—you won’t put it down!