Sigmund Brouwer

Sigmund Brouwer, born in 1959, is a Canadian writer with an extensive bibliography encompassing children's, young adult, and adult fiction. He has authored over 100 books, with more than four million copies in print. Brouwer's Dutch heritage stems from parents who immigrated to Red Deer, Alberta, after surviving World War II. He was born and raised in Red Deer, where he continues to reside. His educational background includes an undergraduate Commerce degree from Calvin College and a journalism degree from Carleton University. Before his writing career, Brouwer achieved success in sports, winning a gold medal in doubles racquetball at the Canada Games at age 22. He began writing at age ten and submitted work to publishers from age 20, eventually seeing his first story published in 1985. Brouwer splits his time between Red Deer and Nashville, Tennessee, and has two daughters from his previous marriage to Cindy Morgan.

Brouwer's writing has garnered significant recognition. His young adult novel, "Dead Man's Switch," received the Arthur Ellis Award in 2015 for best mystery of the year in Canada. For his adult fiction, "Thief of Glory" was named Book of the Year by the Christy Awards and won the Alberta Readers Choice Awards. Another adult novel, "The Last Disciple," co-authored with Hank Hanegraaf, was featured in Time magazine. Additionally, his book "Shock Wave" earned the Arthur Ellis Award in 2025.

Born in Red Deer, Alberta, to Dutch parents who immigrated after World War II, Brouwer's formative years were spent in his birthplace. He pursued higher education, earning a Commerce degree from Calvin College and graduating from Carleton University's journalism program. Prior to his literary career, Brouwer demonstrated athletic prowess, securing a gold medal in doubles racquetball at the Canada Games at the age of 22. His passion for writing began at a young age; he penned his first book at ten and started submitting manuscripts to publishers at twenty. After a seven-year period of submissions, his initial story was published in 1985, and his debut book launched the "Accidental Detectives" series.