The death of the pastor of a Latvian congregation in Ottawa is the focus of the latest mystery novel by Latvian-Canadian writer Ilze Berzins.

Titled Ghosts & Shadows, the novel is due for publication Nov. 15, Berzins announced in an e-mail.

The novel takes place in present-day Ottawa and Rīga. Berzins described Pastor Māris Lapiņš as an “irresistible heartthrob” who “hides his snake oil charm under his clerical collar.” When he turns up dead, his elderly parishioners become suspects, as does Stacy Karsubova, a 40-something woman who began attending the senior citizens’ coffee klatches to hear about Rīga.

Cost of the book is USD 22 for air mail delivery in North America (CAD 22 for residents of Canada) or USD 25 for orders outside North America. To order, contact Berzins via e-mail at ilzeberzins@hotmail.com.

Ghosts & Shadows will be Berzins’ seventh mystery novel and her eighth book overall. In 1997, she published Happy Girl, an autobiography about her attempted repatriation to Latvia. The mystery novels, with covers designed by Berzins, frequently feature Ottawa and Rīga. Last November, Berzins released Kolka.

Just in time for the return of professional hockey in North America, a sports journalist in New Jersey has revived his effort to publish an international Latvian hockey magazine.

Publisher Andris Jansons now has turned to the Internet as a way to deliver his product to readers.

Jansons, who said he at one time worked for Latvian State Television, two years ago began writing stories about Latvian hockey for the daily newspaper Diena. Then, he said, he got the idea to publish a magazine about the topic and Hokeja Vēstnesis was born.

After a false start in early 2004, Jansons published the first two issues in August and September of last year. While he was satisfied with how sales of the magazine went in Latvia, Jansons told Latvians Online, he is struggling to find sponsors. In an effort to keep costs down, Hokeja Vēstnesis now will be available to readers via electronic delivery, meaning subscribers will be sent a password and will be able to download the magazine from its Web site, www.hokejavestnesis.com.

By the end of this year, Jansons said, he hopes circulation will reach 5,000, but publication will depend on reaching a minimum number of subscribers.

“Time will tell,” he said.

The Latvian-language magazine, mainly focused on hockey in Latvia and the careers of Latvian players in North American leagues, is scheduled to be published monthly.

Latvia’s ranking of 44th in terms of global competitiveness remains unchanged from last year, according to a new report by the World Economic Forum.

The Global Competitiveness Report annually ranks a total of 117 countries based on a number of factors to determine how likely their economies are to grow in the coming years. The rankings included input from about 11,000 business leaders worldwide.

No. 1 Finland remained where it was in last year’s ranking, as did No. 2 United States and No. 3 Sweden. Another Nordic country, Denmark, nudged up to No. 4, switching places with Taiwan, which slipped to No. 5.

Estonia remained at No. 20, sandwiched between Qatar and Austria. Lithuania slipped seven spots to No. 43, one ahead of Latvia.

The latest report on global competitiveness was released Sept. 28.

Formed in 1971 and based in Switzerland, the World Economic Forum describes itself as “an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging leaders in partnerships to shape global, regional and industry agendas.”