Philipp Schott

Author

Available Now:

The second Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery!

It’s springtime in rural Manitoba, and the snow has finally left the exotic animal farm when an ostrich finds and swallows a shiny object. (Because this is what ostriches do.) Cue veterinarian and amateur sleuth Dr. Peter Bannerman, who surgically removes the object, which looks like an ancient Viking artifact. Soon after, people around are horrified by a series of animal mutilations. This sets Peter, and his talented sniffer dog, Pippin, on the hunt for answers. Peter begins to suspect a link between the Viking artifact, the mutilations, and a shadowy group of white supremacists on the internet.

Before long Peter and Pippin are in over their heads, and the only way for them to get out alive will be to unmask the mastermind before they end up among their victims.

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"Combines the soothing sleuthing of Murder, She Wrote with the humble charm of All Creatures Great and Small.” — Publishers Weekly STARRED review and Book Of The Week

"A heartwarming yet stimulating read, with a puzzle that hits the sweet spot between comfortably challenging and brain-buster.” - New York Journal of Books

"A compelling read, a fascinating community, and a knock-out lead character. More, please." - First Clue Reviews

Nominated for the Alexander Kennedy Isbister Award for Non-Fiction

The third collection in the bestselling series of stories and essays from Dr. Philipp Schott's over 30 years in practice!

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"Schott has successfully added yet another collection of entertaining anecdotes to his repertoire. Known for his honest, witty, yet sentimental storytelling." - Library Journal

"These are super-short anecdotes that are super-long on endearment, with subtle advice hidden in the tales, a few LOLs thrown in for good measure, and an occasional tear-wipe." - Galveston Daily News

“While some pieces offer LOLs and some are sad, it’s all just plain entertaining. Animal owners will find lots of welcome — and readily dispersed — factoids.” — Booklist 

“Philipp Schott is not James Herriot. This book isn’t about creatures great and small in pre-war Yorkshire — but the pets that come to this Winnipeg clinic are just as entertaining.” — Chesil Magazine 

"Schott shares more funny, fear-inducing and frankly honest stories gleaned from his interactions with pets and their owners in his third non-fiction collection...  The stories are well-written, entertaining and informative for everyone who loves animals." - Winnipeg Free Press


The first Dr. Bannerman Vet Mystery

Gold Winner - Foreword "Indies" Awards

Silver Medal - Independent Publisher Book Awards ("IPPY")

Peter is an odd duck, obsessed with logic and measurable facts, an obsession he puts to good use in his veterinary practice. When a murder is connected to the swine barn explosion and his friend Tom becomes the prime suspect, Peter feels compelled to put his reasoning skills, and his dog Pippin’s remarkable nose, to use to help clear him.

The situation darkens with a second murder and a series of break-ins, including at Peter’s house and clinic, but Peter has a hard time knowing when he is out of his depth, despite warnings from his brother-in-law Kevin, an RCMP officer. It becomes increasingly clear that something extraordinary is behind all this, possibly international in scope.

Ultimately Peter finds himself out in the middle of frozen Lake Winnipeg during a blizzard, fighting for his life and confronting a horrifying realization he had been blind to all along.

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"One of the most delightful novels I’ve read for years!" - Rony Campbell, Elite Reviewing Group

"Filled with twists and turns, Schott’s take on the detective novel is quirky, fun and lighthearted, but also rich in character and worldbuilding. " - The Manitoban

"Meet a very welcome addition to Canada’s fictional crime-busters. Deadly and delightful, 54 Pigs is a delicious read with some of the most beautiful descriptions of a prairie winter anywhere. " - Iona Wishaw, author of the Lane Winslow series

"The reader can’t help but be entranced and embraced by Schott’s charming and saucily unusual first book in what should be a long-running series."  - Anthony Bidulka, author of the Russel Qaunt mysteries

Another sixty stories and essays in a sequel to the best-selling The Accidental Veterinarian

Animals ranging from tiny honeybees to massive Burmese pythons are discussed, although the emphasis is on dogs and cats and the always interesting, often quirky, people who love them. Advise is given on current topics such as CBD oil, raw diets, and covid-19, and the mysteries of catnip, dog flatulence, and duck erectile dysfunction are unveiled. The reader is also given an intimate look behind the scenes at a profession that is much admired, but often misunderstood. What is it really like to be a veterinarian? More to the point, what is it really like to be a veterinarian when random confused people call at 2:00 a.m.? Or when your patient bolts for the road? Or when you’re asked to spay a dog on a resort’s kitchen table?

Readers will also learn how to make a sheep sit on its bum and, yes, how to examine a wolverine.

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"The deep, heartfelt essays of veterinarian Philipp Schott’s How to Examine a Wolverine read like rewarding animal memes. Together, they are an engaging study of the behaviors of pets and the people who care for them." - Foreword Reviews

"Schott intersperses his cute and touching animal stories with useful information for pet owners as well as reflections on his career and the responsibility to care for people’s beloved companions. Schott’s writing style is conversational, which makes How to Examine a Wolverine an easy and enjoyable read."    - Winnipeg Free Press 

"This volume might be the coziest thing I’ve ever read. In fact, this book makes me wish that I could spend a Sunday afternoon with the doc himself, a mug of tea, and lots of time for me to winkle every cat and dog story out of him that I can." - A Bookish Type

A wartime coming of age novel In the tradition of The Book Thief and All The Light You Cannot See.

A Globe and Mail recommended read


Ludwig is an odd and introverted child, growing up in Hitler’s Germany. While Ludwig’s father, Wilhelm, is a senior Nazi and a true believer, Ludwig escapes the unfolding catastrophe by withdrawing into nature and books. Eventually, when the Allied bombing campaign intensifies, Ludwig is sent to a Hitler Youth camp, where his oddness makes him a target for bullying.

As the war turns against Germany, the Hitler Youth camp becomes ever more severe and militaristic, and the atmosphere spirals towards chaos. After the Nazis abandon the camp, Ludwig returns home, and his father is presumed dead. With Ludwig’s mother descending into depression, the 11-year-old bears increasing responsibility for the survival of the family as starvation sets in under Russian occupation. Soon, it will be impossible to leave the Russian zone, so Ludwig decides that he must rally his despondent mother and lead her and his three younger siblings in an escape attempt to the west.

Based on the true story of the author's father, The Willow Wren is a unique, touching exploration of extremism, resilience, and the triumph of the small.

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"The Willow Wren is a novel to note. A blend of family memoirs and historical research, this is one of very few novels in English dealing with the often harrowing experiences of children on the losing side of the Second World War. The Willow Wren offers a compassionate reminder that there are human beings on either side of any conflict. Well done." - Winnipeg Free Press

"Written with sensitivity and narrative skill, Philipp Schott has gifted us a remarkable novel. Mr Schott pulls off the considerable feat of creating empathy for his characters without ever resorting to easy excuses for their sometimes indefensible choices. Overall, this is a fine, nuanced storytelling achievement." - Frederick Taylor, historian and bestselling author of Exorcising Hitler: The Occupation and Denazification of Germany  

"This beautifully-written tale is based on the early life of the author’s father. Throughout the story Schott alternates between displays of sardonic humour and setting some truly poignant and heart-wrenching scenes. Morally complex and nuanced, this book is a must read for anyone who wants to understand a difficult period in German history." - Dr. Perry Biddiscombe, historian and author of The Last Nazis: SS Werewolf Guerilla Resistance in Europe 1944-1947 

Sixty stories and essays drawn from Dr. Philipp Schott's over 30 years in small animal veterinary practice.

Nominated for the Eileen Mctavish Sykes award for first book.

The Accidental Veterinarian is a best-seller and has been translated into Polish, Hungarian, Czech, Russian and Chinese.

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“For all animal lovers, veterinary tales are always amusing, amazing, entertaining, and, once in a while, sad. Few books . . . approach the combination of fine writing, radical honesty, and endless optimism found in Winnipeg practitioner Schott’s . . . Laugh until you cry.” — Booklist Starred Review

“Crammed with useful information, humorous recollections, personal reflections and a few anecdotes you shouldn't read while eating, but which will appeal to any pet owner . . . Schott’s writing has a conversational tone that makes for easy, enjoyable reading . . .” — Winnipeg Free Press

“Who amongst us animal lovers hasn’t fantasized being a vet? Well, read Philipp Schott’s highly entertaining and informative book and learn exactly what you’d be in for — all the poignancy, hilarity, and plain hard work.” — Barbara Gowdy, award-winning author of The White Bone and Helpless

“This set of short anecdotes is warm, funny, poignant and educational. Any animal lover will be pleased.” — Malcolm Avenue Review

“Schott’s writing is engagingly conversational and showcases his colorful sense of humor . . . Educational, entertaining and compassionate, this confluence of happy accidents is a must-read for anyone who is, loves or works with a veterinarian.” — Shelf Awareness

“Dr. Schott is the kind of vet we all want for our animals. Schott’s The Accidental Veterinarian is filled with heartwarming stories any animal lover will enjoy!” — Teresa Rhyne, author of the #1 New York Times bestseller The Dog Lived (and So Will I)

COMING SOON

Spring 2024!

The third Bannerman mystery:  Eleven Huskies