Events

JOHANNA MORAN will be on hand to read from and sign THE WIVES OF HENRY OADES. Moran's father, a law professor, found an abstract of a controversial court case, and her mother hoped to write about it someday, but passed the idea on to Moran. The book tells the story of Henry Oades who migrated to New Zealand in the 18th century. His wife Margaret, and their children were abducted by Maori and eventually given up for dead. Grief stricken Henry sailed to California and married a young widow, Nancy Foreland. When Margaret and her surviving children appear on their doorstep, Henry and Nancy take them in. While they attempt to adapt, townspeople disapprove, and Henry is charged with bigamy, a crime punishable by hanging. As their legal troubles mount, the relationship between the two wives, each with a lawful and righteous stake, forms the heart of this astonishing tale of marriage - certain to become a bookgroup favorite.

TOM LOWE will discuss and sign THE 24th LETTER, his follow-up to last year's highly praised debut, A False Dawn. Former Miami homicide detective Sean O'Brien learns of an inmate's near-death confession exonerating Charlie Williams, a prisoner facing execution in 84 hours. O'Brien has been haunted by the case since he was its lead investigator,  and now must solve the puzzle of Omega, the 24th letter of the Greek alphabet, while the clock is ticking. Lowe brings years of experience as a newspaper and magazine journalist, award-winning PBS documentary film writer/director, and world traveler to his writing.