What a beautiful summer so far, cool, dry, lovely. Mine has been filled with hiking, biking and kayaking and of course, really great books! Some of my favorite authors have released titles recently; Paul Doiron (Mike Bowditch Series), Linda Castillo (Kate Burkholder Series), David Rosenfelt (Andy Carpenter Series), Elly Griffiths (Ruth Galloway Series). Obviously, I really, really like mystery series. Nothing I like better than getting into a series from the first book. If you like mysteries or historical fiction, now is your chance to meet a fantastic author.

McArthur Library will be hosting Karen Odden on Monday, July 18 at 6:30 p.m. for an in person talk. We were very fortunate to have an opportunity to host a USA Today bestselling author at the library. It was pure happenstance that Odden will be visiting New England and offered to come to Biddeford to present her talk “Mayhem, Mystery and Murder in 1870s London”.

The moment we formally book an author to come to speak at the library, I read at least one of the author’s works. With Odden, I didn’t read them, I devoured them. I read three of her books in a week, starting with “Down a Dark River,” the first in the Inspector Michael Corravan Series. And, I cannot wait until book two comes out this fall.

For me, the best mystery novels are ones that have likable characters. If I care about a character, then I want to see how it ends and I can forgive technical writing details. Karen Odden’s “Down a Dark River” has it all. Great writing, great characters and a plot that is absolutely rich with details of Victorian times. The book is delicious and I wish I had not rushed my reading, I wish I had savored it.

The library purchased all of her titles so readers will have an opportunity to check them out before the talk. Books will be available for purchase and signing at the event. If you need more information, please feel free to contact Melanie at McArthur Library.

There is more good news as well! The library is nearing pre-pandemic numbers. Staff are thrilled to see new faces and familiar faces. Summer Learning is in full swing for all ages. Stop by to check out our new disc golf sets, memory care kits or lawn games as well as the many, many books, movies, and cds. We have strengthened our digital collections in Hoopla and Cloud Library as well. If you are looking for a specific title, call us and we will do our best to get it quickly for you (sometimes within minutes!). Keep tuned for more summer activities.

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