From an exclusive island retreat to a high-stakes destination wedding, location can be more than a backdrop – it can be the engine of suspense, the pressure cooker for characters, and the perfect stage for surprise twists. Eliza Reid and Catherine Mack in their latest novels use isolated or insular settings – whether physical, emotional, or social – to shape plot and push characters to their limits. What happens when there’s nowhere to run and characters are in forced proximity and secrets can’t be escaped? Whether you’re a writer curious about crafting atmosphere or a reader who loves being trapped in a good story, this event will explore how setting creates the conditions for mystery and drama.
Moderated by Wendy O’Brien.
The second in a witty, USA Today bestselling series following author Eleanor Dash as she goes from wedding guest to murder mystery investigator at her best friend's wedding on Catalina Island.
Attending your best friend's wedding should be a piece of (wedding) cake, but not for Eleanor Dash, bestselling author of the Vacation Mysteries series. Because murder seems to follow her every time she goes on vacation and is definitely her uninvited plus-one to the special occasion.
Agatha Christie meets Nordic noir in this “brilliant debut” (Louise Penny, #1 New York Times bestselling author) about diplomats stranded on a windswept Icelandic island with a murderer in their midst.
A remote Icelandic island. A diplomatic dinner party.
Catherine Mack (she/her) is the pseudonym for the USA Today and Globe & Mail bestselling author of over a dozen novels. Her books are approaching two million copies sold worldwide and have been translated into multiple languages including French, German, Portuguese, and Polish.
Eliza Reid is a bestselling writer, public speaker, gender equality advocate, and cofounder of the acclaimed Iceland Writers Retreat. She was born and raised in Canada but has lived in Iceland for over twenty years.
Fri, June 27, 2025
A book signing will follow this event
