Mystery Writer Ona Russell Reads "The Natural Selection" October 30, 2008

Fans of well-written and socially relevant historical mysteries take note: Ona Russell, who was nominated for the Pen/Faulkner award for her first Sarah Kaufman mystery, O'Brien's Desk, reads from and signs the second Sarah Kaufman installment, The Natural Selection.
Russell holds a Ph.D. and M.A. in literature and English respectively, and her mysteries reflect her abiding interest in the intersection of language, history, sociology and politics.
Set against the backdrop of the Scopes "Monkey" Trial, The Natural Selection bumps Sarah Kaufman up against such legendary historical figures as Clarence Darrow and H.L. Mencken, and finds her entangled in an investigation that involves issues of racism, Southern pride, plagiarism and the debate over creationism versus evolution.
Like the first Sarah Kaufman novel, The Natural Selection was extensively researched, and is replete with historical detail and well-developed characterization. However, its social scope is particularly faithful to Russell's larger concerns. She notes, Although my first novel was inspired by a family member, my second has been much more a project of my own passions and sensibility. Ive always been fascinated with the 1920s, and historical mystery is a perfect genre to represent the political and social complexity of that period."
Join us on Halloween Eve for a tale of mystery, murder, and intriguing political history!

Event submitted by Eventful.com on behalf of redhill.