Ladies of Intrigue: October 3

There’s more to Orange County than theme parks and stunning beaches. For the second time, the Southern California tourist capital will be the setting for an all-day literary event that celebrates women who commit crime by writing about it. Ladies of Intrigue, featuring local and internationally known mystery authors, will be held Saturday, October 3, at Hotel Huntington Beach.

Catriona McPherson will be heading south to be one of the headliners. The Scottish native, whose books include the Dandy Gilver mysteries, and the new standalone The Child Garden, is president of Sisters in Crime National. The other keynote speaker is Carol Higgins Clark, who pens the best-selling Regan Reilly series and, with her famed mother Mary Higgins Clark, a popular holiday mystery series. Another dozen-plus authors will be featured on panels.

Like the inaugural Ladies of Intrigue, which was held in Spring 2014, this year’s event will explore popular mystery topics. Panels will focus on cozies, the darker side of mystery and the hot sub-genre, young adult.

Authors who’ll explore the latter are authors Margaux Froley (the Keaton School series), Abby McDonald (titles include The Anti-Prom; and, as Abigail Haas, Dangerous Girls and Dangerous Boys), Michele Scott (her multiple series include the PSI Trilogy and the Holly Jennings thrillers) and Sarah Skilton (Bruised, High and Dry). The moderator is librarian and book reviewer Marlyn Beebe. 

Mysteries that dig deep/dark will be discussed by Anne Cleeland (the Orange Countian pens the New Scotland Yard series), Ann Parker (the Silver Rush historical series), Pamela Samuels Young (legal thrillers including Murder on the Down Low) and Betty Webb (the Lena Jones P.I. series.) O.C. radio host Barbara DeMarco Barrett (of the show “Writers on Writing”), a writer and writing coach, will moderate.

Panelists who’ll talk cozies are Connie Archer (the Soup Lovers’ Mystery Series), Sue Ann Jaffarian (her books include the Ghost of Granny Apple and the Odelia Grey series), Harley Jane Kozak (Dating Dead Men is one of her many titles) and Mary Marks (a Quilting Mystery series). Diane Vallere, president of the Los Angeles Chapter of Sisters in Crime, and author of a trio of cozy series with fashion/décor-themes, will moderate.

Ladies of Intrigue attendees will also be introduced to the published authors of Orange County Sisters in Crime. 

The ticketed event, which will include a luncheon, will begin at 8:45 a.m. (Registration begins at 8 p.m.) Additional information is at www.ocsistersincrime.org