Events › Misdirection, Murder, and Other Writerly Crimes

Ever wonder why some characters get under your skin and some plot twists have you biting your nails? Join South Sound crime fiction authors, Maia Chance, Bethany Maines, Alex Kenna, and host, Alie Dumas-Heidt as they chat about murder, writing, and what makes a great mystery. Writers, bring your questions about craft, the ups and downs of the publishing industry, and how to break in. Some copies of each author's books may be available for sale at the event. 

Sponsored by Vashon Friends of the Library

Ages 18 and older.

Registration not required

Author information:

Alex Kenna is a mystery writer, prosecutor, and amateur painter. Her first novel, What Meets the Eye, was a 2023 Shamus Award Finalist for best first P.I. novel. Her second novel, Burn This Night, was released in November 2024. Alex spent ten years as a state and federal prosecutor in Los Angeles. She recently moved to the Tacoma with her husband, sons, and hundred-pound monster dog.

Bethany Maines is an award-winning author of mysteries and romance. Bethany brings a fierce sense of adventure—and humor—to everything she does from world travel for the snacks to Cerberus cosplay and baking for the plot. When she’s not wrangling a daughter, a deadline, or a spreadsheet of character arcs, she’s usually found teaching karate or working on her next novel / screenplay. But whatever the problem she's got a plot—and a spreadsheet—for it. Bethany is the 2026 Treasurer of the Mystery Writers of America Northwest Chapter, a member of the Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and the co-runner of The Stiletto Gang blog. She writes under the names Bethany Maines and Sirena Corbeau. You can find her at: bethanymaines.com or catch up with her on Facebook, Instagram, and BookBub.

Maia Chance writes addictively creepy domestic thrillers with a supernatural twist, including The Ravine and The Body Next Door. She’s also the author of the quirky and humorous Discreet Retrieval Agency, Fairy Tale Fatal, and Agnes & Effie mysteries. Every story she writes starts with a house she’s obsessed with—whether it’s a New England farmhouse or a castle in the Black Forest. She loves to bake, read, and walk her dog (a terrier with an incredible moustache) while secretly gawking at other people’s houses. Maia lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and two children, and you can connect with her at maiachance.com.

Alie Dumas-Heidt is the author of The Myth Maker.The Myth Maker introduces Detective Cassidy Cantwell as she searches for two killers in Tacoma, Washington – one from the present, and one from her past. When not plotting her next story, Alie loves creating in other mediums, including yarn and glass, and watching movies or baseball with her husband. Visit her website to stay in touch: aliedh.com