Celebrated mystery writer J.A. Jance will be the guest of the Wickenburg Public Library & Learning Center on Wednesday, September 20. Her reading and talk will get underway at 6 p.m. at the Library and is free and open to the public.

A well-known New York Times bestselling author, this will be Jance’s first visit to Wickenburg in several years. She will read from her new Brady and Walker suspense novel BLESSING OF THE LOST GIRLS, which goes on sale the day before her visit here. 

The eagerly awaited new novel returns Jance to her Southwest roots with her character Brandon Walker’s son-in-law stepping into Sheriff Joanna Brady’s Cochise County jurisdiction. As the investigation to track down a killer who preys on Indigenous victims unfolds, Jance brings together popular characters from both her Brady and Walker books. 

“We feel very fortunate to have J.A. Jance include us in her book tour, particularly since she will be here just the day after her book is released,” said Sarah Brown, Wickenburg’s Community Services Manager. “We know our patrons will be thrilled. Her titles are consistently some of the most popular in the Library and are always being requested.”

Born in South Dakota and brought up in Bisbee, Jance lives with her husband in Seattle and Tucson. In addition to the Joanna Brady series, she is the author of the J.P. Beaumont series, the Ali Reynolds series and five interrelated thrillers about the Walker family, as well as a volume of poetry.

Light refreshments will be provided at the evening event by the Friends of the Library, and books will be available for sale courtesy of Peregrine Books of Prescott. Jance plans to sign books following her reading and talk.