Submitted by Timberland Regional Library
To say that mystery writer J.A. Jance’s novels are regulars on the New York Times bestseller list, which is true, misses the major theme of the relationship between the author and her readers – one of mutual loyalty and warm feelings. Jance’s devoted fans and fans-to-be will have two chances to visit with Jance this month at free local events where Ms. Jance will discuss her new thriller, “Moving Target,” her fiftieth book and ninth in her Ali Reynolds series. Jance will also talk about her life and writing career and will answer questions.
Thursday, February 27 from 4 to 5:30 p.m., Jance will be at the Fox Theatre, 123 South Tower Avenue, Centralia. The event is presented by the Centralia and Chehalis Timberland libraries and cosponsored by the Friends of the Chehalis and Centralia Timberland libraries. Pick up free, tickets in advance at any Lewis County Timberland Library, Book ‘N’ Brush in Chehalis, or PostNet in Centralia. Free tickets will also be available at the door, space permitting.
Friday, February 28, from 1 to 2:30 p.m., Jance will be at the Minnaert Center for the Arts on the South Puget Sound Community College campus, 2011 Mottman Rd SW, Olympia. The event is presented by the Tumwater Timberland Library and cosponsored by SPSCC and the Friends of the Tumwater Timberland Library. Parking and event admission are free. No tickets are required.
Doors will open an hour early at both locations so people can purchase books. After the events, Ms. Jance will sign any of her books that her fans bring.
Moving Target
From the author praised for her “inimitable, take-no-prisoners style” (“Kirkus Reviews”),
the ninth Ali Reynolds thriller sends Ali on a trans-Atlantic mission to solve a cold case murder and help Leland Brooks reunite with his long-estranged family.
Back in Arizona, Lance Tucker, an incarcerated juvenile offender and talented hacker, is set on fire one night and severely burned while hanging Christmas decorations in a lockup 
rec room. B. Simpson, Ali’s fiancé and the man who helped put Lance in jail, feels obliged to get to the bottom of what happened. With Ali off in England, B. turns to someone else to help out—Ali’s good friend Taser-carrying nun, Sister Anselm.
Meanwhile, in England, Ali begins to investigate the decades-old murder of Leland’s father, which Leland himself was once suspected of committing. With unsolved murders on both sides of the Atlantic, Ali, B., and Sister Anselm are united by their search for answers—and the jeopardy they get into as a result.
J. A. Jance
NoveList Plus, a readers’ resource on the Timberland Regional Library website, states: “Judith Jance pens suspenseful mystery fiction set largely in the Southwest and the Pacific Northwest. She is adept at combining intricate plots, believable characters, and grisly murder. Although she maintains a fast pace, Jance’s writing is punctuated by evocative descriptions and poignant observations. Her skill at juggling multiple plot lines keeps readers on edge and ratchets up the tension. That, coupled with a sure hand at creating a haunting atmosphere, insures that her work will appeal to readers of both mysteries and thrillers.”
In addition to her Ali Reynolds series, Jance is the author of the J.P. Beaumont, Joanna Brady and Walker family mystery series as well as a book of poetry. Her vivid settings are rooted in her own experience. She was born in South Dakota, raised in Arizona and moved to Washington in the 1980s. She and her husband now split their time between Seattle and Tucson, Arizona.
Jance states on her website, www.jajance.com: “I learned on the reservation (Tohono O’Odham in Arizona where she taught for five years) that the ancient, sacred charge of the storyteller is to beguile the time. I’m thrilled when I hear that someone has used my books to get through some particularly difficult illness either as a patient or as they sit on the sidelines while someone they love is terribly ill. It gratifies me to know that by immersing themselves in my stories, people are able to set their own lives aside and live and walk in someone else’s shoes.”
For more information about the events, call the Centralia library at (360) 736-0183, the Chehalis library at (360) 748-3301 or the Tumwater library at (360) 943-7790 or visit www.TRL.org.
