Dawn Lee McKenna Takes Apalachicola by Storm

Dawn Lee McKenna Takes Apalachicola by Storm

“In Apalachicola, Florida, sinister things are afoot, as sinister things tend to be.”

With these words, Dawn Lee McKenna kicked off her dark, wryly funny, and wildly popular Forgotten Coast Suspense series in 2015. Low Tide introduces Lt. Maggie Redmond of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department as she responds to a crime scene on St. George Island. The medical examiner calls it suicide; no one but Maggie knows about her horrible link to the dead man. In later installments like What Washes Up and Lake Morality, we get to know Maggie’s family, friends, and fellow cops, learn why the richest (and scariest) man in town has taken an interest in her, keep tabs on her complicated relationship with her boss, and marvel at the sheer number of corpses popping up all over sleepy little Apalachicola. Dawn Lee lives in Tennessee now, but she grew up in Florida and visits here as often as she can. She has a sharp eye and a keen ear, and local law enforcement vets her manuscripts, so she gets the details right. Over the years certain familiar personages have made walk-on appearances, and one or two have become recurring characters in their own right. Locals and visitors devour all eight books back to back and then clamor for more.

That happy day is at hand. Dawn Lee McKenna will sign copies of her much-anticipated ninth book, Squall Lines, at Downtown Books on Saturday, June 30 from 1 to 3.

Through social media, Dawn Lee has fostered close relationships with her Panhandle readers. The Well Red (“as in wine”) Book Club from Panama City is taking her to lunch before the book-signing, and she has invited fans to join her after the event for a neck-hugging free-for-all at the Apalachicola Chocolate & Coffee Company. Join the crowd. If you need the new one, come on over to Downtown Books. If you already own one (or eight) of her earlier titles, feel free to bring them in for Dawn to personalize.