An Evening with Bryan Gruley and "Bitterfrost" (In-Person)

National Writers Series is kicking off our fall season with Traverse City's Pulitzer Prize-winning author Bryan Gruley and his brand-new crime thriller: Bitterfrost. Gruley will be joined in conversation with NWS favorite John U. Bacon.

Thirteen years ago, former ice hockey star Jimmy Baker quit the game after almost killing an opponent. Now, as the Zamboni driver for the amateur team in his hometown of Bitterfrost, Michigan, he’s living his penance. Until the morning when he awakens to the smell of blood...

Jimmy soon finds himself arrested for a brutal double murder. The kicker? He has no memory of the night in question. And as the evidence racks up against him, Jimmy’s case is skating on thin ice. Could he have committed such a gruesome crime?

As his defense attorney, Devyn Payne, and the prosecuting detective, Garth Klimmek, race to uncover the truth, time is running out for Jimmy. Because all he can really be sure of is that he is capable of taking a life. The question is, in his blacked-out state, did he take two?

“Visceral, vivid, and suspenseful, BITTERFROST immerses readers in a chilly―and chilling―world of lost dreams and deadly feuds. I was instantly and completely engrossed. Masterfully done.”― Meg Gardiner, #1 New York Times bestselling author

“Bryan Gruley’s BITTERFROST is my kind of crime novel . . . propelled by a razor-sharp plot that swirls around things we can all relate to: getting older, opportunities missed, and the uniting power of sports. Gruley’s at the top of his game”― Alex Segura, bestselling and acclaimed author of SECRET IDENTITY and ALTER EGO

Bryan Gruley is the Edgar-nominated author of six novels – PURGATORY BAY, BLEAK HARBOR, the Starvation Lake Trilogy, and his most recent, BITTERFROST - and one award-winning work of nonfiction. A lifelong journalist, he shared in The Wall Street Journal's Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the September 11 terrorist attacks. He lives in northern lower Michigan with his wife, Pamela, where he can be found playing hockey, singing in his band, or spending time with his children and grandchildren.

Event Details

Doors open at 6:30 p.m. with live music, and the conversation begins at 7 p.m. This event includes a Q&A session and an author signing immediately following in the lobby.

Please Note: This event is at The Alluvion in the Commongrounds building, not the City Opera House.

General Admission Ticket With No Book
$20.00
One guest for General Admission. This ticket does not include the book. Books may be purchased through Horizon Books here.

Student & Educator Tickets: $12
With a valid school ID. Admits one person to the live event. Book not included.

Group Tickets
For discounted rates on groups of 20 or more, please contact: operations@nwstc.org

Sponsors
Entertainment Sponsor: Keith & Jo Ann Gave
Event Sponsor: Severn House
Livestream Underwriter: Nancy Davy