Author Event: John Adam Wasowicz: “The Old Town Mysteries”

The Bookplate is continuing their author event series in partnership with Chef Steve Quigg and The Kitchen for the fall season. On Wednesday, August 30th at 6pm, all are invited to The Kitchen and Pub at The Imperial Hotel to welcome author John Wasowicz as he discusses his Old Town Mystery series. Wasowicz has recently released the sixth installment in his mystery series, titled Hazel Falls.

The opening scene of Hazel Falls, book six of the Old Town mystery series, occurs at the Alexandria water treatment plant in the Eisenhower Valley, where Hazel, a mechanical digging device, tunnels beneath the city to complete a major water remediation project. Operations come to a screeching halt when skeletal remains are unearthed at the site, conjuring up memories of the decades-old tragedy involving the Orr sisters.

Eighteen years ago, the sisters had innocently attended a concert. At the end of that evening, both disappeared. One was found dead the following day. The other has never been heard from since the night of her disappearance. The discovery of the human remains occurs just as the convict at the center of the case appears in court to have his sentence reevaluated. Due to the malfeasance of a key witness, the convict’s conviction may be overturned.

But was he ever guilty of any crime? How do the human remains discovered at Hazel Falls affect his case? Are the human remains those of the missing sister? Who else might bear partial or total responsibility for both the murder and the disappearance of the Orr sisters? The convict is released into the community pending new court proceedings as ghosts from the past gather in the present to influence the reconsideration of the case. Criminal miscues, legal maneuvers, and lost opportunities erupt as past memories collide with present-day revelations to uncover a complex hidden reality.

“Readers will dig Hazel Falls. From the opening pages—human remains found while constructing a wastewater tunnel—to the startling conclusion—redefining the past—Hazel Falls will burrow into your mind and keep you turning pages. John Adam Wasowicz creates a diverse and interesting cast of characters—the accused and the accusers; the guilty and the innocent—and excavates a backstory every bit as absorbing as the present-day story is stimulating. Throughout it all, ‘Hazel’ burrows beneath the surface, as though digging plot holes for Wasowicz to resourcefully fill in. Dig it!” — Eric D. Goodman, Author of The Color of Jadeite and Setting the Family Free

“There are a lot of issues to unpack in this work by John Wasowicz. Although fiction, this marvelous book raises questions applicable to real-life situations. The despair someone wrongly convicted goes through, especially when lacking the means for a solid defense counsel. The wealth and status disparity in the advocacy of the accused. Is the effort, quality, and honesty of detective work equal across every social stratum? Same question when it comes to the care and feeding of evidence. Does an easy path to a socially popular conviction win out over diligence in pursuit of the truth?” — Ralph Peluso, Review, The Zebra Press, Alexandria’s #1 monthly newspaper.

John Adam Wasowicz is a Virginia attorney and the author of the Old Town mystery series. He is a retired U.S. Navy Reserve intelligence officer; a past president of the Fairfax County Bar Association; and a former assistant commonwealth attorney in Arlington County, Va. He earned his law degree from Catholic University and a master’s degree in public administration from the Harvard Kennedy School. Wasowicz was born and raised in Chicopee, Mass.

For more event details contact The Bookplate at 410-778-4167 or [email protected]. This event is free and open to the public and reservations are not required. The next author event is scheduled for 9/13 with author Ned Tillman. The Kitchen at the Imperial Hotel is located at 208 High Street in Chestertown, Maryland.