Waverly Fitzgerald: In Memoriam and HARD RAIN book launch

By Alice K. Boatwright 

Past President, Puget Sound Chapter of Sisters in Crime

On Thursday, February 13, 2020 the Puget Sound Chapter of Sisters in Crime will celebrate the life of longtime member, Waverly Fitzgerald, who passed away on December 13, 2019 just before the paperback publication of her new Rachel Stern PI mystery, HARD RAIN, by Epicenter Press, which was released in November, 2019.

At this event, her longtime collaborator Curt Colbert will read from her new book and talk about the special working relationship that he and Waverly had. 

While many people are aware of their successful and delightful Barking Detective mysteries – written under their joint pen name of Waverly Curtis – fewer know about their earlier collaboration on HARD RAIN and Curt’s latest book, ALL ALONG THE WATCHTOWER (Epicenter Press, 2019).

These two PI novels are linked in that Curt’s Matt Rossiter is the mentor of Waverly’s Rachel Stern, and the mysteries share common scenes and plot points while still being completely independent stories. 

Set in Seattle in 1999, the mysteries to be solved both look back at the turbulent years of the 1960s and 1970s and demonstrate the authors’ skill at recreating that history.

The program will also celebrate Waverly’s remarkable contributions not only to Sisters in Crime, where she was our treasurer-extraordinaire for the past two years, but also to the entire Seattle writing community through her teaching at Hugo House and elsewhere, and her work as editor, publisher, and mentor to so many of us.

Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park is co-sponsoring this event, which will be held in The Den. In addition to HARD RAIN, other books by Waverly Fitzgerald will also be on sale. 

Never one to be pinned down to a single genre, her works include not only the Pepe mysteries inspired by that inimitable talking chihuahua detective and a series of Victorian romances, but also non-fiction reflecting her deep interest in nature, the seasons, and ritual celebrations.

Please join us to remember Waverly.

Thursday, February 13, 2020 at 7 pm, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, in The Den. (SinC members and friends will gather beforehand at Third Place Commons as usual.)