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 Traverse City with his wife, Pamela, where he can be found playing hockey, singing in his band, or spending time with his children and grandchildren.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. The event begins at 7 p.m. and includes a Q&A and author signing. Seats are general admission so it is encouraged to arrive early to choose seating. Tickets do not include a copy of the book. If you’d like a book, please navigate to the “purchase book” button above.
Virtual Option
Even if you can’t make it to the Alluvion, you can still enjoy National Writers Series events from the comfort of your own home on event night or later on-demand when it’s more convenient. Learn more about virtual ticket options by clicking the “virtual tickets” button above.
John U. Bacon has written 14 books, including seven national bestsellers.
He has written for dozens of major American publications, appears often on national TV, and won NPR’s prize for the nation’s best commentary in 2014. He also hosts a popular leadership podcast, Let Them Lead, now in its second season.
In 2009 the University of Michigan students awarded him the Golden Apple Award as their favorite teacher. The Daily Beast called Bacon’s course one of the “ten hottest classes in America.” In 2019, he was appointed a trustee of Michigan Technological University, and delivered the 2022 commencement speech.
John is a decent Spanish speaker, an average hockey player, and a poor piano player, but he still enjoys all three. He lives in Ann Arbor and northern Michigan with his wife and son. John will be back to the National Writers Series on Thursday, November 6th to talk about his next novel: The Gales of November: The Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald.
