News Release

CHAPEL HILL — A talk by Raleigh mystery novelist Margaret Maron on Thursday (April 14) will open an exhibit of mystery books at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

A reception and opening at 5 p.m. for the exhibit in Wilson Library, "A Talent to Deceive: Mystery and Detective Fiction in the Rare Book Collection," will be free to the public, as will Maron’s talk at 5:45 p.m.

More than 100 books from the collection will be displayed through Aug. 30 in Wilson’s Melba Remig Saltarelli Exhibit Room. Included will be works by Agatha Christie, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allen Poe. The exhibit will feature historical mysteries set in ancient, medieval and modern times.

Maron has written six novels featuring the character Deborah Knott, the latest titled "High Country Fall." The first, "Bootlegger’s Daughter," was a Washington Post best seller and won all four of the major mystery awards in 1993:

· Edgar Allan Poe Award from Mystery Writers of America;

· Anthony Award for Best Mystery Novel of 1992 (from the Anthony Boucher Memorial World Mystery Convention);

· Agatha Award for Best Novel of 1992, from the Malice Domestic convention; and

· Macavity Award from Mystery Readers International.

"That was an unprecedented sweep of those awards," said Susan Bales of the Rare Book Collection and exhibit curator. Wednesday’s program is presented by Friends of the Library. For more information, call 962-4207.

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Contact: Susan Bales, 962-1143, sbales@email.unc.edu

News Services contacts: Print, L.J. Toler, 962-8589; broadcast, Karen Moon, 962-9585