Left Bank Books, in downtown Belfast, invites the public to a free talk and booksigning by Maine authors Tess Gerritsen and Paul Doiron on Tuesday, Aug. 25, at 7 p.m. The event will take place at The First Church in Belfast, located across the street from the bookshop. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.

The occasion for this first-ever conversation between two of Maine's leading mystery writers, according to Left Bank, in a news release, is that day’s release of The Shadow Friends, Gerritsen’s third installment in her Martini Club series, set in Midcoast Maine. Joining Gerritsen is Paul Doiron who, in June, released The Storm Tide, the sixteenth book in his mystery series featuring Maine Game Warden Mike Bowditch.

"In their books, Tess and Paul have crafted compelling protagonists that readers around the world have come to know, care about, and love," said Left Bank. "In The Shadow Friends, Tess continues enchanting readers with the escapades of The Martini Club, five retired CIA operatives who live in Unity, Maine—a thinly disguised, fictionalized Camden, Maine.

In The Shadow Friends, Gerritsen weaves a thriller involving a renowned disease expert and Russian defector, a global affairs conference in Purity, a thirty-year-old CIA mission, a former lover of one of the Martini Club members, and an impromptu journey to Amsterdam to track down a killer.

In The Storm Tide, Mike Bowditch investigates a series of brutal killing in Down East Maine that take him through frozen harbors, trackless forests, and remote islands, far from rescue. Meanwhile, he's facing a disciplinary hearing that could end his career and his wife Stacey, just weeks from giving birth, is being stalked by a stranger.

Gerritsen and Doiron, both international bestselling authors, will discuss their craft, how in the world they come up with their plot lines, and what's next for the Martini Club members and Mike Bowditch. They will sign copies of their books following their conversation.

Copies of The Storm Tide are available at Left Bank Books now. Copies of The Shadow Friends will be available in both hardcover and paperback on August 25; pre-purchases may be made now by calling (207.338.9009) or emailing Left Bank Books. Both books, as well as selected backlist titles from both authors, will also be available for purchase at the event.

Reservations may be made on Eventbrite.com or by contacting the bookshop. Ample free parking is available, according to the book store.