Put-in-Bay sleuth discovers global conspiracy in ‘Sawdust Joint’ | Book Talk

Things always happen to Emerson Moore, and especially near water. In “Sawdust Joint,” an adventure thriller by Wooster author Bob Adamov and 16th in the series about a Put-in-Bay based investigative reporter, Emerson is diving in Montego Bay when he’s stung by a Portuguese man o’ war. The venom in its deadly tentacles sends him to anaphylactic shock.

The quick thinking of Emerson’s diving buddies save his life and he’s soon back in Put-in-Bay. His editor tips him to a couple of unusual deaths in California and a similar situation in Wooster in which a number of dairy cows were found dead, their stomachs “exploded.” In the California case, the farm owners also died. His research turns out nothing, so he’s free when he’s enlisted to a mysterious trip to Las Vegas. His friend Sam, a government agent, sends him a ticket and cash with instructions to fly to Vegas carrying no cellphone or other electronics.

Emerson finds himself taking part in an international conspiracy and working with a female undercover agent, and at first he’s none too pleased by her assertive manner. After a tragedy, Emerson gets down to business with some operatives, any one of whom night be a planted mole, to worm his way into the orbit of a sinister businessman who likes to play high-stakes poker.

Emerson is fitted out with a variety of gadgets by the team’s quartermaster. In previous books, he participated in quite a bit of malfeasance, often not sanctioned, so he has some skills but no superspy training. Although he’s trying to learn on the job, he’s making a lot of bonehead moves and saying things like “Why couldn’t I have just paraglided in?” and “I’ll leave my AR-15 here.”

In previous books, Emerson was taken to places like Key West and Cuba; here he spends time in Jamaica and the Côte d'Azur, which doesn’t compensate for the torture cell in a Moroccan prison. This ultraviolent book likely has the highest body count in the series … so far. Maybe Emerson will write his article after all.

“Sawdust Joint” (226 pages, hardcover) costs $28. According to the book, the next Emerson Moore novel will be called “Holden’s Promise,” but no release date is given.

‘Epiphany’

The nine people who tell their stories in “Epiphany: Awake to Your Truth” are vastly different, but what is the same is their desire to share their sudden insights about their lives.

Ravenna’s Anna Ciano-Hendricks, who is the editor of the book, contributes an essay that recalls sexual abuse by her brother. Her parents didn’t believe her and her brother, who was six years older, continued to abuse her. Raised in a strict religion, she was shunned by her family and church; later, she was shunned again for getting a divorce. The church leaders were unsympathetic.

One contributor tells of being an organ donor — twice. Another victim of childhood sexual abuse describes the moment she realized she is transgender. Seven are women; one of the men uses a pseudonym.

“Epiphany” (192 pages, softcover) costs $17.95 from shineakron.com. Six contributors to “Epiphany” will launch the book at 6 p.m. Monday at SHINE Educational Center, 5190 Cline Road, Kent. Ciano-Hendricks is a real estate broker.

Events

Learned Owl Book Shop (204 N. Main St., Hudson): Clare Frank, California chief of fire protection, signs her memoir “Burnt,” 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday. From 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, J.T. Tenera signs his middle-grade adventure-fantasy “Erift’s Journey” books.

Fireside Books (29 N. Franklin St., Chagrin Falls): Kathy Ewing (“Missing: Coming to Terms with a Borderline Mother”) signs “A Grandmother’s ABC,” 1 to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Akron-Summit County Public Library: Kathy Schultz talks about “The Underground Railroad in Ohio” in a Zoom presentation, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday. Register at akronlibrary.org.

Rodman Library (215 E. Broadway St., Alliance): James De Monte joins the Fogle Author Series with “Where Are Your People From? A Novel in Stories,” 6:30 p.m. Monday. Register at rodmanlibrary.com.

Hudson Library & Historical Society: Alden Wicker, author of “To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion is Making Us Sick — And How We Can Fight Back,” appears in a virtual event at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Stow-Munroe Falls Public Library: Jeffrey Selingo, author of “There is Life After College” and “College Unbound,” joins the Online Author Talk Series with “Who Gets In and Why: A Year Inside College Admissions” in a virtual event at 2 p.m. Wednesday. Register at smfpl.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Solon branch, 34125 Portz Parkway): Vince Guerrieri talks about “Weird Moments in Cleveland Sports, 7 to 7:45 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (North Olmsted branch, 27403 Lorain Road): Former TV anchor Jack Marschall talks about his inspirational “The Other Side of the Tracks,” 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Register at cuyahogalibary.org.

Dover Public Library (525 N. Walnut St.): Rob Schwartz, son of Morrie Schwartz, subject of Mitch Albom’s “Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson,” talks about “The Wisdom of Morrie: Living and Aging Creatively & Joyfully,” 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at doverlibrary.org.

Mentor Public Library (8215 Mentor Ave.): Wooster medievalist C. Dale Brittain (“Positively Medieval: Life and Society in the Middle Ages”) talks about the influence of medieval history on modern fantasy and signs her books, including “Midnight Raven,” a fun fantasy for middle readers to young adults, and the comic novella “The Knight of the Short Nose,” 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Register at mentorpl.org.

Music Box Supper Club (1148 Main Ave., Cleveland): Nine contributors to “Cleveland Noir,” including Thrity Umrigar, Dana McSwain, Susan Petrone and D.M. Pulley, join the Cleveland Stories Dinner Party series to read from and sign the book, 7 p.m. Thursday. Dinner is $25; the lecture is free. Go to musicboxcle.com.

Cuyahoga County Public Library (Bedford branch, 70 Columbus Road): David Lee Morgan Jr. talks about “Breaking Through the Lines: The Marion Motley Story,” 2 to 3 p.m. Saturday. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Advance notice for author J.A. Jance, whose new novel in the Brady and Walker series is “Blessing of the Lost Girls,” about a serial killer in the Southwest, will appear at the Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Strongsville branch. Register at cuyahogalibrary.org.

Email information about books of local interest, and event notices at least two weeks in advance to BeaconBookTalk@gmail.com and bjnews@thebeaconjournal.com. Barbara McIntyre tweets at @BarbaraMcI.

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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Put-in-Bay sleuth unravels conspiracy in ‘Sawdust Joint’ | Book Talk