“An Evening with Heather Gudenkauf,” March 24

Thursday, March 24, 6:30 p.m.

Presented by the Moline Public Library

Appearing virtually in a March 24 Moline Public Library presentation, the critically acclaimed, bestselling author Heather Gudenkauf will be on hand to discuss her most recent suspense novel The Overnight Guest, the January publication that the New York Times praised as "fully realized, wholly absorbing, and almost painfully suspenseful," adding that "the journey is mesmerizing."

As Gudenkauf's The Overnight Guest begins, true-crime writer Wylie Lark doesn’t mind being snowed in at the isolated farmhouse where she’s retreated to write her new book. A cozy fire, complete silence ... . The setting would be perfect if not for the fact that decades earlier, at this very house, two people were murdered in cold blood and a girl disappeared without a trace. As the storm worsens, Lark finds herself trapped inside the house, haunted by the secrets contained within its walls – as well as haunted by secrets of her own. Then she discovers a small child in the snow just outside. Bringing the youth inside for warmth and safety, Lark begins to search for answers to the mystery of this unexpected guest. But it soon becomes clear that the farmhouse isn’t as isolated as she thought, and that someone is willing to do anything to find them.

A native South Dakotan who currently resides in Iowa, Gudenkauf is an Edgar Award-nominated, bestselling author of eight novels on literary lists for the New York Times and USA Today. Her 2009 debut novel The Weight of Silence was an instant New York Times bestseller that remained on the list for 22 weeks, and Gudenkauf’s other lauded releases (among them 2011;s These Things Hidden, 2017's Not a Sound, and 2019's Before She Was Found) have been published in more than 20 countries and have been included in many "Best of" lists, including the New York Times' "Seven Thrillers to Read This Summer," the Washington Post's "The 10 Best Thrillers and Mysteries of 2017 by The Washington Post, NPR's "Best Books of 2017, and ChicagoNow.com's "Best Books for the Beach." In addition to the praise that Gudenkauf's latest The Overnight Guest received from the Times, Kirkus Reviews described the work as “taut, tense, and terrifying,” while Publisher's Weekly deemed the novel a “riveting thriller.”

An Evening with Heather Gudenkauf will be presented by the Moline Public Library on March 24, participation in the 6:30 p.m. event is free, and more information is available by calling (309)524-2470 and visiting MolineLibrary.com.