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Carolyn Wells: The Famous, Forgotten Mystery Author

November 15 @ 11:15 am - 12:15 pm

Carolyn Wells wrote 82 detective novels in the early twentieth century, including the classic bibliomystery, Murder in the Bookshop. She also wrote in other genres—children’s, young adult, poetry, humor—totaling 180+ books over her career. Some were adapted into silent films, and some became bestsellers. Yet she faded into obscurity after her death in 1942. An enigmatic bookplate found in an old book that once belonged to Wells prompted Rebecca Rego Barry to embark on a full-scale investigation into Wells’ life and literary legacy. The paper trail led to Rahway, New Jersey, where she was born and is buried; to New York City’s Upper West Side, where Wells spent her final 25 years; to the Library of Congress, where her world-class collection of rare books now resides; and to many other public and private collections where exciting discoveries unfolded and ultimately resulted in the first-ever biography of Wells.

Rebecca-Rego-Barry

Rebecca Rego Barry is the author of The Vanishing of Carolyn Wells: Investigations into a Forgotten Mystery Author (2024) and Rare Books Uncovered (2015). The former longtime editor of Fine Books & Collections, she is now the director of communications at The Raab Collection, a company that buys and sell historical documents. She lives in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Find her on Instagram and her books on Linktree.

 

Nov 15 @ 11:15 am – 12:15 pm — Zoom only

Program is free and open to the public.

Register here to receive the Zoom link.

Details

Date:
November 15
Time:
11:15 am - 12:15 pm
Event Category:
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