News Release

Throughout the world, mystery novels have achieved a popularity unparalleled by any other literary genre. Beginning on March 23, best-selling mystery authors will talk about their work in a lecture series, "Mystery Loves Company: Conversations with Leading Mystery Writers," offered by the Odyssey Program, Johns Hopkins University's non-credit liberal arts program for adults.

Featured authors include: mother-son team Charles and Caroline Todd, creators of the "Charles Todd" mysteries series; Donna Andrews, author of "You've Got Murder," an Agatha award-winning novel; Elizabeth Peters, author of more than 25 mysteries; Dan Fesperman, author of "Lie in the Dark"; and Joel Rosenberg, Steve Berry, Jan Burke and Julie Smith. Each mystery writer will be interviewed on stage by local writers, journalists and other experts in the field of crime fiction. Those attending the lectures can ask questions and have books signed.

The seven-week series takes place on Tuesday evenings from March 23 through May 11 and costs $148. Kathy Harig, owner of Mystery Loves Company Booksellers, is coordinating the lectures. For more information, call 410-516-4842 or visit www.odyssey.jhu.edu for a full listing of Odyssey classes and registration information.

Odyssey is the noncredit liberal arts program of the Division of Undergraduate Studies of the Johns Hopkins School of Professional Studies in Business and Education. Now in its 17th year, Odyssey offers courses for adults in a wide range of subjects including art, science, literature, politics, and popular culture, as well as certificates in aging and environmental science. The program is located on the Homewood campus in Baltimore and includes some 125 courses and lecture series annually.