Murder by the Book – Center for Law, Engagement, and Politics

Waite(ing) for “Baskerville” at Murder by the Book

Olivia Discon

We were at Murder by the Book, and we had some time to “kill.” We leafed through the Michael Connelly, thumbed the Agatha Christie, photographed the many Sherlock Holmes artifacts on display…

…and even bought a “Hound of the Baskervilles.”

But the real reason we were there was to see Todd Waite.

With 25 years at the Alley Theatre and an incredible 135 productions under his belt, he’s an institution in Houston theater. When he announced that he will be semi-retiring following his upcoming lead role in Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, we felt the “weight” of the occasion. It was “elementary:” we purchased tickets.

As a prelude to opening night, Waite spoke at Murder by the Book, where he took the stage to the delight of a full house.

During the discussion, Waite discussed his love of language, a passion instilled in him by his mother, an English teacher who taught him early on to appreciate the weight of every word. This foundation shaped his approach to performance, where even the smallest vocal shift—from “ah” to “oh”—can redefine a line’s meaning.

He spoke about the complexity of human emotion and how, beyond the broad categories we assign feelings, true depth is conveyed through inflection, gesture, and tone.

His role as an actor, he explained, is to bring those nuances to life in a way that honors the writer’s intent. He illustrated these ideas with stories from his career, sharing insights from specific productions that influenced his philosophy.

Theater, he notes, is a form of alchemy—combining words, movement, and presence to create something greater than the sum of its parts, and this is something the LEAP Center tries to capture in its approach to education, incorporating the fine arts, history, law, politics, and literature into its curriculum. It is perhaps appropriate, then, that a majority of LEAP students have seen their first professional play with Waite on the Alley Theatre’s stage.

LEAP Students / Alumni at the Alley’s “Thirty-Nine Steps”

The Alley Theatre itself is something of an anomaly in contemporary American theatre. According to Waite, the Alley employs a full-time, year-round resident company—one of the few, if not the only, to do so. And this, of course, allows the residents of Houston and the surrounding areas, to see first-class theatre year-round.

Although we bid farewell (for now) to Waite’s (Murder by the Book) performance, we eagerly anticipate seeing him take the stage once more as a resident of the theatre company on April 13. We anticipate Baskerville leaving audiences “howling” for more.

Serial Killers, Friday the 13th, and Jana Monroe- Murder By The Book

By Cinthia Villarreal

Friday the 13^th is known for being an unlucky day; however, LEAP students felt the exact opposite when they had the opportunity to meet the former FBI agent Jana Monroe! Jessica Cuevas, Olivia Discon, and I went to my newfound favorite bookstore, Murder by the Book, to listen to the one-of-a-kind author talk about her new memoir Hearts of Darkness where she talks about her journey through the FBI as one of the first analysts in the FBI Behavioral Science Unit, where she oversaw over 850 homicide cases.

In order to approach the book mindfully and explore Jana Monroe’s background and inspirations, former FBI agent John Iannarelli flew from Arizona to converse with Monroe about her life experiences before and throughout her influential career. Iannarelli read from the foreword, written by Joe Navarro, describing Monroe as “the single most influential woman to ever serve in the FBI.” Iannarelli did a great job asking the questions we all wanted the answers to.

Monroe spoke about an instance in which she attended a job fair in high school, where she inquired with a recruiter about a future career with the FBI. She asked about the coursework recommended to prepare herself for the academy and after a back and forth discussion, the agent told Monroe she would never have the necessary criteria to be an agent, since women were only employed at the FBI as secretaries or file clerks.

As the years passed and minds opened, Monroe served as a special agent and became the first assistant director of the FBI Cyber Division. Monroe is passionate about women staying true to themselves no matter their line of work. In fact, she mentions how she got in trouble with her supervisor once because of the polka dot heels she would wear to work. “There was no language that says that I cannot wear high heels because you have never had a woman agent before”, she countered.

During the Q&A space, Olivia asked Monroe about the impact her career as an agent and analyst had on her writing.

A question from the audience prompted Monroe to choose her favorite serial killer, and without a second thought, she chose Edmund Kemper. She described Kemper as a “true sociopath” who would copy people’s emotions and expressions. He killed his parents when he was 15 years old “to know what it would feel like”. The six foot nine inches serial killer killed seven people, and once walked around downtown with the head of one of his victims inside a clear plastic bag. He anticipated someone would call the police and have him arrested, but no one did. According to Monroe, he knew he was not going to stop killing people, so he turned himself in, not before calling the police inept.

Students had the opportunity to get their books signed by Monroe, and through small talk, Monroe spoke about her current and future projects, including two TV shows.

The LEAP Ambassadors and I thank Jana Monroe for her enthusiastic talk. She has truly carved the path for young women like ourselves. I was able to chat with Monroe and describe what an inspiration she is for us, she might not have had a role model, but she definitely is ours!

After the formal event, we headed to Taste of Mulan for some delicious Chinese cuisine. We were all impressed by the variety of the menu which included meats like chicken, beef, shrimp and even duck. Olivia got the General Tsao’s Chicken and a side of egg fried rice while Jessica and I went with basil fried rice with chicken. The night luckily ended without any trickery, making this meal was an excellent close to our night in Houston!

“What Remains” with Wendy Walker

June 13, 2023

Yvette Mendoza

One of the LEAP Ambassadors’ beloved bookstores for murder mystery enthusiasts is Murder by the Book, where we had the opportunity to meet the wonderful author Wendy Walker at her book signing. Known for her psychological thriller novels, she is currently on a book tour for her latest release, “What Remains.”

To dive deeper into the book and explore Wendy Walker’s background and writing techniques, Dr. Ashley Winstead, also an author, was on hand to moderate a discussion. Dr. Winstead, as it turns out, was an excellent interviewer.

The inspiration behind Walker’s book was a tragic shooting at King Soopers in Colorado in 2021. This event sparked ideas for the plot, which the author was able to expand and feature a female detective faced with the difficult decision of saving one life at the cost of taking another.

Although the book has intense moments, the structure alternates intensity with more contemplative and investigative elements. According to Walker, this technique was employed to add depth to the narrative, give readers a break from the intensity, and to explore deeper themes.

Walker also drew on her background in family law, which gave her insight into trauma, human nature, and family dynamics. These themes are prevalent throughout the novel, and Walker added additional layers of psychological drama, which, in her words, she “geeks out” over.

During the Q&A period, LEAP Ambassador Olivia Discon asked whether it was surreal to hear your characters’ voices portrayed by actors on audiobook after months of imagining what the characters’ voices, inflections, and verbal mannerisms.

Following the formal event, we had a chance to chat with Ms. Walker and Dr. Winstead. We reminded Ms. Walker that LEAP students had attended one of her book talks in 2017!

So, we enjoyed another photo with Ms. Walker–and, this time, with Dr. Winstead as well. Perhaps we’ll do the same at her next release!

Merus Grill

Michelle Cardenas

After getting our books signed and taking selfies with author Wendy Walker, we headed to Merus Grill in Uptown Houston for dinner. For starters, we indulged in perfectly fire-grilled artichokes and a delicious Avocado Bomb. We were all very big fans of the flavor combinations, and we were eager to dig into our main entrees.

Yvette had the Southern Salad, and Professor Yawn and Stephanie split the Grilled Trout meanwhile Ingrid, Oliva, and I ordered the Old Fashioned Cheeseburger.

Following our main entrees we decided to partake in a sweet treat by ordering the Carrot Cake and “The Very Best Chocolate Cake” served with vanilla ice cream. The dishes and dessert were all very delicious and satisfied all of our expectations.

After sharing a couple stories and conversing at the dinner table we parted ways and concluded yet another successful LEAP event.

Book Talk with Megan Abbott: “Beware the Woman”

Morgan Robertson

Just 36 hours before our summer retreat, Michelle Cardenas, Olivia Discon, Ingrid Cuero, and I made our way to Houston to see award-winning author, Megan Abbott, discuss her new book: Beware the Woman. Abbott’s seventh stop on her book tour was hosted at one of our favorite local bookstores, Murder By The Book. Like its name suggests, Murder By The Book is certainly a place for true crime enthusiasts, mystery fanatics, and of course avid readers!

In most crime novels, and in real cases, the perpetrator is often male. However, Abbott flips the narrative in her works by diving into the motives and emotions that drive women to act in malicious ways. Beware the Woman follows a newlywed and expecting couple Jacy and Jed, as they venture to Jed’s fathers’ cabin in the woods. Without giving too much away, Abbott managed to offer some teasers about the book, while also answering questions from the audience and successfully hooked us on reading the book!

Abbott chose to spend her time answering questions from the audience. In past interviews and articles, Abbott indicated that she has been heavily influenced by film noir. Professor Yawn asked Abbott if she pictures certain actors from film noir as her characters while she writes. Abbott answered of course and listed some of her childhood favorites including Robert Mitchum, Humphrey Bogard, and Gloria Grahame! However, she also mentioned how she tries to leave enough ambiguity so that readers may fill in the blanks and invasion their own protagonist or villain.

Another question from the audience, prompted Abbott to choose her favorite of her works. After pondering on her answer

Abbott chose Dare Me (2012) which details the true nature of a high school cheer squad with a dark twist. This question led Abbott to describe part of her researching process. In her example, Abbott chose The Turnout (2021) and explained that YouTube and message boards were a few of her greatest tools to uncover what the world of competitive ballet looks like. Although she interviewed countless ballet dancers and instructors, online sources also provided details needed for her thriller. Abbott noted how in preparation for a book, she will do extensive research at the beginning so that she doesn’t have to fact check every small detail as she begins to write.

Olivia most enjoyed how Abbott contemplated each question and gave genuine answers about her process and her own opinions on her work. Olivia purchased The Song is You (2007) after talking with Stephanie who enjoyed the book for its noir themes and “female fatale” character.

Abbott was kind enough to pose for a picture with our group and chat with us for a few minutes!

The LEAP Ambassadors would like to thank Megan Abbott for her lively and engaging book talk, as well as Murder By The Book for hosting such a great event!

Jeffrey Deaver and “The Goodbye Man”

Jeffery Deaver The Goodbye Man

By Ilexus Williams

The LEAP Ambassadors were excited to join Murder By The Book’s Facebook live with Jeffery Deaver. Jeffery Deaver is a mystery and crime writer who is recognized as the “master of suspense” author of the “Lincoln Rhyme” novels and other works. However, Deaver is also credited as a former journalist, folksinger, and attorney. After gaining a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Missouri and a Juris Doctorate degree from Fordham University, Jeffery Deaver initially worked as a journalist and then pursued a career as an attorney. After practicing law, Deaver launched into his writing career. Deaver’s work includes more than thirty-five novels, three collections of short stories, the lyrics for a country-western album, and a nonfiction law book. His novels have been listed on bestseller lists such as New York Times, Italy’s Corriere della Sera, and the Times of London. Also, Deaver has received many awards such as the Bouchercon World Mystery Convention’s Lifetime Achievement Award, the Raymond Chandler Lifetime Achievement Award, and nominations for Edgar Awards from the Mystery Writers of America.

Jeffrey Deaver

To begin our evening, Murder By The Book allowed Jeffery Deaver to give the audience a short reading of his newest novel The Goodbye Man. Murder By The Book typically discourages authors from reading their work, however, Deaver is particularly skilled at this, prompting MBTB to ask him to do so. In the reading of The Goodbye Man, the main character of the book, Colter Shaw, was being pursued and needed to determine a course of action.

“Seconds to decide. Swerve left? Swerve right? A steep drop into brush? Or a narrow shoulder that ends in a cliff wall? Left. It was instinct.” With this decision, Colter Shaw tumbled down the hillside and became trapped in his car. While trying to free himself he noticed his attacker “scrambling down the hillside and pressing through the dense growth toward Shaw.” With his attacker drawing closer with a weapon in hand, Shaw continued to struggle.
He continued to squeeze.
Almost out.
Come on, Come on…
Yes!
No.
Just as he was about to break free, his wallet, in the left rear pocket of his black jeans, caught. The attacker stopped, leaning through the brush, and lifted the pistol. Shaw heard it cock. A revolver…The bullet went wide, kicking up dust near Shaw. Another click. The man fired again. This bullet hit its mark.”

As a suspense writer, Deaver felt that it was only right to leave viewers with a cliffhanger. Moving into the interview, the moderator, Mckenna Jordan, opened the discussion by asking Deaver to give an elevator pitch for his new book.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Jeffrey Deaver, Murder by the Book, The Goodbye Man

Deaver revealed that The Goodbye Man is a sequel to the first Colter Shaw book: The Never Game. The Goodbye Man has loose parallels to David Koresh and The Branch Davidians and Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. The main character Colter Shaw has traveled to the wilderness of Washington State to investigate a mysterious organization that could potentially be a cult.

Additionally, Deaver speaks to his approach to writing his Colter Shaw books. The Colter Shaw books are influenced by passive forms of entertainment such as television and movies. Deaver considers these forms of entertainment passive because the director or choreographer give the viewers everything and leave nothing to the imagination. In juxtaposition, with books readers are partnered with the author. Because of the active role readers play, they bring their own sensibility when interpreting a book or short story. In contrast to passive forms of entertainment, reading is a more emotionally engaging experience. In saying this, Deaver believes that it is important for authors to recognize passive forms of entertainment. In order to appeal to audiences in this particular market, Deaver intentionally writes shorter novels, shorter chapters, and he uses simple language to give his books a cinematic quality that holds the reader’s attention.

SHSU, LEAP Center, Center for Law Engagement And Politics, Jeffrey Deaver, Murder by the Book, The Goodbye Man

Furthermore, many people find cults extremely fascinating, so the moderator questioned why Deaver chose this subject to be the center of his novel. He revealed that this topic was influenced by a personal experience that, at the time, seemed catastrophic. However, now he finds humor in the situation. While living in Manhattan, Deaver met a woman he found very beautiful, intelligent, and funny. While in conversation the woman asked Deaver what he was doing on Friday night. Deaver responded, “Whatever you are doing on Friday night.” Deaver expected to have dinner with his new acquaintance. However, his night did not go as planned. The woman led him to an event in a hotel in Midtown Manhattan, which turned out to be a recruitment meeting for a cult. Deaver sat through a lecture, and he vividly recalls the control the leader had over the cult members. The leader “stirred them into a frenzy that was actually terrifying…They were jostling, applauding, clapping and shouting and chanting. They had no mind of their own. They were a creature, an animal with 500 legs and feet.” It is from this terrifying experience Deaver draws his inspiration for The Goodbye Man. His inspiration does not cease with this book: Deaver is currently crafting the sequel to The Goodbye Man.

Murder By The Book’s evening with Jeffery Deaver was truly captivating, and we look forward to more events!

Meg Gardiner Talks Unsub Series

By Maggie Denena

Monday afternoon, Students headed to Murder By The Book in Houston for a discussion and book signing by author Meg Gardiner. True to MBTB style, the book signing was for Gardiner’s newest release, The Dark Corners of the Night, the third book in a murder mystery/detective crime series. A former attorney and Stanford graduate, Gardiner is also a three-time Jeopardy winner.