Bridgewater Author To Host Book Signing On Debut Novel

BRIDGEWATER, NJ — Bridgewater author Amanda Hess will be hosting a book signing for her debut novel "The Perfect Season For Murder."

The signing will be held on Monday, Nov. 10, from 5 to 6 p.m. at Time to Eat Diner at 270 Route 202/206 North in Bridgewater.

Hess, a Bridgewater-Raritan High School graduate and Township resident, recently self-published her first book.

The novel came to fruition during the pandemic.

"I was unemployed during the pandemic, and I had a lot of time, and a thought crossed my head one night, and I said, 'That's really good. I should write that down'," said Hess.

She spent a lot of her time writing the novel before eventually returning to work. She continued writing on her days off. She was making excellent progress until she hit a writer's block. The novel is a whodunit story, and she needed to figure out how to end it properly.

Hess turned to her roots growing up and headed to the library to do research.

"I was physically going to the library in COVID with my mask on and looking up things, because there was so much stuff. I know we have Google, but for what I wanted, I was old school," said Hess.

She researched what type of DNA analysis was available in the 1980s and what would be appropriate for her story. She also watched Law and Order on television for inspiration to finally perfect her storyline.

The novel, "The Perfect Season for Murder," is set in 1980 and follows the character Katie Michaels.

"She is young, pretty, and living her dream in New York City. But that dream is shattered when she is found murdered in her apartment. Detective Ed Bartlett, a seasoned homicide investigator, is on the case. He thinks it is a simple jealous lover case, but as the evidence and the bodies pile up, this case will take Ed on a strange journey that no one saw coming," according to Hess' description on Amazon.

The novel is meant for readers in high school and older, while the short story is good for middle schoolers and older.

For more information or to buy "The Perfect Season For Murder," visit amazon.com.

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