“The Year Mrs. Cooper Got out More” is the first book in a series of contemporary commercial fiction being written by seasonal Maine resident Meredith Marple. Each book is set in Great Wharf, a fictional small town between Ogunquit and Kennebunkport. Recurring characters enjoy relationships of love, trust, and respect — even as conflict and fears abound.

Synopsis: Living in a small town in Maine … doesn’t keep you safe. The coastal tourist town of Great Wharf, Maine, boasts a crime rate so low you might suspect someone’s lying. Nursing long-simmering secrets, agoraphobic empty nester Mallory Cooper fears most everything. Careful to keep the red wine handy and loath to leave the house, Mallory misses her happier self—and so does her husband. To please him as well as deflect a nosy neighbor who’s curious about a New Age gift shop, Mallory steps out to explore. A chance comment to the vampy store owner seals the proprietor’s and others’ fates while Mallory chases her own demons for an overdue showdown. With the courage to change, Mallory learns that forgiveness, love, and friendships will help her overcome fears and scars.

Marple will read from her new novel at the Southport Memorial Library on Thursday, June 27 at 7 p.m. Books will be available, as well as refreshments.

To learn more about the author, visit http://meredithmarple.com

The Library is at 1032 Hendricks Hill Road, Southport Island. For more information, call the library at 633-2741.