Join us for a thrilling and magical evening as we kick off the JCC Cover to Cover Book Festival! Celebrate the release of Zigzag Girl with author Ruth Setton, who will discuss the inspiration behind her captivating new novel. Then, experience the wonder firsthand as a live magician brings the magic to the stage.

Lucy Moon, daughter of America's most renowned magic family, has always lived in the shadow of legends. Determined to forge her own path, she takes the stage at Atlantic City's haunted Black Widow Theatre for a career-defining performance. But when her best friend Van is found murdered inside the infamous sawing box-the same box that hid a real murder victim decades ago - Lucy is thrust into a deadly game where every suspect is a master of deception. Haunted by the ghost of Cleo West, a glamourous World War ll-era assistant whose life ended in the same box, Lucy must navigate Atlantic City's criminal underworld, comfort her family's dark secrets, and resist falling for a charismatic magician who might be the killer. With the help of a fierce circle of female magicians and mystics, she races to expose the truth before she becomes the final act. Zigzag Girl is a noir-tinged thriller about illusion, buried secrets, and the dangerous magic women create to survive in the world designed to make them disappear. 

Born in Morocco to a Sephardic family descended from Kabbalists and raised on tales of wonder, Ruth Knafo Setton is the author of the novels The Road to Fez and Zigzag Girl — a finalist for the International Thriller Writers Award and the Next Generation Indie Book Award, and winner of ScreenCraft's Most Cinematic Book Competition and the Daphne du Maurier Award for Best Mystery/Suspense Novel. She has studied magic with Teller, Jeff McBride, and Eugene Burger, and has been sawed in half, sawed in thirds, and locked in a regulation straitjacket. An NEA fellow, she has taught Jewish Literature and Creative Writing at Lehigh University and on Semester at Sea. https://ruthsetton.com/ 

Chris Wheel is an award-winning comedy magician who combines incredible illusions, quick wit, and audience participation to create unforgettable entertainment. With more than 15 years of experience performing for theaters, corporations, schools, libraries, and community events, Chris has amazed audiences across New York with his unique blend of laughter and wonder. Get ready for a high-energy performance full of surprises, interactive magic, and moments that will leave you asking, "How did he do that?" https://www.chriswheel.com/ 

When you purchase a ticket to this event, you'll automatically receive complimentary registration for our Fearless Women, Powerful Stories Virtual Series!

Join us for these inspiring online author conversations:

• December 17 | 7:00 PM ET – Little Edna's War by Janet Bond Brill
• March 4 | 7:00 PM ET – Hostage by Mimi Nichter
• April 8 | 7:00 PM ET – Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America (A Love Story) by Deborah Heiligman

Plus, enjoy a special bonus virtual book event with retired New York Philharmonic violinist Allan Schiller

• April 14 | 7:00 PM ET – The Wannabe Classical Music Aficionado by Allan Schiller

Your registration for the entire virtual series is included at no additional cost with your event ticket.