Event Description
Porter Square Books: Boston Edition and GrubStreet are delighted to present the latest installment of the Grubbie Debut event series, featuring Emily Ross! Join us for a celebration of her debut novel, Swallowtail. Christine Murphy will join Ross in conversation, and the author talk will be followed by a signing line.
This event will take place at our BOSTON store. See transportation details below.
We are pleased to offer a virtual attendance option for this event. Register to attend on Crowdcast here: https://www.crowdcast.io/c/swallowtail
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This event is co-presented by GrubStreet and Porter Square Books.
ABOUT SWALLOWTAIL
In the gritty seaside town of Quincy, Massachusetts, the killing of a teenager on her daughter's dance team plunges Detective Samantha Star into the trauma of her abduction twenty years before. As clues point to a serial killer obsessed with Surrealism and Greek myth, Sam must unravel the mystery of her own kidnapping to solve the crime--before her daughter is next. At stake are not just the teenagers' lives, but also Sam's identity as a detective and an artist, and a community's chance at healing. Swallowtail is the moving story of a woman's journey to free herself from the trauma of her past, and a thought-provoking exploration of violent representations of women in myth and art.
PRAISE FOR SWALLOWTAIL
"Set on the gritty streets of Quincy, Massachusetts, Emily Ross's Swallowtail delivers the goods, bringing rich atmosphere, deep characterization, plenty of '90s nostalgia, and a taut storyline that will keep you turning pages well into the night. Fans of Mare of Easttown will love this one " —Edwin Hill, author of Who to Believe
ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Emily Ross is the author of the mystery thriller, Swallowtail (Galiot press), which Publishers Weekly says maintains plenty of “nerve-shredding tension” and of the International Thriller Writers Awards finalist, Half in Love with Death. She won the Al Blanchard best story award for her short story, “Let the Chips Fall”, which appeared in Devil’s Snare: Best New England Crime Stories 2024. She lives in Quincy, MA, with her husband and Obi-Wan Kenobi, their very playful cat.
A trained Buddhologist, Christine Murphy has a PhD in Buddhist Studies. Her debut novel, Notes On Surviving The Fire (Knopf, 2025), was praised by The New Yorker for its "anarchic spirit" and described by The Financial Times as "savage, brilliant, merciless, and mad as hell."
This class will take place in-person at our Center for Creative Writing in Boston's Seaport neighborhood.
Covid-19 Update:
GrubStreet's space will be mask-optional when Boston's Covid-19 Community Level is low or medium. When the Covid-19 Community Level is high, our space will require masks. Please check GrubStreet's Covid-19 page for the latest info on masking and Community Levels before visiting in person.
Space Accessibility:
Our space is ADA accessible with automatic door openers, ADA-compliant restrooms, desk and table spacing, braille signage, and elevator. Our classrooms can be equipped with ALS for hard of hearing individuals. We cannot guarantee a scent-free environment. For more accessibility requests, please contact our Operations team at [email protected] or (617) 695-0075.