Casey's latest foray into fiction is the just-released The Killing Storm, the third in a series featuring Texas Ranger Sarah Armstrong. Set in Houston, the story starts with the abduction of a four-year-old boy. The most puzzling thing about the kidnapping is the odd reaction of the boy's mother, leading some to believe she's involved in the crime. Elsewhere, Ranger Armstrong is investigating the circumstances surrounding the mutilation of a longhorn on a cattle ranch just outside town. The animal was slaughtered, and a symbol dating back to the era of slavery and sugarcane plantations was left on the hide. Soon more cattle are killed in the same way. As the kidnapping and animal mutilation cases swirl frustratingly unsolved, a catastrophic hurricane is threatening the Gulf Coast, adding even more urgency to the situation. 3 p.m. Murder by the Book, 2342 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-524-8597 or visit www.murderbooks.com. Free.
Sat., Nov. 13, 3 p.m., 2010