Some are born mad; some have madness thrust upon themย…no, wait, thatย’s not the right quote. Mad is as mad does? No, thatย’s not it either. Anyway, madness, the crazies, loco-mania ย— Jilliane Hoffmanย’s novel Plea of Insanity explores the differences between them all. Hoffmanย’s lead character, an ambitious young prosecutor, is faced with a squeaky-clean defendant: a surgeon who supposedly snapped one night and slaughtered his entire family. Is his plea of insanity the real thing or just a carefully crafted lie? 6:30 p.m. Murder by the Book, 2342 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-524-8597 or visit www.murderbooks.com. Free.

Thu., June 25, 6:30 p.m., 2009