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Image for event: True Crime Book Club

Registration now closed

True Crime Book Club

"Innocent Man" by John Grisham

2025-05-19 13:00:00 2025-05-19 14:00:00 America/New_York True Crime Book Club A great way to discover and discuss new and classic true crime writing. We meet on the third Monday of each month. New members are always welcome to join us! Westlake Porter Public Library - Dover Room

Monday, May 19
1:00pm - 2:00pm

Add to Calendar 2025-05-19 13:00:00 2025-05-19 14:00:00 America/New_York True Crime Book Club A great way to discover and discuss new and classic true crime writing. We meet on the third Monday of each month. New members are always welcome to join us! Westlake Porter Public Library - Dover Room

A great way to discover and discuss new and classic true crime writing. We meet on the third Monday of each month. New members are always welcome to join us!

In May we will be reading "Innocent Man: Murder and Injustice in a Small Town" by John Grisham

From Amazon

John Grisham’s first work of nonfiction: a true crime masterpiece that tells the story of small town justice gone terribly awry.

In the Major League draft of 1971, the first player chosen from the state of Oklahoma was Ron Williamson. When he signed with the Oakland A’s, he said goodbye to his hometown of Ada and left to pursue his dreams of big league glory. Six years later he was back, his dreams broken by a bad arm and bad habits. He began to show signs of mental illness. Unable to keep a job, he moved in with his mother and slept twenty hours a day on her sofa.

In 1982, a twenty-one-year-old cocktail waitress in Ada named Debra Sue Carter was raped and murdered, and for five years the police could not solve the crime. For reasons that were never clear, they suspected Ron Williamson and his friend Dennis Fritz. The two were finally arrested in 1987 and charged with capital murder. With no physical evidence, the prosecution’s case was built on junk science and the testimony of jailhouse snitches and convicts. Dennis Fritz was found guilty and given a life sentence. Ron Williamson was sent to death row.

If you believe that in America you are innocent until proven guilty, this book will shock you. If you believe in the death penalty, this book will disturb you. If you believe the criminal justice system is fair, this book will infuriate you.


A great way to discover and discuss new and classic true crime writing—from murder, to robbery, heists and arson—we touch on every aspect of humanity's darker instincts.

We meet on the third Monday of every month starting in January. View and print the list of books and check out WPPL's Book Discussion page for more book and movie clubs!

AGE GROUP: | Adults |

EVENT TYPE: | Books and Authors |

TAGS: | True Crime | book discussion |

Westlake Porter Public Library

Phone: (440) 871-2600
Fax: (440) 871-6969

Hours
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Mon, Apr 13 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Apr 14 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 16 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Apr 17 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 18 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Apr 19 1:00PM to 5:00PM
Mon, Apr 13 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Apr 14 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 15 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 16 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, Apr 17 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, Apr 18 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, Apr 19 1:00PM to 5:00PM

About the branch

Westlake Porter Public Library is an independent public library serving the residents of the city of Westlake, western Cuyahoga County and eastern Lorain County. The library is located at 27333 Center Ridge Road in Westlake, Ohio. Anyone who lives, works, owns property, or goes to school in Ohio can register for a free library card.

Upcoming events

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Tue, Apr 14, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Tue, Apr 14, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 2

Wed, Apr 15, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
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Wed, Apr 15, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 15, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 15, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
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Wed, Apr 15, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
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Thu, Apr 16, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
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Thu, Apr 16, 6:30pm - 7:30pm
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Fri, Apr 17, 10:30am - 11:30am
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Sun, Apr 19, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Sun, Apr 19, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
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Mon, Apr 20, 9:00am - 9:00pm
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Mon, Apr 20, 11:00am - 11:45am
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Mon, Apr 20, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
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Mon, Apr 20, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
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Mon, Apr 20, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Mon, Apr 20, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
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Tue, Apr 21, 10:00am - 11:30am
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Tue, Apr 21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Tue, Apr 21, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
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Wed, Apr 22, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Craft Room,Teen Lounge

Wed, Apr 22, 3:00pm - 4:30pm
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Wed, Apr 22, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 22, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 22, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Technology Training Lab

Wed, Apr 22, 6:00pm - 6:30pm
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Registration opens Wednesday, April 15 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 22, 6:30pm - 8:00pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 1

Thu, Apr 23, 6:00pm - 7:00pm
Thomas A. Fox Board Room

Thu, Apr 23, 6:30pm - 7:00pm
Storytime Room

Sat, Apr 25, 10:00am - 12:00pm
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Sat, Apr 25, 11:00am - 11:45am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Saturday, April 18 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, Apr 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm

Sat, Apr 25, 1:00pm - 2:30pm
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Sat, Apr 25, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
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Sat, Apr 25, 2:00pm - 3:30pm
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Mon, Apr 27, 10:00am - 10:30am
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Mon, Apr 27, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
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Mon, Apr 27, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Tue, Apr 28, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Craft Room
Registration opens Tuesday, April 21 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, Apr 29, 3:00pm - 5:00pm
Craft Room

Wed, Apr 29, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Study Room YS-Group

Wed, Apr 29, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, Apr 29, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Wed, Apr 29, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
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Thu, Apr 30, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
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Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
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Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
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Sun, May 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Sun, May 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
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Mon, May 04, 9:00am - 9:00pm
Registration opens Monday, April 27 2026 at 9:00am

Mon, May 04, 10:30am - 11:00am
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Mon, May 04, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Tue, May 05, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
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Registration opens Tuesday, April 28 2026 at 6:00pm

Tue, May 05, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
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Wed, May 06, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Wed, May 06, 6:00pm - 6:30pm
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Registration opens Wednesday, April 29 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, May 06, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Dover Room

Thu, May 07, 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Porter Room

Thu, May 07, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Sat, May 09, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, May 09, 11:00am - 12:00pm
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Registration opens Saturday, May 2 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, May 09, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Sat, May 09, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Dover Room
Registration opens Saturday, May 2 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, May 09, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Porter Room

Mon, May 11, 4:30pm - 5:15pm
Technology Training Lab
Registration opens Monday, May 4 2026 at 4:30pm

Mon, May 11, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
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Mon, May 11, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
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Tue, May 12, 10:00am - 11:00am
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Tue, May 12, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room,Zoom Programming 2

Wed, May 13, 4:00pm - 5:00pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Wednesday, May 6 2026 at 9:00am

Wed, May 13, 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Westlake Room

Wed, May 13, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Technology Training Lab,Zoom Programming 1

Thu, May 14, 10:00am - 11:30am
Technology Training Lab

Thu, May 14, 7:00pm - 8:15pm
Westlake Room