Skip to main content
close
Font size options
Increase or decrease the font size for this website by clicking on the 'A's.
Contrast options
Choose a color combination to give the most comfortable contrast.
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
Skip Hours widget
Mon, Apr 27 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Apr 28 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 29 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 30 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, May 01 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, May 02 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, May 03 1:00PM to 5:00PM
Mon, Apr 27 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Tue, Apr 28 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Wed, Apr 29 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Thu, Apr 30 9:00AM to 9:00PM
Fri, May 01 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sat, May 02 9:00AM to 6:00PM
Sun, May 03 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

Skip Upcoming events widget
Thu, Apr 30, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Online

Sat, May 02, All day
Entrance Lobby

Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Makerspace

Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 12:00pm
Dover Room

Sat, May 02, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sun, May 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Cancelled
Sun, May 03, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

Mon, May 04, 9:00am - 9:00pm
This event is full

Mon, May 04, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room
This event is full

Cancelled
Mon, May 04, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Tue, May 05, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Makerspace

Tue, May 05, 7:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Cancelled
Wed, May 06, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Wed, May 06, 6:00pm - 6:30pm
Makerspace

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

Thu, May 07, 10:00am - 11:30am
Technology Training Lab

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
Makerspace
Registration opens Saturday, May 2 2026 at 9:00am

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

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

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

Cancelled
Mon, May 11, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Mon, May 11, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Porter Room

Tue, May 12, 10:00am - 11:00am
Dover Room

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

Cancelled
Wed, May 13, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

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

Sat, May 16, 10:30am - 11:00am
Storytime Room

Sat, May 16, 2:00pm - 2:30pm
Storytime Room

Sun, May 17, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Storytime Room

Mon, May 18, 10:00am - 10:45am
Storytime Room

Mon, May 18, 1:00pm - 7:00pm
Porter Room

Mon, May 18, 1:00pm - 3:00pm
Makerspace
Registration opens Monday, May 11 2026 at 9:00am

Mon, May 18, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Dover Room

Cancelled
Mon, May 18, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Mon, May 18, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Tue, May 19, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Online

Tue, May 19, 6:00pm - 9:00pm
Dover Room
Registration opens Tuesday, May 12 2026 at 9:00am

Tue, May 19, 6:00pm - 8:00pm
Makerspace

Tue, May 19, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Porter Room

Wed, May 20, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
Technology Training Lab
Registration opens Wednesday, May 13 2026 at 2:00pm

Cancelled
Wed, May 20, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Wed, May 20, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Thomas A. Fox Board Room

Wed, May 20, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Porter Room

Thu, May 21, 3:00pm - 4:00pm
Technology Training Lab

Thu, May 21, 5:00pm - 6:00pm
Dover Room

Sat, May 23, 10:00am - 11:00am
Storytime Room
Registration opens Saturday, May 16 2026 at 9:00am

Sat, May 23, 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Youth Services

Mon, May 25, 9:15am - 11:45am

Cancelled
Wed, May 27, 5:30pm - 7:30pm

Wed, May 27, 7:00pm - 8:00pm
Dover Room

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

Sat, May 30, 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Storytime Room