Cackalacky Noir

Just what is Cackalacky Noir, and can you eat it? What if it's hard-boiled? Southern-fried? If so, is Tart Noir a kind of dessert? Answers to these mysteries and more await at the local launch of Durham author Eryk Pruitt's latest book, Townies: And Other Stories of Southern Mischief. His fourth book (after novels Dirtbags, Hashtag, and last year's Anthony Award-nominated What We Reckon) collects his best short fiction to date, showcasing his distinctly Southern brand of whiskey-fueled mistakes and poorly laid plans gone horribly wrong. This year has also seen the launch of Pruitt's acclaimed true-crime podcast, The Long Dance, featuring original investigative journalism about the events surrounding Durham's unsolved 1971 Valentine's Day murders. Joining Pruitt to discuss Carolina crime fiction in what is sure to be a darkly funny and lively panel are 2016 Piedmont Laureate and mystery author Katy Munger, known for her strong, independent female detectives, and Carthage, N.C. author J.D. "Dusty" Rhoades, the author of the Jack Keller hard-boiled detective series. And if you’re disappointed that none of these genres are edible, don't worry. You can eat the chili verde. [Disclosure: Pruitt is an occasional INDY contributor.]