We're kicking off the 2024 History Reads Book Club season with a special, joint meeting with the True Crime Book Club to discuss "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America" by Ted Gregory on Tuesday, February 6, at 7:00 p.m. in person and online.
Please register here for online participation. Those planning to attend in person need not register beforehand -- just meet in Community Room #2 at BPL!
History Reads Book Club is a partnership between the Bloomington Public Library and the McLean County Museum of History. Meetings are held quarterly and focus on books about Illinois history. Titles may include fiction, nonfiction, biography, or books by Illinois authors.
This quarter's read is "Mary Jane's Ghost: The Legacy of a Murder in Small Town America" by Ted Gregory.
In the scenic, remote river town of Oregon, Illinois, a young couple visiting the local lovers' lane is murdered in the summer of 1948. The crime captivated headlines across the country and prompted a sweeping search for the killer. Alas, no arrests were made, and the violent deaths of Mary Jane Reed and Stanley Skridla faded into time's indifference.
Fast forward fifty years. Eccentric entrepreneur Michael Arians moves to Oregon, opens a roadhouse, gets elected mayor, and becomes obsessed with the crime. He comes up with a scandalous conspiracy theory and starts to believe that Mary Jane's ghost is haunting his establishment. He also reaches out to the Chicago Tribune for help and embarks on an epic search for the truth.
To check out or reserve a print copy of the book, contact the BPL Adult Help Desk at 309-590-6168 or reference@bloomingtonlibrary.org. Digital copies (eBook or eAudiobook) may be available through the Libby or Hoopla apps.
Questions? Contact education@mchistory.org.