It’s official: THE JACKLIGHTER: Murder, Betrayal, and Justice in Pennsylvania’s Endless Mountains launches October 27, 2026, the Tuesday before Halloween. Plus I have four bookstore signings and one library event on the calendar so far ๐
I’ve known about the launch date for a while, but thought I would make a joint announcement of the pub date and bookstore events … at some point. I’ve been in my writing cave working on edits to the manuscript (hence my MIA status on this blog and my socials), BUT I learned this morning from a neighbor (thank you, Tina!) that my local news site, Around Ambler, ran a feature on the book. So, here’s my overdue blog postโofficial pub date, the Around Ambler feature, and my first five events, all in one.
If you haven’t seen it yet, you can read Suzanne McNaughton’s piece here: Ambler author releasing true crime novel 50 years after infamous murder. It was a full-circle moment to have my local news site cover a story I first started chasing in my husband’s hometown of Montrose, PA, when I was a much younger journalist.
For anyone just finding me through the Around Ambler piece: THE JACKLIGHTER tells the story of the 1976 murder of Montrose attorney Martin Dillon, and the decades-long fight to bring his killer to justice. The Endless Mountains hold a lot of secrets, and this oneโwrapped up in hunting culture, small-town loyalty, and a betrayal that split a family in twoโincludes a revelation that has never before been made public. It’s the follow-up to my award-winning debut, Chained Birds: A Crimemoir.
Now, the part I’m most excited to share … I’ve booked my first five in-person events, and I’d love to see you at one of them:
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- Thursday, October 29th, 7 PM โ The Bookshop on Main, 5 N. Main Street, Ambler, PA
- Saturday, October 31st, 12 PM โ Barnes & Noble, 2443 Vestal Parkway E, Vestal, NY
- Sunday, November 1st, 5 PM โ Thrillerdelphia, 4203 Main Street, Philadelphia (Manayunk), PA
- Wednesday, November 4th, 6:30 PM โ Ambler Library, 209 Race Street, Ambler, PA
- Saturday, November 28th, 1 PM โ Doylestown Bookshop, 16 S. Main Street, Doylestown, PA
Four bookstores so far, and now a new addition: my local Ambler Library. Branch Manager Anne Hall saw the Around Ambler piece and reached out about doing a library event. That is now on the calendar for Wednesday, Nov. 4th at 6:30 PM. Ann will host the event, which will include my talk on The Jacklighter, the case behind it, and true crime writing. Ann will also ask me questions about the book, and a Q-A will open up to the audience. We will then have books available for purchase and a book signing. I can’t wait to see my friends and neighbors there and make some new local connections too ๐
There’s something extra special about kicking things off in my hometown of Ambler, first at the new Bookshop on Main that our town is so lucky to have, and then at the Ambler branch of the Wissahickon Valley Public Library! Thank you, as always, for following along on this ridiculously long journey. Thirty years is a long time to sit with a story, and it’s almost here.
Mark your calendarsโI’ll see you in October and November. ๐ โจ
By the way, for all you eBook fans who like a deal: The eBook is on pre-order sale at $5.99 on my Crimemoir Store. That price is good up until publication day, when the eBook goes to $9.99 everywhere.
Carla Conti is a journalist and the award-winning author of Chained Birds: A Crimemoir. Her next true crime book, The Jacklighter, is set for release in 2026. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, who supports her true crime habit.
