Join LILRC when we welcome Mariah Fredericks, author of Murder on 34th Street (Minotaur Books, October 6, 2026), for a conversation about the book and the history of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

LILRC members who attend are eligible to win copies of the book!!

About Murder on 34th Street

New York, 1932. Grace Verlander is the secret beating heart of Macy’s. She’s the “assistant to the assistant to the someone who’s in charge”, the go-to person for keeping everything running smoothly behind-the-scenes at the famous, bustling store. It’s not every day you get a letter from Santa Claus, but three days before the Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade, Grace arrives at work to find a note from the store Santa Claus in her locker: someone has sent him a death threat. Shocked, Grace promises to look into it and speaks to the store detective about the parade’s security, confident that they’ve found a solution that will keep everyone safe. But on the day of the parade, despite all their precautions, a dead body is found on one of the floats. Using her wits and deep knowledge of the ways of the place, Grace is determined to find the killer and seek justice―not just for the dead man, but to save the reputation of this iconic store from ruin. Steeped in glittering glamor and nostalgic wonder, this is a remarkable, unpredictable mystery set in the evocative world of one of New York’s most memorable institutions.

Praise for Murder on 34th Street

“A pitch-perfect Christmas treat. Some holiday mysteries are marshmallow-topped cocoa in a Santa mug; this one is spiked eggnog in a highball glass. Snappy, engaging, and delightfully unexpected, Murder On 34th Street is an absolute must on any holiday reading list. Buy a dozen copies and stuff everyone’s stocking!”—Deanna Raybourn, New York Times bestselling author of Killers of a Certain Age

“The antidote to treacly holiday movies, Murder on 34th Street presents Depression-era Macy's from the inside: the perfume-sprizters, truck drivers, cafeteria ladies, and stockroom guys who keep the place going, all seen through the eyes of a terrifically smart, self-aware, and funny narrator whose mission it becomes to prevent the assassination of Santa Claus during the holiday season. I loved Grace Verlander's voice so much that I can't wait for the next book—the Flower Show, maybe, or the 4th of July fireworks? Doesn't matter to me as long as I get more.”—SJ Rozan, bestselling author of First Do No Harm

“I tore through this rollicking holiday whodunit like wrapping paper on Christmas morning. Like giving a snow globe the cocktail-shaker treatment, Fredericks has created a festive flurry of a mystery that’s as menacing as madcap, as hair-raising as heart-warming. I love, love, loved it!”—Rob Osler, USA Today bestselling author of the Harriet Morrow Investigates series”

MARIAH FREDERICKS was born, raised, and still lives in New York City. She graduated from Vassar College with a degree in history. She is the author of the Jane Prescott mystery series, which has twice been nominated for the Mary Higgins Clark Award. The Lindbergh Nanny, her first standalone novel, was nominated for the Agatha and Anthony Awards.

Code of Conduct

For questions, please email Eliscia Cirrone, ecirrone@lilrc.org.

Contact Hours: 1

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