Book Passage is kicking off its annual Mystery Writers Conference this weekend with a couple of public “in conversation” events, including today’s live-stream with Louise Penny, author of the Armand Gamache series (which my chocoholic spellcheck program keeps changing to “ganache”), and Rhys Bowen, whose staggering 60+ novels include the “Royal Spyness” series and the upcoming “Mrs. Endicott’s Splendid Adventure.” (You can catch Bowen in person at the Corte Madera bookshop on Aug. 9.)

Meanwhile, best-selling thriller writer Michael Connelly will be on hand tomorrow at 7 p.m. in conversation with mystery author Tim Maleeny. (Ticket info is here.) Connelly, of course, is best known for such indelible characters as Bosch and Ballard — great new show on Prime, btw. Now he’s moving the crime action off shore in his just-published “Nightshade.” The new book stars an L.A. detective sent to cool his heels on Catalina Island, where nothing ever happens. Until now, of course. A plastic-wrapped corpse has just been discovered in the harbor. Or rather, at the bottom of the harbor.

If you’re curious about how Connelly makes his police details sound so authentic, check out this very fun Bookish magazine story by the Merc’s Martha Ross about the Bay Area’s Rick Jackson, a semi-retired L.A. detective and consultant on many of Connelly’s projects.

An avid reader since childhood, I couldn’t resist showcasing my favorite books, shops, libraries and lit-adjacent things to do in magazine form during my time at the Merc. Fortunately, I was working with equally book-obsessed people who were delighted to join in the fun. Bookish explored everything from literary luminaries — such as Alice Walker, Lemony Snicket and Tommy Orange — to John Steinbeck lore, a Jack London field trip and literary bars around the Bay Area. Take a peek here, here, here and here.