An evening of historical fiction with Elise Hooper and Amy Mason Doan

Third Place Books is delighted to welcome Elise Hooper and Amy Mason Doan to our Ravenna store! They will be discussing their new novels, and . The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women of the past. The California Dreamers is about one golden family, one endless summer of secrets, and an image that captivated generations. This event is free and open to the public.

For important updates, RSVP is highly recommended in advance. This event will include a public signing and time for audience Q&A. Sustain our author series by purchasing a copy of the featured book!

Click here for more about our COVID-19 policies for in-person events.

Having trouble registering? See Eventbrite's troubleshooting FAQ here.

This event is free to attend. For important updates, registration is highly recommended in advance.

A fresh new novel from beloved author Elise Hooper, about a young librarian who discovers historic dollhouses and embarks on a journey to uncover the hidden secrets behind the intricate miniatures, perfect for fans of Fiona Davis and Marie Benedict.

Tildy Barrows, Head Curator of a beautiful archival library in San Francisco, is meticulously dedicated to the century’s worth of inventory housed in her beloved Beaux Art building. She loves the calm and order in the shelves of books and walls of art. But Tildy’s uneventful life takes an unexpected turn when she, first, learns the library is on the verge of bankruptcy and, second, discovers two exquisite never-before-seen dollhouses. After finding clues hidden within these remarkable miniatures, Tildy starts to believe that Belva Curtis LeFarge, the influential heiress who established the library a century ago, is conveying a significant final message.

With a newfound sense of spontaneity, Tildy sets out to decipher the secret history of the dollhouses, aiming to salvage her cherished library in the process. Her journey to understand introduces her to a world of ambitious and gifted women in Belle Époque Paris, a group of scarred World War I veterans in the English countryside, and Walt Disney’s bustling Burbank studio in the 1950s. As Tildy unravels the mystery, she finds not only inspiring, overlooked history, but also a future for herself, filled with exciting possibilities—and an astonishing familial revelation.

Spanning the course of a century, The Library of Lost Dollhouses is a warm, bright, and captivating story of secrets and love that embraces the importance of illuminating overlooked women of the past.

Malibu Rising meets The Great Alone: A group of siblings captured in an iconic beach nostalgia photo reunite as adults on a sunny California island to celebrate their late father, only to be forced to face the fallout of their unconventional upbringing—and a secret that has been simmering for decades...

ONE GOLDEN FAMILY. ONE ENDLESS SUMMER OF SECRETS. AND AN IMAGE THAT CAPTIVATED GENERATIONS.

It’s 1980s California, and everyone’s dreaming of the endless summer: sun-drenched beaches, infinite waves, and most of all, beautiful, beautiful freedom. For the Merrick siblings, this idyllic vision is their reality, as they travel up and down the coast with their parents in a van year-round, surfing and swimming their days away. But when a photographer secretly snaps a stunning photo of the family with their boards in the sand, and the image ripples across the country, the only life they’ve ever known is put at risk.
Decades after, the now-distant siblings gather on a gorgeous, wild island to honor their late father. But their reunion is complicated when a journalist, eager for the truth behind the iconic photo, discovers their identity and tracks them down. As the siblings reckon with the possibility that more of their lives could be shared, a revelation about their past forces them to confront long-held heartaches. Together, they’ll have to decide whether to let the same tensions rip them apart again—or if telling their story on their own terms might just be the way to recapture the family magic.

A native New Englander, Elise Hooper spent several years writing for television and online news outlets before getting a MA and teaching high-school literature and history. Her debut novel The Other Alcott was a nominee for the 2017 Washington Book Award. Three more novels—Learning to See, Fast Girls, and Angels of the Pacific—followed, all centered on the lives of extraordinary but overlooked historical women. Her next book, The Library of Lost Dollhouses, will be out in spring '25. Elise lives in Seattle with her husband and two daughters.
Amy Mason Doan is the bestselling author of The California Dreamers, Lady Sunshine, The Summer List, and Summer Hours, all from HarperCollins/Graydon House. Amy grew up in Northern California and now lives in Portland, Oregon. As a writer & editor at publications including The Oregonian, San Francisco Chronicle, Wired and Forbes, Amy interviewed everyone from beer-brewing monks to billionaire CEOs. She has an M.A. in Journalism from Stanford University and a B.A. in English from U.C. Berkeley.

About Third Place Books

Founded in 1998 in Lake Forest Park, Washington, Third Place Books is dedicated to the creation of a community around books and the ideas inside them. With locations in Lake Forest Park and Seattle's Ravenna and Seward Park neighborhoods, Third Place Books is proud to serve the entire Seattle metro area. Learn more about their event series at thirdplacebooks.com/events.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Third Place Books, 6504 20th Ave NE, Seattle, United States