Harry Trombitas & Robin Yocum Are Back!

What happens when you invite a retired FBI agent and a crime thriller author to discuss their latest books with a former Columbus Police Commander? You get an exciting evening of true criminal acts and their victims mixed with high-stakes narratives and suspenseful plots in an event the Friends of the Delaware County District Library like to call "Authors & Ales."

Thanks to our friends at CME Federal Credit Union, these two highly acclaimed local authors are coming back on Monday, October 5, 2026 at 80 East Bourbon & Cocktail Bar in Powell from 6pm-8pm. Come enjoy nibbles & noshes along with upscale cocktails while lounging in this 1920's speakeasy-style bar and listening to their fascinating stories.

The cost for this event is $40 and includes light refreshments and a drink ticket. Registration will open at 5:30pm and the discussion will begin at 6:00pm. After the presentation, Trombitas & Yocum will sign copies of their books. Their books will be available for purchase that evening from Beanbag Books.

Retired FBI Special Agent | Author | Podcast Host | Keynote Speaker

Dive into the world of high-stakes investigations with Harry Trombitas, a 29-year veteran of the FBI whose career spanned some of America’s most notorious criminal cases. Harry’s stories of courage, teamwork, and justice captivate audiences worldwide, from tracking serial killers like Thomas Lee Dillon to Organized Crime figures to working on almost 1,000 bank robberies in his career. Now, as a host of the gripping true crime podcast Off the Record: An FBI Agent’s Perspective and author of the acclaimed Dark Places Series, Harry invites you to explore the cases that defined his career and the lessons that continue to shape law enforcement today.

Robin Yocum is known for his fiction set in the Ohio River Valley. His latest novel, The Last Hitman, was released in December 2025 to stellar reviews and his previous novel, The Sacrifice of Lester Yates, was a finalist for the 2021 Dashiell Hammett Award for outstanding crime writing. He is the author of five additional works of fiction:

Perfect Shot (2018 – Seventh Street Books)

A Welcome M**der (2017 - Seventh Street Books)

A Brilliant Death (2016 - Seventh Street Books);

The Essay (2012 - Arcade Publishing); and

Favorite Sons (2011 - Arcade Publishing)

Favorite Sons was named the 2011 Book of the Year for Mystery/Suspense by USA Book News. A Brilliant Death was a Barnes & Noble No. 1 bestseller and a finalist for both the 2017 Edgar Award and the Silver Falchion Award for best adult mystery.

He has written two works of non-fiction: Dead Before Deadline . . . and Other Tales from the Police Beat (2004 – University of Akron Press); and Insured for M**der (1992 – Prometheus Books), which he co-authored with Cathy Candisky.

He also is the host of the podcast, Dead Before Deadline, a true-crime podcast that features crimes Yocum covered when a police and investigative reporter for the Columbus Dispatch. He worked at the paper for 11 years, including six years as the senior reporter on the investigative desk. He won more than 30 local, state and national journalism awards in categories ranging from investigative reporting to feature writing. Before joining the investigative team, he covered the police beat for four years, which was the basis for his book, Dead Before Deadline.

Yocum grew up in the Ohio River village of Brilliant, Ohio, and has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Bowling Green State University.

Info: Check-in at registration and enjoy some nibbles & noshes while enjoying a specialty drink of your choice and mingling with the authors.

Event venue & nearby stays

80 East Bourbon and Cocktail Club + Events, 80 East Olentangy Street, Powell, United States

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