By Abigail Hardison

Rowan Public Library

Fall is the season where we enjoy feeling the chills every once in a while. The hot and seemingly endless summer has passed, and it’s not so cold yet that we remember why we hated winter.

This is the perfect time to dig out thick socks and sweatpants, put on a pot of tea, and curl up with a fun story that will keep you interested, but won’t necessarily keep you up with nightmares.

The genre of cozy mysteries is very popular. They have all the compelling intrigue of a police procedural, but you can be reasonably assured that everything will be mostly OK at the end, and you’ll meet some amusing and memorable characters along the way.

Cozy mysteries are known for having non-traditional sleuths, and Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple are among the inspirations for the genre, though Holmes was certainly more official in his investigative duties by working with the police.

Often they are average folks: retired busybodies, small town bakers, precocious adolescents or friendly booksellers; normal people who find themselves confronted with the vagaries of life and death, and the desire to see justice done.

One of the popular trends in cozy mysteries is the exploration of these non-traditional sleuths throughout history. Author Deanna Raybourn has written more than one series in this vein, and introduced her latest heroine, Veronica Speedwell, a Victorian adventuress and butterfly collector, in the 2015 title “A Curious Beginning.”

If you like an established series with lots of titles, then you can sink your teeth into Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mystery Series set in Gilded Age New York City with her midwife sleuth Sarah Brandt. Another curious lady dedicated to uncovering the truth is author Peter Tremayne’s Sister Fidelma, a seventh century nun in Ireland.

Unconventional ladies aren’t the only ones catching the killer red-handed. Rowan Public Library has four titles in Ruth Downie’s Medicus Investigation series which follows a down-on-his-luck Roman Army doctor in ancient Britain.

The long-running Brother Cadfael series by Ellis Peters features a medieval monk who uses his life experiences in the Crusades to solve murders. Another popular yet unlikely gumshoe is Shirley Rousseau Murphy’s Joe Grey, who is, believe it or not, a cat.

Whether you want your cozy mystery with a side of history, a side of humor, or a side of … side dishes (many food-themed cozy mystery series include recipes), we have you covered at RPL. You will be looking forward to those dreary and damp fall days so you can cozy up to a crackling fireplace and enjoy the season from the comfort of your favorite chair.

Chapter Chats: Weekly book club for teens 14-17, primarily for participants with developmental or intellectual disabilities, though all are welcome. Mondays, 5 p.m. at East Branch, Rockwell. Contact Tammie Foster at 704-216-7842.

Give Back Saturdays: Give back to the community with crafts and projects the library will donate to local charities. Teens can count participation to meet community service requirements for school or other groups. Headquarters, Dec. 16, 11 a.m.

Teens National Novel Writing Month: headquarters, Nov. 1-30. Teens are invited to celebrate NaNoWriMo with the library. Join us as we all try to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Come hang out, talk to other writers and try to meet your word goal for the day.  For more information and to register, check out nanowrimo.org. All authors who reach their goal will be invited to a special book release party at a later date. Questions? Call Hope at 704-216-8258.

The Write Stuff: Lessons in and practice with creative writing, led by Jenny Hubbard, young adult novelist. Headquarters, Dec. 5, 4:30 p.m.

Teen Game Night: East, Nov. 20, 6:30 p.m. Challenge your friends to a game on the Wii. Do you have what it takes to be the champion? The winner will receive a gift card.

Let’s Make a Playlist: Headquarters, Dec. 16, 2 p.m. RPL’s makerspace, known as the Cooperative Lab or “The Coop,” will host this teen program. Participants will curate and prepare the playlist of period-specific music that will be featured at the Welcome Home celebration on Dec. 30.

Cards for a Cause: Headquarters, East and South, through Dec. 18. Create holiday cards that will be delivered to active service members in the U.S. Armed Forces and to veterans at the Hefner VAMC in Salisbury. Questions? Call Laurie at 704-216-7732.

‘The Vietnam War” Film Screening: Headquarters, Nov. 15 at 2 p.m., Nov. 22 at 10 a.m. The library hosts free weekly screenings of “The Vietnam War,” a 10-part documentary film by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick that aired on PBS. Episode 4: “This is What We Do (July-December 1967)” will be shown. Adults (17 and up) only.

PJ Storytime: Headquarters, Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m. Put on your pajamas, grab a blanket, your favorite stuffed animal, and join us for a special evening storytime. Recommended for children 3-11, but all children are welcome.

Family Craft Night: East, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. Design and create your own family project. There will be a place for all members of the family to engage in the fun.

Appy Hour: Headquarters, Nov. 13, 6 p.m. Make the most of your iPad or tablet. In addition to accessing our digital collections, let Catawba College teaching students show you how to make art, music, videos and even three dimensional objects with free apps on your electronic device. Space is limited, so be sure to sign up today.  Call 704-216-8248 or email info@rowancountync.gov

Tech Tuesday: Nov. 14, 7 p.m., South Rowan Regional, China Grove. Basic MS Word. Learn the basics of Microsoft’s word processing program, including simple text formatting commands, how to use toolbars, cutting/pasting, as well as printing, saving and sharing documents. Classes are free and open to the public. For questions, 704-216-7737.

Learn. Act. Grow.: “Finding Your Holiday Peace (and Quiet), South, Nov. 13, 6:30 p.m. Jeff McCombs, M.Ed., LPC, of McCombs Counseling and Consulting in Kannapolis, will offer tips, techniques and strategies to manage stress so that everyone can enjoy the holiday season.

Downtown Beats: Headquarters, Nov. 20, 6-7 p.m. Rowan’s Impromptu Chorus. This community sing is free, open to all ages and experience is not required. Door prizes sponsored by Salisbury Ghost Walk.

Oral History Workshop: Headquarters, Nov. 16, 4:30-5:30 p.m. Participants will be introduced to the importance of recording the stories of family. veterans and community members to preserve history as well as dos and don’ts of an oral interview. Contact Gretchen Witt, 704-216-8232, for additional information.

Classic Cinema: East, Nov. 17, 2 p.m., “The Incredible Mr. Limpet,” with Don Knotts. This 1964 film is not-rated and has a runtime of 99 min. While this is designed for retired individuals, it is free and open to the public; all ages are welcome. For more details, call 704-216-7842.

Partners in Crime: South Regional, Nov. 18, 11 a.m-1 p.m. Do you love to read and/or meet other readers? This special Readers Connect event offers readers of all ages a chance to socialize, give and get reading recommendations, play games, enjoy refreshments and win prizes. This event features romance and mystery genres and all mash-ups in between.

Displays: Headquarters, Carolina Artist League. Grids, “Through a Soldier’s Eyes: Remembering Vietnam” (photographs) by Edith M. Clark History Room. Gallery, Vietnam Remembered featuring veteran’s artifacts. East, military memorabilia from World War 1 to Vietnam, by Glenn and Terry Hinson; South, doll exhibit by Rowan County Doll Society.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.

Baby Time: Birth-23 months. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Wednesdays, 10 a.m.; East, Mondays, 10 a.m.; South, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Toddler Time: 18 to 35 months. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Tuesdays, 10:30 a.m.; East, Mondays, 11 a.m.; South, Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m.

Preschoolers: 3-5 years. Highly interactive 30-minute program for children and their adult caregivers. Headquarters, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; East, Thursdays, 10:30 a.m.; South, Mondays, 10 a.m.

Noodlehead Storytime: Pre-K to fifth grade. Interactive storytime. Headquarters, Thursday, 4 p.m.; East, Tuesdays 3:30 p.m.; South Wednesdays, 3:30 p.m.

Art programs: Pre-K to fifth grade. Learn art terms, techniques and work on art projects; 30-45 minutes. Art in the Afternoon, headquarters, Thursdays, 4:30 p.m.; Bethany’s Brushes, East, Tuesdays, 4 p.m.; Canvas Kids, South, Wednesdays, 4 p.m.

Tail Waggin’ Tutors: 7 to 9 years old. Children can practice reading skills in a relaxed, dog-friendly atmosphere. Canine listeners provided by Therapy Dogs International. Headquarters, selected Tuesdays, 4 p.m. Call 704-216-8234 for details. East, selected Mondays, 3:30 p.m., Call 704-216-7842 for details. South, by appointment only. Call 704-216-7728 for details.