Kids & Family

East Meadow Native Publishes Second Crime Fiction Novel

Tim O'Mara will hold a book reading and signing at the East Meadow Public Library Friday.

East Meadow native Tim O'Mara returns to his hometown library Friday for a book reading and signing of Crooked Numbers, his second installment in a crime fiction series about a former cop turned Brooklyn public schoolteacher compelled to keep solving murders.

O'Mara introduced Raymond Donne to the world in his 2012 debut, Sacrifice Fly. Dunne is back for more in Crooked Numbers when he tries to solve the murder of a student from the wrong side of the Williamsburg Bridge.

O'Mara said he was inspired to create the character after making home visits while a schoolteacher in the poorer section of Williamsburg. He has been teaching math and special education in New York City public schools since 1987.

"Crime fiction - like all good fiction - tries to make sense out of chaos," O'Mara said. "Growing up I wanted to be Encyclopedia Brown and then Jim Rockford."

His many interactions with NYPD Youth Officers while serving as a middle school dean, along with his brother’s experiences as a police sergeant, further solidified for O'Mara that a character with experience in both worlds would make a "great protagonist."

Sacrifice Fly
 was nominated for the 2013 “Best First Novel” Barry Award. Crooked Numbers hit bookstores Oct. 15.

O'Mara, who attended McVey, Woodland and East Meadow High School, lives in Hell's Kitchen. He is a member of Mystery Writers of America, Crime Writers of America, International Thriller Writers and several teacher unions.

He is currently writing Dead Read, the third in his Raymond Dunne series.

Friday is O'Mara's second event at the East Meadow Public Library. The book discussion begins at 7:30 p.m.


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