If you’re looking for a good read this spooky season, look no further than a murder mystery penned by D-E’s own John McCabe. This year the longtime D-E Art & Design faculty member published his third novel, “Murder at the Tavern,” with all proceeds benefitting The Center for Food Action and the Cuala Foundation, two organizations that provide vital resources to individuals and families—all in keeping with D-E’s mission of “making it better.” Since joining D-E in 1987, Mr. McCabe has connected his passion for photography with a deep commitment to human rights and social justice. He’s now bringing that same spirit of purpose to the page. As he explained, “Understanding how fortunate I am, it made sense to donate the proceeds of the books to those in need.”
Mr. McCabe’s journey as a novelist began with a moment of literary frustration. An avid reader with an appreciation for mystery writers, including Tana French, P.D. James, Dorothy L. Sayers, and Adrian McKinty, he was once so disappointed by a murder mystery that he threw the book across the room. “I can do this,” he told himself. He picked up a pencil and wrote a single sentence. The next day, he added a few more. Little by little, those sentences grew into his first novel, “Johnny Red.” Mr. McCabe is now slowly working on a fourth mystery novel. His books are available on Amazon.