When: Saturday, August 15, 2026 from noon to 3pm Where: 208 Queen Street, Alexandria, Virginia 22314 We welcome debut bestselling novelist J.D. Barker to Elaine’s Literary Salon, where he’ll be sharing his latest novel, “The Probability of Murder” Our agenda for the Aug. 15 event: Noon: Meet, greet, and order food and drinks from Elaine’s award-winning menu 1pm: Our 45-minute interview begins, followed by a 15-minute Q&A with the audience to be produced on our popular podcast and video series 2pm: Guests talk with the author, buy the book, and get it signed! Meet the Author: J.D. Barker (Jonathan Dylan Barker) is a New York Times and international bestselling American author whose work has been broadly described as suspense thrillers, often incorporating elements of horror, crime, mystery, science fiction, and the supernatural. Born January 7, 1971 in Lombard, Illinois, J.D. spent the first 14 years of his life in Crystal Lake, Illinois. A staunch introvert, he was rarely seen without a book in hand, devouring both the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew series by the age of six before moving on to classics such as the works of Dickens and Twain. The discovery of Shelley, Stoker, and Poe fueled a fire, and it wasn’t long before he was writing tales of his own, which he shared with friends and family. These early stories centered around witches and ghosts thought to inhabit the woods surrounding their home. “The Probability of Murder,” by J.D. Barker At fourteen, Barker’s family relocated to Englewood, Florida, a climate better suited to his father’s profession as a contractor. He attended Lemon Bay High School and graduated in 1989. Knowing he wanted to pursue a career in the arts but was unsure of a direction, he enrolled at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, where he later obtained a degree in business. While in college, one of his writing assignments found its way into the hands of Paul Gallotta of Circus Magazine. Gallotta reached out to Barker and asked him to join the staff of 25th Parallel Magazine, where he worked alongside the man who would later become Marilyn Manson. Assignments dropped him into the center of pop culture, and by 1991, Barker branched out, interviewing celebrities for the likes of Seventeen, TeenBeat, and other national and local publications. In 1992, Barker syndicated a small newspaper column called Revealed, which centered around the investigation of haunted places and supernatural occurrences. While he often cites these early endeavors as a crash course in tightening prose, his heart remained with fiction. He began work as a book doctor and ghostwriter shortly thereafter, helping others fine-tune their writing for publication. Barker has said this experience proved invaluable, teaching him what works and what doesn’t in today’s popular fiction. He would continue in this profession until 2012, when he wrote a novel of his own, titled Forsaken. Stephen King read portions of Forsaken prior to publication and granted Barker permission to utilize the character of Leland Gaunt of King’s Needful Things in the novel. Indie-published in late 2014, the book went on to hit several major milestones – #2 on Audible (Harper Lee with Go Set a Watchman held #1), #44 on Amazon U.S., #2 on Amazon Canada, and #22 on Amazon UK. Forsaken was also nominated for a Bram Stoker Award (Best Debut Novel) and won a handful of others, including a New Apple Medalist Award. After reading Forsaken, Bram Stoker’s family reached out to Barker and asked him to co-author a prequel to Dracula, utilizing Bram’s original notes and journals, much of which has never been made public. The novel, titled Dracul, sold at auction to G.P. Putnam & Sons, with film rights going to Paramount. Andy Muschietti (IT, Mama) is attached to direct. Barker’s initial indie success drew the attention of traditional agents and publishers and in early 2016 his debut thriller, The Fourth Monkey, sold in a series of pre-empts and auctions worldwide with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt set to publish in the U.S. and HarperCollins in the UK. The book has also sold for both film and television. He has since gone on to write numerous titles which have appeared on bestseller lists around the world. He is also a frequent collaborator with James Patterson. Barker splits his time between Englewood, FL, and New Castle, NH, with his wife, Dayna, and their daughter, Ember. About J.D.’s newest book: The Probability of Murder The wrong answer can cost everything. When brilliant math professor Ivy Reeves receives a cryptic note bearing her name at a crime scene, she’s drawn into a deadly game where probability becomes a matter of life and death. Thirteen victims. Complex mathematical puzzles. A killer who understands that some games are designed to be lost. As Detective Vaughn Ryan races against the clock, he needs Ivy’s genius to decode the twisted logic behind each murder. But the closer they get to the truth, the more personal the game becomes. The killer knows Ivy’s past—the fire that destroyed her family, the secrets she’s buried, the father she visits wearing a mask over his melted skin. Every number has meaning. Every equation points to the next victim. And time is running out. From New York Times bestselling author J.D. Barker and Patrick Logan comes a pulse-pounding thriller where mathematics meets murder, and one wrong answer means death. Click here to buy The Probability of Murder. About our Elaine’s Literary Salon Host, Jeffrey James Higgins: A retired supervisory special agent who writes thrillers, short stories, creative nonfiction, and essays, Jeff has wrestled a suicide bomber, fought the Taliban in combat, and chased terrorists across five continents. He received the Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Heroism and the DEA Award of Valor. Jeffrey has been interviewed by CNN, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Learn more: jeffreyjameshiggings.com Find more of Elaine’s Literary Salon events here. And check back for new episodes of Elaine’s Literary Salon on Inkandescent.tv and listen to all the podcasts on InkandescentRadio.com. Elaine’s Literary Salon is located at Elaine’s Restaurant, 208 Queen Street, Alexandria VA About Elaine’s Restaurant: A menu filled with delicious modern Mediterranean cuisine selections is sure to please everyone in your party. The dishes are inspired by exquisite food from Alexandria, Egypt — a blend of Middle Eastern and French, Greek, and Italian influences. Elaine’s is named for the owner’s grandmother and is based on a promise she made at the age of 12, growing up in Cairo. “I promised my grandma I would someday own a restaurant and name it after her,” shares Cynthia, who is also an author. She and her husband, bestselling thriller novelist Jeffrey James Higgins, are proud to share my family’s recipes with new friends and families in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.” Located in an 1880s building, it was the former home of the beloved bistro Bilbo Baggins for 38 years. The newly renovated restaurant is located in the heart of Old Town’s Historic District within sight of the Potomac River and Founders Park, just a few blocks from The Torpedo Factory Art Center, and Old Town Alexandria Waterfront. Make a reservation today: elaines-restaurant.com.
