On Saturday, several acclaimed novelists will be doing what they do best – telling stories.
The inaugural “Noir at the Bar” will begin at 7 p.m. Dec. 13 at Le Chat Noir, 304 8th St. Doors will open at 6 p.m.
“It’s a killer location with Le Chat Noir. You could not ask for any more noir at the bar experience,” said David Hutchison, owner of the Book Tavern and one of the event sponsors. “Because of (Brian Panowich’s) ties, we’re getting some pretty cool people.”
Panowich, the author of noir novels such as “Bull Mountain” and “Like Lions,” won the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel, as well as the Southern Book Prize for Best Mystery, and he’s been part of events similar to Noir at the Bar. He wanted to bring that experience to the Augusta area, Hutchison said.
The event will include authors such as Panowich, Peter Farris, Meagan Lucas, Christopher Swann, Karen Heid, Jason Sheffield, Samantha Jayne Allen and Jon Lindstrom.
Lindstrom has won multiple daytime Emmy awards for his roles on ”General Hospital” and “As the World Turns.” He’s debut novel “Hollywood Hustle” made the USA Today bestseller list and his second novel “Hollywood Payback” is set for an April 2026 release.
Multiple award winner Meagan Lucas has visited Augusta and the Book Tavern before.
Hutchison said her books are “incredibly gritty stories that are sometimes painful and sorrowful.”
He had to take pauses when reading some of her short stories.
“These are people I knew. These were my neighbors; these were my friends,” he said of the characters who seemed so real.
Sometimes, their pain came from dumb choices or cruel twists in attempts to make their lives better.
The only non-novelist is Heid who is a retired arts educator and former art professor at the University of South Carolina. Hutchison said Heid writes gritty poetry.
Each of the authors will have about 10 minutes to share.
The Book Tavern will have copies of their books available for people to buy and get signed, while Le Chat Noir will have the beverages for purchase. The event itself is free. The Augusta Writing Project is also an event sponsor, and Rebecca Harper will be the emcee.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards, is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award and was named Augusta Magazine’s best local writer in 2024 and 2025. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
