This event and will be held at Ferguson Library (1 Public Library Plaza, Stamford, CT).

Join us for a special evening with our co-founder, Deborah Goodrich Royce, as she discusses her new novel, Best Boy. The discussion will be moderated by Author Samantha Woodruff.

There will be a reception from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm, a book talk from 7:00 pm to 7:30 pm, and a signing from 7:30 pm to 8:00 pm.

The book will be $28 plus tax and sold through Elm Street Books. Elm Street can accept cash and credit for the purchase of a book.

Best Boy by Deborah Goodrich Royce is a psychological thriller about a woman, Viveca Stephenson, whose seemingly perfect life unravels after she receives a threatening letter from a man she can't remember, forcing her to confront a traumatic past and a forgotten high school night. The novel, set for release in February 2026, explores themes of memory, identity, and buried secrets, blending past and present in a suspenseful narrative

Deborah Goodrich Royce’s Reef Road, a national bestseller, was named one of the best books of 2023 by Kirkus Reviews and an Indie Next pick by the ABA. Ruby Falls won the Zibby Award for Best Plot Twist, and Finding Mrs. Ford was hailed by Forbes, Book Riot, and Good Morning America. Her newest, Best Boy, will be published on February 24, 2026. Her Ocean House Author Series—in partnership with Martin House Books and WCRI—brings world-class authors like Sarah Ferguson, Emma Straub, Chris Bohjalian, and Katie Couric to Watch Hill. With fellow authors, Luanne Rice and Amy Scheibe, she created the Deer Mountain Writers’ Retreat in the Catskills. Deborah writes a book column for Providence Monthly and Hey Rhody magazines. She began as an actress on All My Children and in multiple films, before transitioning to the role of story editor at Miramax Films, developing Emma and early versions of Chicago and A Wrinkle in Time. Deborah holds a bachelor’s degree and two honorary doctorates, from both Lake Erie College and the University of Rhode Island. With her husband, Chuck, Deborah restored the Avon Theatre, Ocean House Hotel, Deer Mountain Inn, United Theatre, Martin House Books, and numerous Main Street revitalization projects in Rhode Island and the Catskills. She serves on multiple governing and advisory boards.

Samantha Greene Woodruff is the bestselling author of two award-winning historical fiction novels, The Lobotomist’s Wife (2022) and The Trade Off (2024).  A recovering MBA and former media executive at Viacom’s Nickelodeon, Sam transitioned to writing in her 40s, after taking continuing education classes at The Writing Institute at Sarah Lawrence College. Sam contributed an essay to the USA Today bestselling anthology On Being Jewish Now (2024), her writing has also appeared in Newsweek, Writer’s Digest, Female First, LitHub, and Writer’s Read. She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut with her husband, two teenagers and two dogs

Avon on Tour is presented by The First Bank of Greenwich and sponsored by the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Stamford Arts & Culture Commission, and Wireless Zone Gives. Additional support is provided by The Bruce Museum, Darien Library, Ferguson Library, Harbor Point, and Stamford Town Center.