Meet the Author - CJ Williams

In the quiet town of Mount Pleasant, Iowa, the idyllic calm of 1978 was shattered by a series of brutal murders. Karol Beavers, a vivacious high school junior, and her mother, Clementine, became the unsuspecting victims of a heinous act of violence that left the community reeling. For six months, the case went cold, fear gripping the town. Then, the murderer struck again. A Monster in Mount Pleasant delves into the unraveling of this dark story. Drawing from years of meticulous research, the story reveals not just the pursuit of justice, but the profound emotional scars left behind and the deep humanity behind the headlines. Through the lens of a classmate who later became a federal judge, this compelling narrative unearths the societal cracks that shaped both the victims and the perpetrator.

Charles “CJ” Williams grew up in Mount Pleasant, Iowa. He earned his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Iowa. CJ has served as a law clerk to a federal judge, a prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice, and in private practice at a large Kansas City law firm. In 2016, he became a United States Magistrate Judge. In 2018, the President nominated him and the Senate confirmed his appointment as a United States District Court Judge. He has published two legal textbooks, two books for practicing lawyers, and a book of stories about cases he prosecuted. He has taught as an adjunct law professor for more than 20 years and authored almost 20 academic legal articles. A Monster in Mount Pleasant is his first true crime novel.

You may also like the following events from Beaverdale Books:

• This Tuesday, 10th June, 06:30 pm, Book Launch -- Kaira Rouda in Des Moines
• Next Wednesday, 18th June, 06:30 pm, Meet the Author - Garry Klein in Des Moines
• This month, 30th June, 06:30 pm, Meet the Author- Ann Schreiber in Des Moines

Also check out other Arts events in Des Moines, Literary Art events in Des Moines, Fine Arts events in Des Moines.