Wantage - Peter James Quirk, author of Trail of Vengeance, a new suspense thriller, discuss the roots of this mystery and do a book-signing from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 17, at the Sussex-Wantage Branch Library, 69 Rte. 639, in Wantage. The novel weaves a tale of international intrigue, pitting a sexy, hard-driving female NYC detective against a gang of cunning European jewel thieves, based in Belgium. A trail of blood flows between the U.S. and Europe, as the quick-witted detective tries to track down the gang she suspects also killed her partner in a botched robbery in New York. Trail of Vengeance, which has earned a four-star rating from Amazon.com, is Quirk’s latest writing endeavor. He draws on his knowledge as a ski instructor to weave this wintry tale of deceit, murder and mayhem on two continents. Born in England, Quirk has skied for most of his adult life, and has taught Alpine skiing in both the U.S. and Europe. Based on his knowledge of the sport, he puts his detective character on the ski slopes of upstate New York and the French Alps. Quirk’s eclectic life has provided him with a great deal of material for his role as a novelist. He spent a number of years with the British Merchant Marine, and stayed at sea as a fisherman. He moved to the U.S. in 1964, and started a business as a building contractor. That business allowed him to take winters off for skiing. A Denville resident, Quirk is also an avid snowboarder. He is currently working on a French translation of Trail of Vengeance for a European audience, slated to appear later this year. He is also writing a screenplay based on the novel, and has hinted at a sequel. For information about the May 17 talk, call 973-875-3940.