Based on true events, Ron Ruthfield's novel The Capital Underground (Raz Partner, $21.95) is a glimpse into the chilling life of Ari Hirsch, who at 69 years old remains incognito somewhere in America. Twenty years after his disappearance into the U.S. Federal Witness Protection Program, Aristotle Einshtein Hirsch is summoned -- coerced might be a better word -- by a Presidential Task Force to emerge. Ari's already complicated world is suddenly turned upside down when he is faced with a painful choice: participate in a monumental case involving national security, or risk his very own freedom. It includes a whirlwind investigation and international trial that might lead to the discovery of a potentially gigantic cache of riches in one of the world's most secret tax havens. Written about a former Internal Revenue Service Special Agent, attorney and CPA, the episodes in this novel stretch from the Florida Keys to the Black Hills of South Dakota; from the Principality of Liechtenstein to the Golden Triangle of Southeast Asia. 2pm

Join us for this sweet confection of a book launch, as we celebrate everyone’s favorite new friend – Tina Cocolina (Random House, $16.99). Author Pablo Cartaya shares the story of a sweet little cupcake of a girl with a sense of adventure and a flair for fashion. And she’s always on the hunt for her perfect topping. This mouthwatering picture book includes cupcake and frosting recipes from award-winning pastry chef and co-author Martin Howard. Can you guess what kind of tasty treats will have at this party? (Psst: It's cupcakes!) Fans of Fancy Nancy and Pinkalicious will adore Tina Cocolina. Kids, come in your costume, too, as we celebrate Halloween on the Mile with this special story time author event. 3:30pm

Breathtaking photographs capture the history and unique design of the English island great houses, detailing the hardwood furniture, terraced gardens, walled courtyards, and interiors. Perhaps the most admired and influential of tropical styles, the English island style transformed residences into private paradises. British West Indies Style is a lavish account of the interiors, architecture, and lifestyle of the English colonial great houses and historic town houses in the Caribbean—from Antigua, Jamaica, Nevis, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts, Mustique to the less-traveled islands of Bequia and Dominica. Close to fifty private homes are featured, with unique collections of antique, indigenous, and colonial furniture: a southern plantation style scaled and refreshingly adapted to the airy, sunny climate of the Windward and Leeward Islands. Presenting a world rarely seen by visitors—the homes of the islands’ affluent planters, both historical and contemporary—the English island styles are elegant yet practical and accessible, giving ideas for the use of local materials, painting and stenciling techniques, environment-enhancing design, and indoor/outdoor living—all of which are ubiquitous in contemporary interior design.

Michael Connors, an expert in West Indies antiques, is a contributor to numerous publications, including Art & Antiques, Antiques and Fine Art, and The Magazine Antiques. He has written many books, including Caribbean Houses: History, Style, and Architecture (Rizzoli, 2009).

Ingrid Betancourt tells the story of her captivity in the Colombian jungle, sharing powerful teachings of resilience, resistance, and faith in Even Silence Has an End (Penguin, $29.95). Born in Bogotá, raised in France, Ingrid Betancourt gave up a life of comfort and safety to return to Colombia to become a political leader in a country that was being slowly destroyed by terrorism, violence, fear, and a pervasive sense of hopelessness. In 2002, while campaigning as a candidate in the Colombian presidential elections, she was abducted by the FARC. Nothing could have prepared her for what came next. She would spend the next six and a half years in the depths of the jungle as a prisoner of the FARC. This is her deeply personal and moving account of that time. Chained day and night for much of her captivity, she never stopped dreaming of escape and, in fact, succeeded in getting away several times, always to be recaptured. The facts of her story are astounding, but it is Betancourt's indomitable spirit that drives this very special account, bringing life, nuance, and profundity to the narrative. Freed in 2008 by the Colombian army, today Betancourt is determined to draw attention to the plight of hostages and victims of terrorism throughout the world and it is that passion that motivates Even Silence Has an End. The lessons she offers here – in courage, resilience, and humanity – are gifts to treasure. FREE tickets available at all Books & Books locations, while supplies last. This event is presented in collaboration with the Florida Center for the Literary Arts at Miami Dade College. Start time is 7:30pm.