Those who have registered to attend the upcoming Mystery Fest Key West by midnight June 1 will be entered in a drawing to win a cameo ‘walk-on’ role in bestselling author Meg Muldoon’s next “Christmas River” series novel, “Meltdown in Christmas River: A Christmas Cozy Mystery Book,” which is due out this August.

Muldoon, a former news reporter and author of more than a dozen “cozy” mystery titles, is slated to be a featured panelist at the upcoming “Murder & Mayhem in Paradise” themed Fest, a gathering of true-crime, mystery, and suspense writers and fans to be held in Key West, Florida, June 16-18.

“Part of the fun is that the winner will get to choose whether they want to be a good character or a bad character in my next book,” Muldoon said.

Appearing with Muldoon at the Fest are a hit-list of high-profile and award winning mystery and crime fiction authors and true-crime experts, including headliners John Hemingway, grandson of Ernest and author of “Strange Tribe,” Keynote Speaker Clifford Irving, investigative reporter and author of more than 20 novels, and Mystery Writers of America Florida Chapter past-President Randy Rawls.

Featured presenters include New York Times bestselling author Lisa Black, award-winning crime and science fiction writer James O. Born, and New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Heather Graham, each of whom will also moderate and appear on panels with mystery/suspense authors David Beckwith, Robert Coburn, Bill Craig, John Cunningham, Mike Dennis, Lewis C. Haskell, Susan Haskell and Norah-Jean Perkin, Renee Kumor, Siera London, Muldoon, Rick Ollerman, Reef Perkins, Ken Rijock, Shirrel Rhoades, Marjory Sorrel Rockwell, Paul Sinor and Charles Todd.

Mystery Fest Key West 2017 is sponsored by the Monroe County Tourist Development Council, the Key West Citizen daily newspaper, Mystery Writers of America – Florida Chapter, the Florida Keys Council of the Arts and supported by the Marion Stevens Fund at the Community Foundation of the Florida Keys and the Helmerich Trust.

Event registration is $195 and includes all panels, presentations, social events and four meals. Panels and presentations will take place at the DoubleTree Resort by Hilton Grand Key. For registration, information and a full fest schedule visit mysteryfestkeywest.com.