AUBURN, ME – Join the Auburn Public Library for a compelling book talk with Sharon Kitchens, author of The Murder of Dorothy Milliken: Cold Case in Maine, and Dorothy’s daughter, Tonia, for a discussion on this tragic true crime story. Sharon will speak to why she chose this story and how she approached it— combing through old newspapers, digital sleuthing, and conducting revealing interviews. Sharon and Tonia will discuss the challenges of investigating cold cases in Maine. They will also address the emotional toll and the importance of centering on victims’ stories with respect and integrity.

About the book: On November 5, 1976, twenty-seven-year-old Dorothy Milliken left her rural home in Sabattus, Maine to go to an all-night laundromat. The following morning her body was found slumped against the outside wall. Despite various leads, there were no arrests for her murder. Dorothy Milliken became a name typed on an index card filed at state police headquarters, her crime scene displayed in grainy black-and-white photos in the evening newspapers. Nearly five decades later, author Sharon Kitchens examines the cold case – interviewing over forty people including Dorothy’s family, friends, former neighbors, law enforcement, and forensic specialists. Who was Dorothy? Why has her killer never been found? Did she know her murderer, or was her death due to a random, frenzied attack?

About the author: Sharon Kitchens has lived in Maine for a couple of decades. Her first book, Stephen King’s Maine: A History & Guide (Arcadia Publishing, 2024), was a bestseller in Maine. The book is an oral history that captures the experiences of individuals who live in towns she identified as the locations that serve as the basis for King’s fictional Maine landscape. Stephen King endorsed the book, saying, “This book by Sharon Kitchens is really interesting. Not all of it is right, but most of it is.” She is also the author of The Murder of Dorothy Milliken, Cold Case in Maine (Arcadia Publishing, 2025). The meticulously researched book introduces readers to Dorothy and details the investigation into her nearly half-century old unsolved homicide. Every week she can be seen carrying an armload of library books. She loves hanging out in cafés eating chocolate croissants and sipping lavender lattes. Her fondness for Patti Smith’s poetry is matched only by her love of Taylor Swift’s lyrics. She is a cat and dog person.

Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event. Payment via cash, check, or credit card (except American Express) will be accepted.

This program will take place in the Androscoggin Community Room at the Auburn Public Library.

For more information about this and other programs offered at the Auburn Public Library, visit their website at www.auburnpubliclibrary.org or call the Reference Desk at 207-333-6640, ext. 4

Author Talk with Sharon Kitchens: “The Murder of Dorothy Milliken: Cold Case in Maine”

When: Monday, June 16, 2025– 5:30 to 6:30 PM