EAST LIVERPOOL — The On the Same Page committee has announced the selection for the area’s first-ever community read, inviting residents across the region to come together through a shared literary experience.

The 2026 “one read” title is “The Last Hitman” by Robin Yocum, a novel set against the backdrop of organized crime in Steubenville and the surrounding Ohio Valley. The announcement is made today through a creative campaign in which committee members distributed “You’ve Been Booked” flyers featuring the book’s cover at local businesses.

To encourage participation, the first 50 individuals to register will receive a free book bag. Copies of the novel are available for purchase and registration at The Pear Tree. In addition, copies have been provided for lending through local libraries in East Liverpool, Lisbon, Wellsville, and Chester, West Virginia.

The program will kick off June 6 at 1 p.m. with “An Afternoon with Robin Yocum,” featuring a luncheon, author talk, and book signing. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased through committee members or at The Pear Tree.

A series of community discussions will follow throughout the summer, with dates to be announced. A special Q&A session with Yocum is scheduled for July 23 at the Upper Ohio Valley Hall of Fame.

The initiative will conclude Aug. 6 with a gala event, “The Family Dinner,” at Elks Lodge 258. The evening will feature a potluck Italian dinner and trivia focused on the novel and related historical themes.

Sponsors for the program include Elks Lodge 258, The Wellsville Foundation, The Goosehonkers, the Hoffrichter family, True North, The Sturgis House, Friends of the Carnegie Public Library of East Liverpool, and Hancock County Savings Bank.

The On the Same Page committee is chaired by Susan Weaver and includes Judy Fannin, Vicki Coalmer, Karen Walker, Amy Mabbott and Colleen McCoy.

For updates and additional information, follow “Inklings for River Town Readers” on Facebook.