At 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Flora Restaurant (190 Mass. Ave., Arlington), mystery short story panel and book-signing featuring Medford author, Daniel Luft, whose first-published story is among the 27 original tales that appear in Best New England Crime Stories 2012: Dead Calm, published by Level Best Books. 

Joining Luft on the panel are local authors, Kate Flora, Cheryl Marceau, and Barbara Ross. 

Enjoy appetizers (free) and drinks (cash bar) while we take you on a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, walk down our region's dark side.