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Book Groups
Are you a book lover? Does reading make you happy? Do you find yourself wondering what to read next? Join us as we read and discuss various forms of literature together in groups of like-minded book lovers.
P.S. I have marked the books with an R that the group has already read. I'm keeping the books listed for ideas and reference.
Literary Fiction
In this group, we read general works of fiction. We seek good writing and great characters in the framework of a good story that keeps us page turning hour after hour.
R. Horse Geraldine Brooks
R. Ordinary Grace William Kent Kruger
R. The Fall of the Year: A Novel Harold Frank Mosher
R. Carolina Moonset Matt Goldman
R. The Sweetness of Water Nathan Harris
R. The Overstory Richard Powers
R. House Made of Dawn N. Scott Momaday
R. Sea of Tranquility Emily Mandel
R. The World Played Chess Robert Dugoni
R. Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
R. LightHousekeeping Jeanette Winterson
R. Peach Blossom Spring Melissa FuAdded 12/30/2022
R. A Keeper Graham Norton
The Time is Noon Pearl Buck
The Whalebone Theater Joanna Quinn
Yonder Jabari Asim
Forbidden City Vanessa Hua
Lessons Ian McEwan
French Braid Anne Tyler
Eventide Kent Haruf
Half of a Yellow Sun Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
The Peppered Moth Margaret DrabbleAdded 1/19/2023
A Week in Winter Maeve Binchy
The Women Could Fly Megan GiddingsAdded 1/30/2023
The Good Lord Bird James McBride
West with Giraffes Linda Rutledge
The Blackbird Girls Anne BlankmanAdded 3/1/2023
The Secret World of Flora Lee Patti Callahan Henry
Added 5/15/2023
Hippie Paulo Coelho
Last Bus to Wisdom Ivan Doug
Folklorn Angela Mi Young HurAdded 7/2/2023
The Bar Harbor Retirement Home for Famous Writers Terri-Lynne DeFino
Very Cold People Sarah Mangress
Banyan Moon Thao ThaiAdded 8/30/2023
The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store James McBride
The Lager Queen of Minnesota J. Ryan Stradal
Whalefall Daniel Krauss
Kantika Elizabeth Graver
The Librarian of Banned Books Brianna Labuskes
The Bean Trees Barbara Kingsolver
Who Done It
Love mysteries? There’s so many to chose from in this all so popular genre! We have been reading the first mystery that introduces a detective in a series that may have you going back for more. We’ve found some great ones! Join us for a lively weekly discussion!
Book List
R. The Player's Boy is Dead Leonard Towney (Joan and Matthew Stock)
R. Cop Hater Ed McBain (87th Precinct)
R. Murder at Melrose Court: A 1920s Country House Murder Mystery Karen Menuhim ( Heathcliff Lennox )
R. Death of Mrs. Westaway Ruth Ware
R. Navajo Autumn P. Allen Chappell (Navajo Nations)
R. Roman Blood: A Novel of Ancient Rome Steven Saylor (The Roma Sub Rosa series Book 1)
R. The Case of the Canterfell Codicil P. J. Fitzsimmons (Anty Boisjoly)
R. The Deep Blue Goodbye John D. MacDonald (Travis McGee)
R. Little Comfort Edwin Hill (Hester Thursby)
R. The Religious Body Catherine Aird (C. D. Sloan The Calleshire Chronicles)
R. Checkmate to Murder: A Second World War Mystery E.C.R. Lorac (British Classic Crime)
R. Rest You Merry Charlotte MacLeod (The Peter Shandy)
R. The Glass Key Dashiell Hammet
R. The Winter Queen Boris Akunin (Erast Fandorin)
R. The Fencing Master Arturo Perez-Reverte
R. The House of the Arrow A.E.W. Mason
R. The Night She Died Dorothy Simpson (The Inspector Thanet)
R. Midnight at Malabar House Vassim Khan (Persis Wadia)
R.The Lodger Marie Bellac Lowndes
R. The Return of the Dancing Master Henning Mankell
R. Cathedral of Bones J. G. Lewis (Ela Longespee of Salisbury)
R. The Teeth of the Tiger Maurice LeBlanc
R. A Bend of Light Joy Jordan-Lake
R. The Return of Faraz Ali Aamina Ahmad
R. Ruling Passion Reginald Hill (Dalziel and Pascoe)
R. That Affair Next Door Anna Catherine Green (model for Miss Marple)
R. No Strangers Here Carlene O'Connor (Cormac O'Brien, County Kerry)
R. A Key to Deceit Ashley Weaver (Electra McDonnell)
R. The Bellamy Trial Frances Noyes Hart (first trial mystery)
R. Full Dark House Christopher Fowler (Bryant and May)
R. Murder in eMinor Robert Goldsborough (Nero Wolfe)
R. Dancing Aztecs Donald Westlake
R. Gone for Good Joanna Schaffhauser (Annalisa Vega)
R. The Bookseller Mark Pryor (Hugo Marston)
R. Hunting Rabbits Mark Gilleo (Charlie Gates)
R.Trouble Follows Me Ross MacDonald
R. In Spite of Thunder John Dickson Carr (Dr. Gideon)Added 12/30/2022
R. Pepper Pike Les Roberts (Milan Jacovich)
R. Death at Charity's Point William Tappley (Brady Coyne)
Ask the Right Question Michael Lewin (Albert Samson)
Blunt Darts Jeremiah Healy (John Francis Cuddy)
The Snatch Bill Pronzini (Nameless)
Lonely Hearts John Harvey (Charlie Resnik)Ken's List of "Grandmothers" of Who Done It
A is for Alibi Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone)
Edwin of the Iron Shoes Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone)
Indemnity Only Sara Paretsky (V.I. Warshawski)
In the Last Analysis Amanda Cross (Kate Fansler)
Gaudy Night Dorothy Sayers (Harriet Vane)A Blunt Instrument Georgette Heyer
Death in the Stocks Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde)
City on Fire Don Winslow
Falling Star Patricia Moyes (Pudge)
Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead Olga Takarczuk
The Wolf and the Watchman Niklas Natt och Dag
The Cuckoo's Calling Robert Gilbraith (Cormoran Strike)
Sacred Games Gary Corby (Athenian Mysteries, Ancient Greece)Added 1/30/2023
Nothing Ventured Jeffrey Archer (William Warwick)
Aristotle Detective Margaret Doody (Aristotle)
The Blessing Way Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee)2/13/2023
The Dead Letter Seeley Regester (The first full length American Detective Story)
Until Proven Guilty J.A. Jance (J.P. Beaumont)Added 3/1/2023
Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey (Peter Diamond)
The House of Whispering Pines Anna Katherine Green (Mother of Detective Fiction)
Sunlit Weapon Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs)
Apothecary Rose Candace Robb (Owen Archer)
Redline: A Matt Sinclair Mystery Brian ThiemAdded 5/15/2023
Overboard Sara Paretsky
The Fellowship of the Frog Edgar Wallace
The Middle of Things J.S. Fletcher
Blaze Me a Sun Christoffer Carlsson (Best Swedish Crime Novel 2023)Added 5/30/2023
Too Many Cooks Rex Stout
Added 7/2/2023
Green for Danger (Inspector Cockrill) Christianna Brand and Martin Edwards
A Duty to the Dead (Bess Crawford) Charles Todd
Nomad's Land Mary Roberts Rinehard
Murder Takes No Holiday (Mike Shayne) Brett Halliday
Fire Burn John Dickson CarrAdded 8/30/2023
The Exploits of Juve Marcel Allain & Pierre Souvestre (The Fantomas Novels)
The Housekeeper Alex Hay
The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce)
The Law and the Lady Wilkie Collins (1st female detective)
Fadeout Joseph Hansen (Dave Brandstetter)
Girl Waits with Gun Amy Stewart (Kopp Sisters)
Shutter Ramona Emerson
Death of a Shadow George Bellairs (Inspector Littlejohn)
Deadly Hall John Dickson Carr
The Hangman's Daughter Oliver Potzsch
Bruno Chief of Police Martin Walker
A Rare Interest in Corpses Ann Granger (Inspector Benjamin Ross)
Historical Fiction
Do you enjoy learning about world history? Do you prefer to read great stories that teach? Then you want to join us as we read fictionalized history that teaches while it entertains.
Book List
R. The Glass Ocean Beatriz Williams
R. The Poland Trilogy Book One Push Not the River James Conroyd Martin
R. Olaf the Glorious Robert Leighton
R. The Swift and the Harrier Minette Walters
R. March Geraldine Brooks
R. The Saints of Swallow Hill Donna Everhart
R. The Moon in the Palace Weina Dai Randel
R. Simon the Fiddler Paulette Jiles
R. The Apothecary Rose Candace Robb
R. A Hundred Sweet Promises Sepehr Haddad
R. Deep River Karl Marlantes
Empress Orchid Anchee Min
The Master Colm Tóibín
The Blue Nancy Bilyeau (maybe Fugitive Colors as well)Added 12/30/2022
The Thread Collectors Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman
The Marriage Portrait Maggie O'Farrell
Dance of the Jakaranda Peter Kimani
Through a Darkening Glass R.S. Maxwell
A Tale of Two Citizens Elyce Waberman
The Forgotten Bookshop of Paris Daisy Wood
Emily's House Amy Belding Brown
The Far Traveler Nancy Marie Brown
The Distant Hours Kate Morton
The Midwife of Hope River Patricia Harman
A Dress of Violet Taffeta Tessa Arlen
Raphael, Painter in Rome Stephanie Story
Please say Kaddish for Me Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
Lady Magdalen Robin JenkinsAdded 12/31/2022
The Adventuress: A Novelette (One Virtue and a Thousand Crimes Book 1) Mira Kanehl
Added 1/1/2023
Paris by the Book Liam Callanan
Laughing Boy Oliver La Farge
The Women of Chateau LaFayette Stephanie DayAdded 1/19/2023
Judah the Pious: A Novel Francine Prose
Added 1/30/2023
River Sing Me Home Eleanor Shearer
Porcelain Moon Janie Chang
Lucy Tan's Circle of Women Lisa See
The Last White Rose Alison WeirAdded 2/13/2023
Sons of Liberty Matthew Speiser
The Executives Sarah Elizabeth Sawyer
Beyond the Ghetto Gates Michelle Cameron
Remarkable Creatures Tracy Chevalier
The House on the Lagoon Silvia SierraAdded 3/1/2023
The Dressmakers of Prospect Heights Kitty Zeldis
Painting with Fire Amanda Hughes
The Mountains Sing Nguyen Phan Que Mai
The Last Queen Chitra B. DivakaruniAdded Rachel 5/15/2023
Threads of Treason Mary Balo
Windfall Erika Bolstad
The House of Riverton Kate Morton
Seamstress of New Orleans Diane C. McPhail
This Other Eden Paul Harding
1,000 White Women Jim Fergus
Girl in Hyacinth Blue Susan Vreeland
Judah the Pious Francine Prose
The Rice Mother Rani Manicka
The Paper Bracelet Rachael English
The Dark Ladies Mask Mary Sharratt
The Bookseller's Tale Ann Swinton
Aristotle and the Secrets of Life Margaret Doody
Mistress of Rome Kate Quinn
Fall of Giants Ken Follett
Kristin Lavransdatter Sigrid UndsetAdded 5/30/2023
Molokai A Novel Alan Bennet
Reindeer Moon Elizabeth Marshall Thomas
When the Apricots Bloom Gina WilkersonAdded 7/2/2023
Lady Tan's Circle of Women Lisa See
The Devil's Queen Jeanne Kalogridis
The Trackers Charles Frazier
The Last Wife Susanna Moore
All the Queen's Spies Oliver Clements
The Revolution of the Moon Andrea Camilleri
Weyward Emilia Hart
The Physicians Daughter Martha Conway
Falcon of Palermo Maria Bordihn
Loot Tania James
Killingly Katherine Beutner
Kaikeyi V. PatelAdded 7/7/2023
The Life She Wanted Anita Abriel
On Killing Charles Dickens Zadie SmithAdded 8/30/2023
The Kashmir Shawl Rosie Thomas
Booth Karen Kay Fowler
Fire Blossom Sarah Lark
Beyond the Pale Elana Dykenwoman
The Mayfair Bookshop Eliza Knight
Canary Girls Jennifer Chiavarini
The Exiles Christina Baker Kline
The Paris Assignment Rhys Bowen
The Living Reed Pearl Buck
Take My Hand Polen Perkins-Valdez
Women of Note
If you enjoy reading about strong women who had a impact on the human story, then this class is for you! History is all about his-story. In this circle, we’ll read about the women who had a part in forming our world, her-story. You’ll be amazed at how many women made significant contributions that were ignored or attributed to men. We’ll read about the strong women who held the home front while men were off fighting, too. There’s a saying, “behind every great man, there was an even greater woman.” Come and find out who they were! This class begins October 7.
The plan is to read biographical novels. Our first one is about a woman little known, but highly influential, the one hidden behind the man she influenced.
My MacArthur Cindy Fazzi
Added 1/30/2023
An Indiscreet Princess Georgie Blalock
The First Ladies Marie Benedict
Queen of Exiles Vanessa Riley
Invincible Miss Cust Penny Haw
Carolina Bright Kianna Alexander
Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Allison Pataki
Her Hidden Genius Marie Benedict2/13/2023
Mad Woman Louisa Treger
Maybe...Coventry Women Cathy Hunt (British Heroines from 1850-1950)Added 3/1/2023
The Invisible Miss Cust Penny Haw
Too Soon the Night (Empress Theodora) James Conroyd Martin
Woman, Captive, Rebel Margaret WilsonAdded 5/15/2023
Monster Mary Shelley
St. Theresa Barbara MujicaAdded 7/2/2023
Illuminations Mary Sharratt
Added 8/30/2023
After Anne Logan Steiner (Lucy Maude Montgomery)
In Her Own Right Amanda Schiavo (Lady Mary Tudor)Bible Study
Come read the Bible with me. This fall, starting October 4, we'll be studying the Gospel of John. Unlike the other gospels, John is not simply a story, but much more, and is notorious for being "difficult" to understand. We'll be using, The Good Wine: Reading God From the Center by Bruno Barnhart to unlock the message of John.
I’ve studied the Bible all my life and have been a certified mentor for the University of the South for twenty years. All are welcome, regardless of faith practice, but please note that we will not be considering the Bible as inerrant truth, but rather a guide that contains many truths.
History of Christianity
Using Diarmond MacCullogh’s History of Christianity, The First Three Thousand Years, we’ll explore the influence of the faith that shaped world events for centuries.
Whispers of the Spirit
A Faith Based Books Reading Circle
This circle is for you if you wish to gain in your understanding of God and spirituality. We'll be reading and discussing these challenging books one chapter a week so that we can fully absorb the message the Spirit is whispering to us. The circle starts October 4 in the evening.
Sabboth Abraham Joshua Heschel
Sacred Earth, Sacred Soul John Phillip Newell
Our Hearts are Restless Richard Lischer
Life and Ministry of the Messiah Ray Vander LaanFuture Circles in the works:
Children’s Literature
Classical Literature, American or European
Stitch Along