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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
The Overstory Richard Powers
House Made of Dawn N. Scott Momaday
The World Played Chess Robert Dugoni
Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
LightHousekeeping Jeanette Winterson
Peach Blossom Spring Melissa FuAdded 12/30/2022
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
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
The Winter Queen Boris Akunin (Erast Fandorin)
The Fencing Master Arturo Perez-Reverte
The House of the Arrow A.E.W. Mason
The Night She Died Dorothy Simpson (The Inspector Thanet)
Midnight at Malabar House Vassim Khan (Persis Wadia)
The Lodger Marie Bellac Lowndes
The Return of the Dancing Master Henning Mankell
Cathedral of Bones J. G. Lewis (Ela Longespee of Salisbury)
The Teeth of the Tiger Maurice LeBlanc
A Bend of Light Joy Jordan-Lake
The Return of Faraz Ali Aamina Ahmad
Ruling Passion Reginald Hill (Dalziel and Pascoe)
That Affair Next Door Anna Catherine Green (model for Miss Marple)
No Strangers Here Carlene O'Connor (Cormac O'Brien, County Kerry)
A Key to Deceit Ashley Weaver (Electra McDonnell)
The Bellamy Trial Frances Noyes Hart (first trial mystery)
Full Dark House Christopher Fowler (Bryant and May)
Murder in eMinor Nero Wolfe and Robert Goldsborough
Dancing Aztecs Donald Westlake
Gone for Good Joanna Schaffhauser (Annalisa Vega)
The Bookseller Mark Pryor (Hugo Marston)
Hunting Rabbits Mark Gilleo (Charlie Gates)
Trouble Follows Me Ross MacDonald
In Spite of Thunder John Dickson Carr (Dr. Gideon)Added 12/30/2022
Pepper Pike Lee Roberts (Milan Jacovich)
Death and 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)
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 Thiem
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
March Geraldine Brooks
The Saints of Swallow Hill Donna Everhart
The Moon in the Palace Weina Dai Randel
Simon the Fiddler Paulette Jiles
The Apothecary Rose Candace Robb
A Hundred Sweet Promises Sepehr Haddad
Deep River Karl Marlantes
The Lost Apothocary Sarah Penner
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. DivakaruniWomen’s Stories
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!
The plan is to read biographical novels. Our first one is about a woman little known, but highly influential, one the ones 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 WilsonBible Study
Come read the Bible with me. This group will start with the letters of Paul, beginning with Romans. 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.
Future Circles in the works:
Grow Your Faith: A Faith Based Books Reading Circle
Children’s Literature
Classical Literature, American or European
Stitch Along