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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
R. The Time is Noon Pearl Buck
R. The Whalebone Theater Joanna Quinn
R. Yonder Jabari Asim
R. Forbidden City Vanessa Hua
R. Lessons Ian McEwan
R. French Braid Anne Tyler
R. Eventide Kent Haruf
Added 1/19/2023
R. A Week in Winter Maeve Binchy
R. The Women Could Fly Megan GiddingsAdded 1/30/2023
R. The Good Lord Bird James McBride
R. West with Giraffes Linda Rutledge Currently reading
R. The Blackbird Girls Anne BlankmanAdded 3/1/2023
R. The Secret World of Flora Lee Patti Callahan Henry
Added 5/15/2023
R. Hippie Paulo Coelho
R. 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 KingsolverAdded 2/27/2024
The Storyteller Jodi Picoult
Weyward Emelia Hart
This Other Eden Paul Harding
North Woods Daniel MasonMax Howard Fast
The Invisible Hour Alice Hoffman
Raft of Stars Andrew J. Graf
Morning and Evening Jon Fosse
West Carys Davies
Power of One Bryce Courtenay
The Dutch House Anne Patchett
Take What You Need Idra NoveyAdded 3/19/2024
Cloud Atlas David Mitchell
Above the Fire Mitchell O'DonnellAdded 4/3/2024
The Language of Kin Lynne Hugo
What you are Looking for is in the Library Michiko Aoyama
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)
R. Ask the Right Question Michael Lewin (Albert Samson)
R. Blunt Darts Jeremiah Healy (John Francis Cuddy)
R. The Snatch Bill Pronzini (Nameless)
R. Lonely Hearts John Harvey (Charlie Resnik)Ken's List of "Grandmothers" of Who Done It
R. A is for Alibi Sue Grafton (Kinsey Millhone)
R. Edwin of the Iron Shoes Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone)
R. Indemnity Only Sara Paretsky (V.I. Warshawski)
R. In the Last Analysis Amanda Cross (Kate Fansler)
R. Gaudy Night Dorothy Sayers (Harriet Vane)R. A Blunt Instrument Georgette Heyer
R. Death in the Stocks Georgette Heyer (Inspector Hannasyde)
R. Falling Star Patricia Moyes (Pudge)
R. Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead Olga Takarczuk
R. The Wolf and the Watchman Niklas Natt och Dag
R. The Cuckoo's Calling Robert Gilbraith (Cormoran Strike)
R. Sacred Games Gary Corby (Athenian Mysteries, Ancient Greece)Added 1/30/2023
R. Nothing Ventured Jeffrey Archer (William Warwick)
R. Aristotle Detective Margaret Doody (Aristotle)
R. The Blessing Way Tony Hillerman (Leaphorn and Chee)2/13/2023
R. The Dead Letter Seeley Regester (The first full length American Detective Story)
R. Until Proven Guilty J.A. Jance (J.P. Beaumont)Added 3/1/2023
R. Remarkably Bright Creatures Shelby Van Pelt
R. The Last Detective by Peter Lovesey (Peter Diamond)
R. The House of Whispering Pines Anna Katherine Green (Mother of Detective Fiction)
R. Sunlit Weapon Jacqueline Winspear (Maisie Dobbs)
R. Apothecary Rose Candace Robb (Owen Archer)
R. Redline: A Matt Sinclair Mystery Brian ThiemAdded 5/15/2023
R. Overboard Sara Paretsky
R. The Fellowship of the Frog Edgar Wallace
R. The Middle of Things J.S. Fletcher
R. Blaze Me a Sun Christoffer Carlsson (Best Swedish Crime Novel 2023)Added 5/30/2023
R. Too Many Cooks Rex Stout
Added 7/2/2023
R. Green for Danger (Inspector Cockrill) Christianna Brand and Martin Edwards
R. A Duty to the Dead (Bess Crawford) Charles Todd
R. Miss Pinkerton (The Hilda Adams Mysteries) Mary Roberts Rinehard
R. Murder Takes No Holiday (Mike Shayne) Brett Halliday
R. Fire Burn John Dickson CarrAdded 8/30/2023
R. The Exploits of Juve Marcel Allain & Pierre Souvestre (The Fantomas Novels)
R. The Housekeeper Alex Hay
R. The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie Alan Bradley (Flavia de Luce)
R. The Law and the Lady Wilkie Collins (1st female detective)
R. Fadeout Joseph Hansen (Dave Brandstetter)
R. Girl Waits with Gun Amy Stewart (Kopp Sisters)
R. Shutter Ramona Emerson
R. Death of a Shadow George Bellairs (Inspector Littlejohn)
R. Deadly Hall John Dickson Carr
R. The Hangman's Daughter Oliver Potzsch
R. Bruno Chief of Police Martin Walker
R. A Rare Interest in Corpses Ann Granger (Inspector Benjamin Ross)Added 2/27/2024
The House Without a Key Earl Derr Biggers (Charlie Chan)
The Square of Revenge Peter Aspe (Pieter Van)
The Seeker S.G.MacLean (Damian Seeker)
Taken to the Hills S. J. Richards (Luke Sackville)
The Empty Mirror J. Sydney Jones (Viennese Mysteries)
All The Sinners Bleed S.J. Cosby
The Salaryman's Wife Syjata Massey (Rei Shimura)
The Coldest Case A.J. Cross (Dr. Kate Hanson)
Trent's Last Case E.C. Bentley
The Fire Thief Debra Bokur (Kalie Mahoe)
Breaking Creed Alex Kava (Ryder Creed)
Where the Dark Streets Go Dorothy Salisbury Davis
The Orchid Hour Nancy Bileau
The Inside Ring Mike Lawson (Joe Demarco)
Murder in the Rue Dumas M.L. Longworth (Antoine Verlaque)
Back to the Garden Laurie King
Murder in Black Swan Lane Andrea Penrose (Wexford and Sloane)
Dangerous Davies Leslie Thomas (Davies)
Fire L.C. Tyler (John Grey)
The Cold, Cold Ground Adrian McKinty (Seab Duffy)
The Maid Nita Prose
Old Bones Preston and Childs (Nora Kelly)
Dead Men Don't Ski Patricia Noyes
The Guards A Jack Taylor Novel Ken Bruen
What Angels Fear C.S. Harris (Sebastion St. Cyr)
The Sanctuary Katrine Engberg (Korner and Werner)
Snake Skin C.J. Lyons (Lucy Guardino)
Long Boat Blues H. Terrell Griffen (Matt Royal)
Honor's Kingdom Ralph Peters (Abel Jones)
Bloody January Alan Parks (Harry McCoy)
Deavers Anne Perry
And Only To Deceive Tasha Alexander (Lady Emily)
Assassins Jim Elridge (DI Spark)
Restitution Steven Moriarity
The DaVinci Code Dan Brown
The Norths Meet Murder Frances and Richard Lockridge (Mr. & Mrs. North)
Gourmet Detective Peter KingHide Tracy Clark (Harriet Foster)
The Quality of Mercy Faye Kellerman
Lockstep Jack Bainao (John Locke)
Stillwater Melissa Lenhardt (Jack McBride)
Wild Pitch A,B. Guthrie Jr. (Sherrif Chuck Charleston)
In the Woods Tanya French
The Killings on Badger Drift Caroline Graham (Barnaby)
Cold as Hell Litja Sigurdardottir (Ar Ora)
The Slow Bullet Arthur Reeves (Det Craig Kennedy)
Takeover: A Novel of Suspense Lisa Black (Theresa MacLean)
Malice a Mystery Keigo Higaishino (Kyoichiro Kaga)
A Trouble of Fools Lisa Barnes (Carlotta Carlyte)
The Enemy Within John Creasey (Dept Z)
Murder Undeniable Anita Waller (Kat & Mouse)
Booked to Die John Dunning (Cliff Janeway)
Crouchback Sarah Woodbury (Welsh guard)
Saving the Queen William Buckley Jr. (Blackford Oakes)
A Nail Through the Heart Timothy Hallinam (Poke Rafferty)
Puppet Master Raoul Michelle (Maurice Marceau)
Fellowship of Fear Aaron Elkins (Gideon Oliver)
Murder at Everham Hall Benedict Brown (Marius Quinn)
The Copycat Charlotte Barnes (DI Melanie Watton)
The Murder of Eleanor Pope Harry Kuttner (Dr. Michael Gray)
The Roman Hat Mystery Ellery Queen (Richard Queen)
A Villa in Sicily: Olive Oil & Murder Fiona Grace
Murder in the Queen's Wardrobe Kathy Lynn Emerson (Mistress Jeffrey)
The Skull Mantra Elliot Pattison
Just Watch Me Jeff Lindsay (Riley Wolfe)
The Artful Egg James McClure
The Cold Dish Craig Johnson (Walt Longmire)
Murder by Degrees Ruth Mukerji
The Family Upstairs Lisa Jewell
A Killer in King's Cove Iona Whishaw (Lana Winslow)
Postmark Murder Mignon G. Eberhart
Tied to Murder Brian Patterson (Jim Ashworth)Added 3/18/2024
Above Suspicion Lynda La Monte (Anne Travis...Prime Suspect Helen Mirren)
Index to Murder Jo Dereske (Miss Zukas - Librarian)
The Twisted Road A. B. Michaels (Jonathan Perris)
Dead Angler Victoria Houston (Loon Lake)
The Magdalene Deception Gary McAvoy (Nuns)
The Unspoken Ian K. Smith (Ashe Cayne)
The Woman Who Married a Bear John Straley (Cecil Younger)
Cave of Bones Anne Hillerman (Bernadette Manuelito)
The Man with the Que Josephine Tey (Alan Grant)
The Secret of the Stones Ernest Dempsey (Sean Wyath)
The Lotus Palace Jeanne Lin
The Bones at Point No Point D.D. Block (Thomas Austin)
A Shameful Murder Cora Harrison (Mother Aquinas)
Penguin Pool Murders Stuart Palmer (Hildegard Withers)Added 3/22/2024
Desert Heat J. J. Jance (Joanna Brady)
Cotton Comes to Harlem Chester Hines (Harlem Detectives Book 4)
Bootleggers Daughter Margaret Maron (Deborah Knott)
The Third Revelation Ralph McInerny (Rosary Chronicles)Added 4/1/2024
Edge of the Grave Robbie Morrison (Scottish Untouchables, Jimmy Dreghorn)
Murder Crossed Her Mind Stephen Spotsworth (Bestseller, new series)
An Unsuitable Job for a Woman P.D. James (Cordelia Gray)
The Road to Murder Camilla Trinchieri
The Murder of Mr. Ma John Shen Yen Nee and S.J. Rozan
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
R. Empress Orchid Anchee Min
R. The Blue Nancy Bilyeau (maybe Fugitive Colors as well)Added 12/30/2022
R. The Thread Collectors Shaunna Edwards and Alyson Richman
R. The Marriage Portrait Maggie O'Farrell
R. Through a Darkening Glass R.S. Maxwell
R. A Tale of Two Citizens Elyce Waberman
R. The Forgotten Bookshop of Paris Daisy Wood
R. Emily's House Amy Belding Brown
R. The Distant Hours Kate Morton
R. The Midwife of Hope River Patricia Harman
R. A Dress of Violet Taffeta Tessa Arlen
Raphael, Painter in Rome Stephanie Story
R. Please say Kaddish for Me Rochelle Wisoff-Fields
R. Lady Magdalen Robin JenkinsR. The Good Lord Bird James McBride currently reading
Added 1/1/2023
R. Paris by the Book Liam Callanan
R. Laughing Boy Oliver La Farge
R. The Women of Chateau LaFayette Stephanie DayAdded 1/19/2023
R. 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-ValdezAdded 2/27/2024
The Linwoods Catherine Maria Sedgewick
Underground Railroad Collin Whitehead
The Fox Wife Yangaze Choo
The Phoenix Crown Kate Quinn & Janie Chang
In Praise of the Bees Kristin Gleeson
Hester Laurie Lico Albanese
Beyond that, the Sea Laura Spence-Ash
My Name is Ona Judge Suzanne Harrison
Matrix Lauren Groll
The Fraud Zadie Smith
Lions of Fifth Avenue Fiona Davis
The Nature of Fragile Things Susan Meissmer
The Quality of Mercy Faye Kellerman
The Forgery of Venus Michael Grieber
The Berry Pickers Amanda Peters
The Frozen River Ariel Lawhon
Honors Kingdom Owen Parry
The Woman of the Green Dress Tea Cooper
Seven Locks Christine Wade
A Storm in the Stars Don Zancanella
American Dutchess Karen Harper
The Other Princess - Queen Victoria's Goddaughter Dennys Bryce
The Secret Keeper Kate Morton
The Alice Network Kate Quinn
Prayers the Devil Answers Sharon McCrumb
Of Stone and Sky Marryn Glover
The Fraud Zadie Smith
Queen Margot Alexandre Dumas
Knightess Jeff Stein
The Witching Tide Margaret Meyer
Geisha: A life Mineko IwaskiAdded 3/19/2024
Great Divide Cristina Henriquez
The Phoenix Crown Kate Quinn and Janie Chang
Beautiful Dreamer Sarah Taylor
The Magnificent Lives of Marjorie Post Allison Pataki
The Other Princess Jenny S. Bryce
The Swan's Nest Laura McNeal
A Most Intriguing Lady Sarah Ferguson
A Marriage of Lions Elizabeth Chadwick
The Seamstress Frances DePontes PeeblesAdded 4/1/2024
The Armor of Light Ken Follet
Added 7/1/2024
The Briar Club Kate Quinn
Shelterwood Lisa Wingate
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)Added 2/27/2024
The Invincible Miss Cust
Rebel Queen Michelle Moran
The Last Tutor Phillipa Gregory
America's First Daughter Stephanie Dray
Z A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald Therese Anne Fowler
Josephine Baker's Last Dance Sherry Jones
Sister of the Lionheart +Hilary Benford
In the Shadow of the Empress Nancy Goldstone
Thousand Pieces of Gold Ruthanne Mccunn
Dictionary of Lost Words Pip Williams
The Engineer's Wife Tracy Emerson
Fifth Avenue Glamor Girl Renee Rosen
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