You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion

You may have noticed that as of March 2012 Janice is having us read, for the Challenge, a mystery book. But that's ok: this is such a popular genre that it works out fine for twice in a row!

No worries - there are tons of great books that will fit! I am setting the rule that you can't nominate (for April's Themed Group Read) the book that you read for the Challenge in March. And if someone else does nominate the book you read in March, and it wins, you'll have to read one of the other choices in order to earn a badge.

For full guidelines about nominating books, please see the topic Let's Get Started. Briefly, each of you please nominate up to three books to fit the theme Murder & Mystery, and I would like to see both fiction and non-fiction choices.

Please also note that we are going to be discussing the chosen books as a group, so consider titles that are suitable for group discussion. Try to keep the 'yuck factor' pretty low. I, personally, will *not* read or discuss anything that includes child abuse, so if you feel you really want to nominate such a book anyway, please at least warn us so we can make an informed choice when it's time to vote. Thank you!

I nomintate Green River, Running Red: The Real Story of the Green River Killer--America's Deadliest Serial Murderer by Ann Rule for my non-fiction title.
I also nominate Heresy by S.J. Parris and The Sausage Maker's Daughters by A.G.S. Johnson

My first nomination is The Mystery of Edwin Drood by Charles Dickens because I have never read a Dickens and he wrote some of his books in a town where I lived. This book was left unfinished, which in itself adds to the mystery.

And I Don't Want to Live This Life: A Mother's Story of Her Daughter's Murder by Deborah Spungen is my non fiction nomination, the viewpoint of a murdered woman's mother. I think this could be a really interesting read looking at how a mother dealt with her daughters murder after a destructive life and having to cope with bringing up such a child. It could also be a book that some may not be able to finish. A book about a disjointed family? Perhaps but I haven't read it so I don't know.

Lastly, Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. Historical fiction is my fave, so I had to nominate this. First book in a series too so will add more to the Mt TBRs we all have if it is chosen and liked!

I am really sorry, people! I wasn't paying attention to the poll for April's group read. I've doubled up, and we'll be reading mysteries for March and April. I'm hoping that it's a favoured genre and many of you won't mind.

My nominations:

1) The House At Riverton. Kate Morton intrigued me with The Forgotten Garden and I've had this book on my TBR ever since. You could say that it's a gothic mystery, in that the crime happened back in the 1920's with reverberations into present day.

2) The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. Don't you just love a mystery that starts with a letter or involves old books? I do and I can't wait to read this book.

3) The Monster of Florence by Douglas Preston is my non-fiction pick. I've started reading Preston's mysteries. I loved Thunderhead and The Monster or Florence crossed my radar because of the author. It's his recounting of when he moved his family to Florence and started to delve into the story of a serial killer who was never caught.

Lots of great choices, thanks folks! Keep 'em coming... I plan to collect nominations for several days, and then post the poll March 6 or 7th, as it does look like we'll need time for a run-off.

For non-fiction I nominate In Cold Blood by Truman Capote.

Another non-fiction mystery: Vanished Smile: The Mysterious Theft of Mona Lisa (also published as The Lost Mona Lisa by R A Scotti

Fiction: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley.

I am just trying to understand how this works. So there are month-long challenges every month and then month-long THEMES. IT used to be a book of the month, then it was a theme and you could pick any book that you thought applied to that theme - and now the theme/book a month thing is changing to this format ... where a theme is selected and then books that apply to that theme ...

This is NOT a critique. I am just trying to wrap my brain around it all.

Kate wrote: "I am just trying to understand how this works. So there are month-long challenges every month and then month-long THEMES. IT used to be a book of the month, then it was a theme and you could pick..."

First, challenges are completely separate from the monthly book discussions. Put them into a compartment of their own.

Now, the monthly book discussion. The original format was that the moderator posted a theme, nominations were made and one book was determined by a vote. Everyone participating read that one book. Participation was a bit lacking.

So then, we tried opening it up to where people voted on a theme and everyone read their own choice for that theme. It was a bit difficult to sustain a discussion with that format and it was too much like the challenges.

We arrived at a blend of the two. We vote on the theme first, then nominate books that fit the theme. Those nominations will be voted on and 3 or 4 books will be selected. That will give participants a choice to read.

So we've gone from one book, to many, and now down to a few.

I hope that clarifies things a bit.

Thanks!!!

I nominate the following books from my TBR pile. You'll have to let me know if any of these have an "ick" factor since I haven't read them.

And Then There Were None - A classic Agatha Christie novel since I haven't read any of her books!

The Shadow of the Wind - Another fiction pick that looks like it would generate good discussion.

The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America - Non-fiction pick

Agatha Christie should be fine. Does anyone else know about the 'yuck factor' of Emily's other nominations?

Nope :)

I'm a fan of Mistress of the Art of Deathas nominated by Snoozie Suzie, but am honour bound to say that it's about child abuse/murder and a bit nasty for some people.

Anatomy of a Murder America's original #1 bestselling legal thriller and courtroom drama. The basis for the classic Oscar Award-nominated 1959 film starring Jimmy Stewart.

The Lock Artist winner of the 2011 Edgar Award for Best Novel.

Based on an unsolved true case The Black Dahlia was a nickname given to Elizabeth Short an American woman who was the victim of a gruesome and much-publicized murder.

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Agatha Christie should be fine. Does anyone else know about the 'yuck factor' of Emily's other nominations?"

I don't recall any really yucky parts in The Shadow of the Wind, so I don't think it would offend anyone.

I didn't realise that one would be yuck, sorry. I thought the Sid visious one would be. But glad some of you pointed it out. But it could be short listed and people not pick it if they didn't want to? But it's on my tbr so I'll get to it at some point.

Anyway, I'm impressed with the number of suggestions. I'm hoping this will be a good compromise for the monthly read - I'm certainly excited.

Snoozie Suzie wrote: "I didn't realise that one would be yuck, sorry. I thought the Sid visious one would be. But glad some of you pointed it out. But it could be short listed and people not pick it if they didn't want ..."

Mistress of the Art of Death does have the disappearance and torture/murder of children in it, however it is not graphic, until your imagination "fills in" at the mystery’s climax. It is a good historical, forensic read.

My thoughts on books already nominated:
The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America is a book I would also like to read. I started it years ago, but didn't get much past the first chapter. It does have some horrible parts (it is about a serial killer who preyed on young women), but I also drive by the location of the Columbian Exposition everyday on my way to and from work.

The Keeper of Lost Causes is also a book I'd like to read. It sounds interesting and I already have a copy.

I have already read and very much enjoyed (in different ways) both Mistress of the Art of Death and The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie, both of which take place in England.

Some new suggestions from my TBR list:
Either The Club Dumas or The Flanders Panel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte. These both look very interesting and deal respectively with the world of antiquarian books and fine art history.

A Vine In The Blood: A Chief Inspector Mario Silva Investigation which takes place in Brazil and deals with the national sport of soccer.

The Expats: A Novel, a new book about a married woman with secrets who sees a move to Europe for her husband's job as a way to start over. However, once there she finds even more secrets to overcome to save her family, marriage, and life.

The Thin Woman, which is a bit of a change of pace. An overweight woman hires a man to pose as her boyfriend for a family reunion and murder ensues.

A Shot Rang Out - The Tangled Life and Mysterious Death of Thomas Cauldron: Author, Spy, Traitor which tells the story of a journalist investigating the life of a man who dies after crashing into his living room.

And, for a light and fun option: Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye. We can't be too serious now, can we?

Lara, could I please get you to narrow down your rec's to just three? That's the guideline I set up, to be fair to everyone. Thanks!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Lara, could I please get you to narrow down your rec's to just three? That's the guideline I set up, to be fair to everyone. Thanks!"

Sure! I'll narrow it down to seconding the nominations for The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America and The Keeper of Lost Causes.

And I also nominate The Flanders Panel by Arturo Pérez-Revertewhich deals with the world of fine art (history). Is there a secret message painted into a work of art, and what is it? And was there a murder associated with its painting?

Thanks!

Ok, we've got a long list, so it's time to set up the poll. I'm not going to close the thread, though, because someone might want to add thoughts about the choices or say something related. Give me a bit of time, then come vote!

Hello again! The run-off poll is ready - please vote again so we can narrow the choices further. Thanks!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Hello again! The run-off poll is ready - please vote again so we can narrow the choices further. Thanks!"

Voted!

Cheryl in CC NV wrote: "Hello again! The run-off poll is ready - please vote again so we can narrow the choices further. Thanks!"

I voted, but I'm not sure I can wait until January 1, 2021 to find out what the results are!☻

You may want to change that date?

Ack - thanks!

Ok, we have winners! See this thread:
http://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/8...