Have you ever thought about joining or starting a crime fiction book club? You might think book clubs are just for lovers of chick lit or classic literature, but there’s no reason that mystery lovers can’t reap the benefits, too. Plus, there are lots of fun ways to jazz up your crime fiction book club and make it unique.
No matter which genre you prefer to read, there are many benefits to joining a book club. Firstly, book clubs will help you to read more by giving you a deadline. You’re more likely to buy that new thriller and make the time to read it if you know others are counting on you to do so. Book clubs also promote learning and encourage you to think about what you’re reading instead of tearing through the chapters. When you actually meet up with your book group, you can develop communication skills, learn tactfulness, and even overcome shyness as you discuss your opinions and ideas.
If you join a crime fiction book club specifically, you’ll automatically have something in common with the other members – making it likely you’ll make a new friend. A crime fiction book group can also help you branch out to discover new authors, set aside stereotypes or prejudices against certain genres, or get a new perspective on a series or character you already love. Plus, discussing crime fiction with others gives you the benefit of their knowledge: a mother might provide a new perspective on a kidnapping thriller, or an avid traveler might have special insight into the newest Scandicrime novel.
Some critics argue that mysteries and thrillers aren’t weighty enough for book clubs, but in truth, crime fiction often explores our deepest moral conflicts. What could be weightier than passion so intense, it provokes murder? There are plenty of thrillers, mysteries, espionage novels, and police procedurals out there that tackle deep issues – from ideas of sorority mob mentality in Kate White’s The Sixes to what could lead a mother to kill her own child in Mary Higgins Clark’s Where Are the Children. Nearly any reading experience can be enhanced by group analysis, and you’ll probably be surprised by how much your crime fiction book club finds to discuss.
To start your own a crime fiction book club, invite several fellow mystery lovers and ask them each to invite a friend you don’t know. Everyone will know someone, but you’ll also be able to meet new people. As you select what to read, consider starting at the beginning of a crime fiction series or choose several works from one author to compare and contrast. You might also pick a crime fiction sub genre – and then compare the Lou Mason books to John Grisham and Scott Turow’s legal thrillers, or read a James Bond book followed by Jason’s Matthew’s recent Red Sparrow to see how espionage thrillers have evolved over generations. If your crime fiction book group is focused on mysteries, think about meeting twice – once mid-book to trade theories and guess whodunit, then again after you’re finished to see who was correct.
Most experiences in life are better when you share them, and reading crime fiction is no exception. Start your own crime fiction book club and take your reading experience to a new level!
