This is the third in a series of four posts. See also overall favorites, nonfiction, and most popular books of 2019.


In the previous two posts we shared the results of our survey of book club members to find out their all-time favorite book club books, and their favorite nonfiction books. Here we look at mysteries and thrillers. Once again, respondents were given the opportunity to nominate up to three books and reminded that they should only name books that they had discussed in a book club setting, because there are many excellent mysteries and thrillers but not all have the substance to make for great discussion; 920 responded to this question.

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This is the fourth in a series of four posts. See also overall favorites, nonfiction and mysteries and thrillers.


In the previous three posts in this sequence, we shared the results of our 2020 survey of book club members to find out their favorite book club books of all-time. In three separate questions, we asked them to name their overall favorites, their nonfiction favorites and their mystery/thriller favorites, always reminding them to only name books that they had discussed in a book club setting, because the qualities that make for great books to read don't always translate into great discussions.

In the final question, we asked them to think back over just those books they discussed in a book club during 2019, and to name their one overall favorite; 1,354 responded to this question:

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This month, we highlight books from the Indian subcontinent (which consists of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.) Reading something set in another part of the world can be both informative and fun, offering you the opportunity to learn new things about unfamiliar places and cultures. And, in the case of these books, you can also feel confident they will be good choices for your book club. We have discussion guides for all but one; and all are also available in paperback, or will be soon.

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Watching a movie based on a book you like can be a great way to supplement your reading. The director and the screenwriter, generally, are showing you their interpretation of the book, and while you may not always agree with that interpretation, the film will usually give you something to think (and talk!) about.

This year, Greta Gerwig's beautiful adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's Little Women earned four Academy Award nominations, including a (well-deserved) Best Picture nomination. But 2019 also brought several other noteworthy movies based on books that are worth checking out. For a change of pace, consider reading one of the books below with your book club and then screening the film.

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2019 was a year of literary sequels: bestselling authors expanding on fictional worlds they created, in some cases decades after the original book was published. Find Me by André Aciman is one such example, published 12 years after Call Me By Your Name. But it's hardly a new phenomenon—here are some of the most noteworthy literary sequels to have hit the shelves, often to the surprise and delight of readers everywhere.

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It's a new year--a new decade--are you still using last century's neologisms? Why not spice up your vocabulary with some new words? Or just learn what your kids are actually saying in their tweets and texts!

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