- BookBrowse
- Posts
- Cooking Drama, Mystery & a Coming-of-Age Plot
Cooking Drama, Mystery & a Coming-of-Age Plot
Susan Choi's Flashlight in paperback, current discussions, and more ...
Book Club News: May Issue
Hello Book Clubbers,
In this issue, we bring you our current discussion of The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully, an entertaining mystery featuring an assistant detective and her famous mentor.
The fun continues with Jesse Q. Sutanto’s Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block, about a woman who enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband but winds up on an unexpected journey of her own.
Book groups seeking something more serious and character-driven can see what our members are saying about Elizabeth Hardinger’s Won’t Be Long Now, the story of one young woman’s coming-of-age struggles.
Plus, check out our reading guide, review, and other content for Susan Choi’s Flashlight, newly released in paperback, along with the lineup of upcoming discussions and Ask the Author interviews happening in our community forum.
Thanks for reading,
The BookBrowse Team
Book Club Discussions
Discussions are open to all! If you’d like to participate, you can do so by creating an account here. Please note that discussions can contain spoilers.
The World’s Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully
From the Jacket Olivia Blunt doesn't want to be an assistant detective for the rest of her life. She's determined to learn everything she can from her mentor and renowned investigator, Aubrey Merritt, but the latter is no easy grader. After weeks of fielding phone calls from parties desperate for the world-renowned detective's help, a case comes across Olivia's desk that just might be worthy of Merritt's skills. |  |
From the Discussion
“I think this is a perfect book for anyone who likes the cozy mystery genre or who likes Agatha Christie-style murder mysteries.” —Janine_S
“I enjoyed the book and the byplay between Merritt and Blunt. It reminded me somewhat of The Devil Wears Prada.” —Mary_K
See what people are saying in response to this question: Olivia enjoys the resort but thinks that if she had the money, she likely wouldn’t spend it at a place like that. (p. 139-140) What about you? Would you spend time at the resort? What would be your ideal vacation if you had the funds available?
Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto
From the Jacket A nearly divorced trophy wife enrolls in culinary school to win back her husband, only to find a fresh start in the unlikeliest of places in this new novel from the USA Today bestselling author of Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers. From the Discussion “I thoroughly enjoyed this book!…Ms. Mebel is a delightful character, and the story is messy, funny, light-hearted, and empowering.” —Anke_V |  |
“Ms. Sutanto is a wonderful writer and describes surroundings and people with great wit and beautiful sentences. Every page is a delight.” —Kathleen_M
See what people are saying in response to this question: Mebel discovers that cooking provides a “sense of peace” and that it calms “the usual cacophony of noises” in her mind. (p. 107) Does this ring true for you? Are there activities you engage in that clear your head in a similar manner?
Won’t Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger
From the Jacket Coming of age in 1950s Kansas, a misunderstood young woman must find her way through a society ill-equipped to give her grace in this powerful, exhilarating story about loyalty, family, and hard-won self-acceptance for readers of Jayne Anne Phillips, Patti Callahan Henry, and Donna Everhart. From the Discussion “I really enjoyed this novel. It really seemed more like a memoir, very authentic.” —Catherine_O_Callagha |  |
“Won’t Be Long Now would provide plenty of fodder for book groups, especially if they like character-driven plots.” —Carol_Ann_Robb
See what people are saying in response to this question: Billie refuses to attend important rituals, like her graduation ceremony or funerals. Why do you suppose this is? Her mother tells her she’ll regret it later. Does she? What’s your opinion about such rituals?
Featured Paperback
Stay on top of paperback releases for your book club with our Recent Paperbacks section, and discover additional content for featured titles, including reviews, “beyond the book” articles, and discussion questions. Below is just one new paperback we recommend.
Flashlight by Susan Choi
In Susan Choi's Flashlight, ten-year-old Louisa, the daughter of a Japanese-born Korean man and a white woman from the American Midwest, is found unconscious on a beach in Japan—her father, who was walking with her through the dark, flashlight in hand, is soon presumed drowned. That's the end of the story as far as anyone seems concerned. But this event, with its unknowns, reverberates forward, through the lives of Louisa and her mother Anne, both perceptibly and imperceptibly, linked to the past in ways they can't imagine. |  |
Despite its premise, Flashlight is less suspense-driven than a reader might expect, and more closely resembles straightforward literary fiction than Choi's National Book Award-winning Trust Exercise (2019). But it's a big swing with bold implications. … continued
Review by Elisabeth Cook
A Club of One’s Own and Curated Guides
Experience the joys of a thriving book group. A Club of One's Own caters to both book club newbies and experienced leaders. Expanding on our 2019 Inner Lives of Book Clubs, BookBrowse, a trusted voice in the world of reading groups, offers a practical, inclusive, and inspiring guide to building a book club that lasts. From crafting your club's vision to navigating tricky group dynamics, the guide is packed with insights on everything from choosing discussion-worthy books to leading meaningful conversations. This guide and others draw from more than two decades of book club research and editorial content. View them all in our Curated Guides section. |  |
Discussions & Ask the Author Interviews
Discussions are open to all, so please join us! If you would like to receive a message when a particular discussion opens, you can sign up for a one-time notification. You can also find inspiration for your book club among our more than 200 past discussions. Currently, we’re discussing The World's Greatest Detective and Her Just Okay Assistant by Liza Tully, Ms. Mebel Goes Back to the Chopping Block by Jesse Q. Sutanto, and Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger, among other books. |  |
Starting May 21, we feature When No One Else Will by Amanda Skenandore.
BookBrowse regularly hosts Ask the Author sessions in our community forum. We invite you to follow along and post your own questions in any future interviews that interest you. In the meantime, see our recent conversation with Amelia Ireland, author of The Seven O’Clock Club. |  |
About BookBrowse
BookBrowse offers a cornucopia of resources for book clubs, including recommended books by genre, time period, setting, and a wide range of themes; advice on starting and running a book club; and much more!
Reply