Book Club News: October Issue
Hello Book Clubbers,
In this issue, see what our book club members are saying about A. Rushby’s All Her Beautiful Deaths, a historical mystery with a gothic atmosphere perfect for Halloween, and Bill Smoot’s San Quentin Exodus, centered on a literature-inspired prison escape.
Bryan Washington’s National Book Award finalist Palaver is now out in paperback. Explore our content for this quiet family drama that will immerse you and your book club in the sights and sounds of Tokyo.
Plus, take a trip to Europe with our recommended book club books set all over the continent, bookmark our Book Club Central hub if you haven’t already, and see our current and future lineup of online discussions.
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.
All Her Beautiful Deaths by A. Rushby
From the Jacket
London, 1865. Minnie has been sent to Culpepper House to work as a maid. She's been told that the Culpepper twins are odd, and odd they are. Edmund and Edith seem to do as they please, with Edmund running a laboratory from the house and Edith running about with glass plates in order to create photographs. When Minnie spies what Edith is photographing—a young woman and swan, both dead—she is horrified. But with nowhere else to go, there is nothing to do but remain and try to unlock the mystery of Culpepper House's secrets before she becomes the victim of such a photograph.
From the Discussion
“I would recommend this for a fun Halloween book club read.” —Christine_M
“What an incredible read! Allison Rushby has written a beautiful, very haunting story that captivates the reader from its very beginning. This gothic, historical novel is not my usual genre to read…I was drawn to its subject, Victorian memorial photography, and the mystery.” —Carol_N
See what people are saying in response to this question: Were you aware of the Victorian practice of memorial photography before reading the book? If so, have you seen any of these photos? What do you think of this practice?
San Quentin Exodus by Bill Smoot
From the Jacket
His only friend is a pit bull he rescues from dog fighting. On the cusp of college, James commits a crime that results in a prison term of thirty to life.
Allison, a young Indiana girl obsessed with Nancy Drew novels, vows that her life's mission will be to solve mysteries and help people. Introverted yet daring, Allison moves to Berkeley to teach prep school and volunteers as a tutor at San Quentin. She meets James when he is approaching fifty, learns his story, and after his parole denial, channels Nancy Drew to plan his improbable escape.
From the Discussion
“One really came to know both James and Allison, the worlds they lived in, and what made them who they were. I really liked the short chapters, each opening another door or clarifying what was happening.” —Marcia_Sailer
“I would say this novel was FANTASTIC. It is the best book I’ve read this year and I will be looking for any books this author writes.” —Candace_F
See what people are saying in response to this question: Literature was important to both James and Allison. James sustained himself in prison by reading novels, and Allison became a literature major (and teacher). How important—if at all—has literature been to you?
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 read-alike recommendations. Below is just one new paperback we recommend.
Palaver by Bryan Washington
Bryan Washington's third novel, Palaver, a finalist for the 2025 National Book Award, begins with a mother lost in Tokyo. She is visiting her son but unable to locate his apartment, so she stops into a bistro to try to contact him. When he arrives to pick her up, their greeting signals that these two do not have a tender or close relationship: the moment he sees her, the son is annoyed and frustrated by the disturbance. As he brings her back to his apartment, a two-minute walk from where he found her, we learn that the mother has flown across the world to visit uninvited and for undisclosed reasons, and that they haven't spoken in years.
Over the course of the mother's visit, we piece together their backstories, the reasons for their separation, and the life and community the son has built for himself in exchange for the one he left behind. With black-and-white photographs of the city woven throughout, Palaver offers an immersive view of Tokyo while delving into the theme of parental and child estrangement. … continued
Review by Letitia Asare
Book Club Books Set in Europe
BookBrowse’s recommended books can take you all over the world, and our extensive collection of books for book clubs (paired with handy discussion questions) gets quite international.
Check out 350+ titles with reading guides that take place in Europe, including some recent hardcovers and paperbacks that would be great for the Halloween season, like Alice Hoffman’s The Witches of Cambridge and Ivy Pochoda’s Ecstasy.
This is one of 100+ themed categories available to BookBrowse members. Non-members can browse a limited version of our category lists, while members can access the full selection.
Book Club Central
Stopped by Book Club Central lately?
In addition to our many discussion guides, BookBrowse has all kinds of content for book clubs, including interviews, advice, and recommendations.
And you can access it here, in one central location, while staying current with our latest online discussions and the most popular book club books of the moment. Check it out today!
Discussions
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 Reset by Kevin Charles, among other books. Starting November 5, we feature Every Story Is a Love Story by Imbolo Mbue.
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!
