
Book Club News: August Issue
Hello Book Clubbers,
Our discussion of Zoë Rankin’s New Zealand-set mystery The Vanishing Place is now open, and members are enjoying the book’s suspense and Jane Harper-esque atmosphere. Others are talking about Samantha Downing’s Too Old for This, the irreverent and entertaining story of a septuagenarian serial killer.
We also bring you coverage of Chris Young’s memoir The Wound Is Where the Light Enters, which reflects on his experiences of poverty, prison, and mandatory sentencing as a Black man. In our Recent Hardcovers section, you can keep up with recent recommended books like these that we’ve been covering in our twice-monthly e-zine.
Plus, we have featured reading guides, biographies and memoirs for book clubs, and upcoming discussions and Ask the Author interviews.
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 Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin
From the Jacket
Growing up with her younger siblings in the unforgiving New Zealand bush, Effie believed their parents had cut them off from civilization because they loved Nature. She never suspected that their reasons might be more menacing. After witnessing a terrifying episode of violence, she escaped the wilderness to forge a life for herself halfway across the globe.
Now, when she learns the only witness to a murder is a little girl who looks just like her, Effie is compelled to return to the scene of her troubled childhood, where the secrets of her upbringing and the terrors of her past come rushing back to the surface.
From the Discussion
“The Vanishing Place is a suspenseful story that kept me engaged to the end. I usually don’t read thrillers because they can be dark, and this story had some very dark parts, but I wanted to learn more about the characters and how the story would be resolved.” —Patricia_Williams
“Since the environment is important to this book, Jane Harper comes to mind and those who enjoy her books as I do would like this one.” —Janine_S
See what people are saying in response to this question: Effie and Lewis are still drawn to each other after years apart. In your own experience, is first love stronger than more mature love?
Too Old for This by Samantha Downing
From the Jacket
Lottie Jones thought her crimes were behind her.
Decades earlier, she changed her identity and tucked herself away in a small town. Her most exciting nights are the weekly bingo games at the local church and gossiping with her friends.
When investigative journalist Plum Dixon shows up on her doorstep asking questions about Lottie's past and specifically her involvement with numerous unsolved cases, well, Lottie just can't have that.
From the Discussion
“I have to say I loved it. Maybe because I’m 70 and I found that part of it so spot on…I think for a book to read at the beach or on an airplane or a cold winter’s eve…it’s perfect.” —Helen_B
“I would and have recommended this book to thriller lovers who enjoy a twisty story that is unique, extremely clever, and deftly crafted.” —Janie-Hickok-Siess
“I like a mystery that makes me laugh - especially one with a woman with a certain RAGE!” —BlueRidgeJeanne
Recent Hardcover
Stay on top of hardcover releases for your book club with our Recent Hardcovers section, and discover additional content for featured titles, including reviews, “beyond the book” articles, excerpts, and more. Below is just one new hardcover we recommend.
The Wound Is Where the Light Enters by Chris Young
Chris Young was just 22 years old in 2010 when he was arrested, caught up in a federal drug trafficking investigation. Because he knew he was not part of the conspiracy of which he was being accused, Young refused to accept a plea deal and insisted on going to trial; he was subsequently convicted and sentenced to life in prison. His memoir, The Wound Is Where the Light Enters, recounts the impoverished Tennessee childhood that led up to his arrest, as well as the ten years he spent in federal prison before being granted clemency by President Donald J. Trump on January 20, 2021. … continued
Review by Kim Kovacs
Featured Reading Guides
BookBrowse offers over 2,200 discussion guides paired with recommended titles for your book club. Below are two book club books from our featured selection this week.
Raising Hare is a beautifully written book about a woman's unexpected encounter with a wild hare (a leveret), and her experience with its care. Ms. Dalton is remarkably responsible and thoughtful about how she does this, trying everything possible to allow it to remain wild (Molly B). The irony in the title of Chloe Dalton's memoir Raising Hare is that the author tried so very hard NOT to raise the leveret she found on the roadside one winter's day…Instead, in the three years that Dalton covers, the hare raises Dalton's consciousness of her relation to the world of nature (Nona F).
Lady Tremaine is a Cinderella retelling, told from the stepmother's perspective. In this version, Lady Tremaine is not a vindictive social climber, but a struggling single mom at the end of her rope. And although she cares about her stepdaughter, she's less concerned about Elin's marriage opportunities, because her dowry pretty much ensures she can find a good husband. Rather than being a story about women pitted against each other, this novel ultimately shows the wider impact women can make when they work together.
Biography & Memoir Reading Guides
Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton, featured above, is just one of more than 150 recommended book club books with (completely free!) discussion guides in our Biography & Memoir category.
This is one of 100+ themed reading guide categories available to BookBrowse members.
Non-members can browse a limited number of categories, while members can access the full selection. Members also get access to all the content available with each title, including a review and “beyond the book” article.
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 Vanishing Place by Zoë Rankin and Too Old for This by Samantha Downing, among other books.
Beginning in early September, we feature The Magician of Tiger Castle by Louis Sachar.
BookBrowse regularly hosts Ask the Author sessions in our community forum. We invite you to follow along and post your own questions in any interviews that interest you.
Check out this week’s conversation with Claire Boyles, author of Appraisals, a BookBrowse First Impressions selection.
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!








