Do you like to read and talk about mysteries? Then join us for monthly book discussions, fresh perspectives, new authors and a friendly atmosphere! We are meeting virtually via Zoom for the present.  Please note the time change--the Mystery Book Group will start at 1:00pm instead of 2:00pm. 

This month we will discuss The Devil in the White City : Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America by Erik Larson, the true tale of the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago and the cunning serial killer who used the magic and majesty of the fair to lure his victims to their death.

Erik Larson combines meticulous research with nail-biting storytelling and has crafted a narrative with all the wonder of newly discovered history and the thrills of the best fiction. The Devil in the White City draws the reader into the enchantment of the Gilded Age, made all the more appealing by a supporting cast of real-life characters, including Buffalo Bill, Theodore Dreiser, Susan B. Anthony, Thomas Edison, Archduke Francis Ferdinand, and others. Erik Larson’s gifts as a storyteller are magnificently displayed in this rich narrative of the master builder, the killer, and the great fair that obsessed them both.

Strictly speaking this book is not a mystery, but as a true crime novel and masterful work of narrative non-fiction, it offers many mysteries to be solved. Plus it will make for a great discussion!

Please be sure that you know how to access Overdrive or Libby from the Cheshire Library website before the book is released. The book can be downloaded to a smartphone, Kindle, iPad or computer. For assistance, contact the library at ref@cheshirelibrary.org or 203-272-2245.

Our host for Murder by the Book is Barbara Ritchie, who can be reached at baritchie30@gmail.com.

Please register online.

At 12 noon on Thursday, August 18 we will email you a link to join the Zoom meeting.

Simply use your computer, phone, or tablet to join in the program by following the Zoom link. Zoom will automatically download to your device.

Funded by the Friends of the Cheshire Public Library.

Want to know what we will be reading next? Here’s the list!  You will be able to register online 2 months prior to each of the discussions. 

September 15  The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

October 20 The Man Who Died Twice by Richard Osman

November 17 Death of the Green-Eyed Monster by M.C. Beaton

We will be skipping December and start up again in January!