This group explores a different murder mystery novel each month.

What sort of things do we discuss?

Many of the things that any books group would discuss, but perhaps with a few additions. For example:

• First and foremost, did we enjoy reading the book!
• Was the book well written?
• Were the characters believable?
• Did we get a sense of place, be it another town, another country or a specific workplace or environment?
• Did it have a good plot and have something different to offer?
• Did we want to keep turning the page, or not?
• Were there ‘twists in the tale’?
• Was the book the right length with every page earning its keep - or was it padded?
• Was the perpetrator of the crime too obvious from too early in the book?
• Was any violence gratuitous, or any police procedure unnecessary to the plot - just for the sake of it?
• Were we provided with believable evidence of the perpetrators means, motive and opportunity?
• If by an established author, was there evidence of them taking their readers for granted – trading on their reputation and not producing ‘the goods’?
• Would we read another book by the same author?

Shoreham & Southwick u3a has several Murder Mystery Book Groups. Each group meets on a different day.