Clubbing in June -- Part 1

Overbooked discussed Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg for their June meeting. Readers can always count on Fannie Flagg to deliver a folksy, feel good read. In this novel, we're introduced to Mrs. Threadgoode who is telling her life story to Evelyn. During her story, we meet Idgie and Ruth, who ran a little restaurant back in the thirties that saw a multitude of adventures, including murder. 

The Overbooked members gave the book a 3.8 average rating. They enjoyed the light-hearted humor, as well as the sprawling cast of characters in the small southern town of Whistle Stop. While the structure of the book can sometimes make it a little hard to keep track of the story's timeline -- especially if you are listening to the audiobook--members all agreed that it is still a book they would recommend to others, especially to fans of the movie adaptation. 

Once Upon a Crime members discussed On Borrowed Crime by Kate Young in June. This is the first installment of the Jane Doe Book Club Mystery series. Living in the quaint town of Sweet Mountain, Georgia, Lyla Moody is not only a member of a true crime group called Jane Doe, she's also a receptionist at her uncle's private investigation firm. The two roles collide when a member of her true crime group turns up dead and Lyla's best friend is the main suspect. A dash of romance, a little suspense, and a splash of murder makes this cozy mystery a winner. Once Upon a Crime members gave this novel a 3.7 rating.

The Night Owls discussed Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby during the June meeting. Ike Randolph and Buddy Lee had two things in common: they were both ex-cons and their sons were married to each other when they were murdered. Ike and Buddy team up on a quest for revenge and soon face their own prejudices about their sons and each other. 

The Southern noir crime novel was not what discussion members were expecting and, admittedly, not a genre many members would choose to read on their own. At times uncomfortable to read, members agreed that not all stories have to be palatable in order to be well-written and impactful when dealing with difficult  subject matters that most people shy away from discussing. Some members felt that the author sometimes used odd word choices they felt were not authentic to a character. However, overall, the book received a favorable review with most members appreciating the author's willingness to tackle such heavy topics. The Night Owls gave this book a 3.2 rating.