The multi-million bestselling author
The multi-million bestselling author

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The LJ Ross Book Club is a space for fans of my books to discover my monthly recommendations of other great books to enjoy, while you’re waiting for the latest DCI Ryan or Dr Gregory! Look out for competitions and giveaways, as well as Q & A’s and live interviews with guest authors.

Join in the conversation online and make new friends with a shared love of reading, or sign up to my newsletter to find out more. You can also join one of our in-person book clubs or set one up by clicking the links below

There are no paid affiliations with any other author or publisher, so you can be sure that my monthly recommendations are books I have genuinely read and enjoyed!

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This Month's Picks

Sep 2023

And Then There Were None

Sep 2023

Murder Isn’t Easy

Carla Valentine

Whether within fact or fiction, it can be thrilling and satisfying to the audience to learn about an offence which would have gone unsolved if not for an unusually astute investigator happening upon a hair from an exotic animal, or a specific brand of cigarette, or a tiny piece of sand from a particular beach.

Questions

  1. Have you read any Agatha Christie books? If so, which one(s)?
  2. What did you think about this book overall? Is it something you would have picked up? Were you glad you did?
  3. Did you find any chapters particularly interesting? Did you learnanything surprising that stuck with you?
  4.  Agatha Christie’s research and attention to detail makes her work believable. However, she occasionally bent the rules. Do you think, as a reader, it is important for writers to be able to bend the rules to fit the storyline, or that they should always stick to real life?
  5. Has this book made you view Christie's writing, or any crime writers, differently? How so?

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PREVIOUS MONTHLY RECOMMENDATIONS

August 2023 Recommendations

One Italian Summer

Rebecca Serle

There is more to life than just continuing to do what we know. What got you here won’t get you there.

Questions

  1. Have you ever been to Positano and the Amalfi Coast? Or would you want to visit one day?
  2. The story starts after Katy's mother has died. What are your thoughts about the line 'if your mother is the love of your life, what does that make your husband?'?
  3. What did you think when Katy first ran into Carol as a 30-year-old woman? How would you have reacted if you were in Katy’s position? Were you expecting the time-travel twist towards the end?
  4. After learning about Carol leaving Katy as an infant for this summer in Italy, how do you think the revelation affects Katy?
  5. Katy eventually reveals who she is to Carol. Do you think Carol deep down knew the truth about Katy?
  6. What did you think about her reconciling with Eric? Did that make sense to you after her attitude toward him and the fling with Adam? How will their relationship be different moving forward?

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Coming Soon

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Lady’s Well

When the ancient waters of Lady’s Well in the rural village of Holystone begin to run red, it seems to be a nasty Hallowe’en prank and nothing more. But things take a sinister turn when the entire village suffers severe poisoning, and one old man turns up dead. Accusations abound in the small, close-knit community, and ‘old’ religions spar against ‘new’ while fear runs like... Read more
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July 2023 Recommendations

The Case of the Velvet Claws

Erle Stanley Gardner

I told you just what she was - all velvet and claws!

Questions

  1. What did you think of The Case of the Velvet Claws?
  2. Have you read any Erle Stanley Gardner before?
  3. The book doesn't end in a dramatic court trial, which might have been expected after Eva’s behaviour throughout the book. What did you think about this choice?
  4. What were your opinions on Perry Mason as a character? How would you describe him in three words?
  5. What did you think of the twist at the end? Were you expecting it? 6.How do you think Perry Mason compares to DCI Ryan as the protagonist of their stories?

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The castle came suddenly into view, a mighty, golden edifice that must have struck fear and awe into the hearts of any would-be invaders.

Questions

  1. Have you ever visited Bamburgh Castle? What did you think of it as the major location in this book?
  2. Bamburgh Castle is steeped in history and folklore. What role does myth and legend play in Bamburgh the book?
  3. This book heavily follows the story of Melanie Yates’ sister’s unfortunate disappearance, and the affect on Mel years later. What do you think of the use of dual timelines in this book? Do you think their sibling portrayal was accurate? Were you worried about Mel, and what she might do to seek justice for her sister?
  4. Did you know about the Tuxedo Princess boat before reading Bamburgh?
  5. LJ Ross subverts the traditional ‘whodunnit’ by revealing early on into the book who our assailant is, meaning we have to watch the characters interact with this person without them knowing who they truly are. What did you think of this choice? Were there any moments that you found nail- biting? Did you think they’d figure it out?
  6. What are your predictions for the next DCI Ryan book?

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Bamburgh

When a cantankerous old woman dies at her home in the sleepy, picturesque village of Bamburgh, DCI Ryan doesn’t think much of it except, that is, for the small matter of it having been his wife who happened to find her body. Then another body turns up amongst the sand dunes at the base of the mighty castle fortress, and he decides it can’t be... Read more
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ABOUT LJ ROSS

LJ Ross is an international bestselling author, whose books have sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, more than twenty of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.

Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.

The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.

In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.

Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.

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