Book Club “Murder in a Small Town”
For August, we chose to read Murder in a Small Town. Some of us had seen the Fox TV adaptation of the Alberg & Cassandra mysteries, and we were all eager to check out the first book in the series, “The Suspect”.
Book
Murder in a Small Town by L. R. Wright
Description:
This Edgar Award-winning debut kicks off the crime series—and basis for the Fox TV and Hulu series Murder in a Small Town—set along Canada's Sunshine Coast.
To Karl Alberg, the coastal town of Sechelt, just north of Vancouver, looks like the perfect place to soothe a psyche that's been battered by big-city police work. Bees buzz among the roses, and the local librarian is attractive, intriguing, and unattached. Perhaps he has at last come in from the cold. But sunny towns can conceal a lot of secrets—some of them bleak enough to make a man yearn for some nice straightforward urban crime.
In 1986 L.R. Wright's The Suspect became the first Canadian novel to win an Edgar award, beating out titles by Ruth Rendell and Jonathan Kellerman. It went on to become a cult favorite among mystery fans, who prized its delicately etched sense of melancholy and intriguing character studies of the cop, his quarry, and the enigmatic librarian who proves an unlikely bridge between the two.
Club
Snack suggestions:
To highlight food mentioned within the book, we recommend serving fresh salmon and veggies that could be found from George’s garden.
If you follow our Instagram, you’ll see we had some trouble with our fish, so we had some fun with Swedish Fish candy. There lovely salmon below is a stock image!
You can also pay homage to the setting and serve any Canadian favorites as a meal.
Check out Cozy Crimes’ book club questions that can be used for any mystery.
Here are our questions targeted to Murder in a Small Town, The Suspect
1. This story begins from the killer’s point of view. How did this affect how the unraveled? Despite this initial review, what was still unknown? How did you feel about this beginning?
2. Would you consider this book a “how”dunit? How does it compare to other mysteries where the audience knows who the killer is before the investigator does?
3. Which was your favorite point of view within the book (George, Cassandra or Karl)? What did they each reveal and how did this serve the story?
4. What are your thoughts on this small town? What makes it specific to this story and what feels universal?
5. How would you describe the tone of this book?
6. Do you think Karl and Cassandra would make a good couple? In what ways are they similar? How do they differ?
7. How would you describe Karl Alberg’s investigative style?
8. What is the importance of gardening within the story? How do animals play a role in the story?
9. How do the characters’ backstories influence the present?
10. Have you seen the Fox TV series based on this book series? How does the adaptation compare?
