We all agreed that The 19th Wife was a complex and wonderful book, combining epic historical fiction with a modern murder mystery. The insights into the lives of the early Mormons were fascinating and our favorite parts, although the murder mystery added a further dimension to the book. Jordan's mission to help prove his mother's innocence was particularly helpful in bringing attention to the issues that children of plural marriages have to cope with and how they are truly the greatest victims of this practice.


Though David Ebershoff is careful to portray many different faces within the Mormon Church in his story, it becomes clear to the reader that the author is saying that despite many good works by the church and it's leaders, there is much to be outraged about in their practice of polygamy in the past and by some still today. The mystery of faith is explored both in Ann Eliza's story as she escaped from her marriage to Brigham Young and in Jordon's search for understanding his mother's abandonment and eventual return to her life with The Firsts. The two stories are very different but share the common thread of polygamy. Specifically, they present different viewpoints on how polygamy effects women and children and ultimately even how it can be destructive and dangerous to men as well.

Our discussion started with the background of the author, Stieg Larsson. His main character, Mikael, is almost a mirror image of himself. His life’s experiences gave him lots of information for this book as well as his next two books in the series. The second book, The Girl Who Played with Fire, continues with Lisbeth Salander as well as Mikael.


The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, published in 2005 a year after the death of the author, became an international best seller. The book opens with an intriguing mystery. Henrik Vanger, an octogenarian industrialist, hires Mikael Blomkvist, a journalist who has just lost a libet case under murky circumstances, to investigate the disappearance of his great-niece, Harriet. Nearly 40 years earlier, Harriet vanished from a small island mostly owned by the Vanger family and Henrik has never gotten over it.


Blomkvist takes on the case, despite serious misgivings, after Henrik promises him $372,000 for a years work. Henrik tells Blomkvist how he detests most members of the family. He says that they are “part thieves, misers, bullies and incompetents”, which prove to be to kind words for this lot.


The girl in the title is not Harriet but Lisbeth Salander, a 24 year old computer hacker with a photographic memory, a violent temper and some serious intimacy issues. Lisbeth teams with Mikael to solve the mystery of Harriet’s disappearance.


Lisbeth and Mikael discover that Harriet’s disappearance is connected with a series of murders in the 1950’s and 60’s. Through very detailed investigations and the use of Lisbeth’s hacker and surveillance friends they are able to track down the living Harriet and discover the person’s responsible for many gruesome acts. The story then takes on the downfall of Wennerstrom, who had charged Mikael with libel in the beginning of the book. Lisbeth takes on the industrialist from a behind the scenes monetary view. The end of the book leaves the reader with questions about how of the characters will interact in the future.


The book club members enjoyed the book and some felt they would read the next one in the series.

South of Broad, which primarily takes place in Charleston, SC with visits to San Francisco, CA, and even Chimney Rock area is about the life of Leopold Bloom King, which has been shattered by a family tragedy. Friendless and adrift, he searches for something to sustain him and finds it among 8 students he meets during high school. These young people are from very different class, racial, and religious backgrounds with the resultant, respective baggage, yet they become life-long friends. The reader follows their lives over two turbulent decades, as they endure marriages, happy and troubled, unrequited loves and unspoken longings, hard-won successes, devastating breakdowns, as well as South Carolina’s dark legacy of racism and class divisions. The plot follows many twists and turns leading to a final test that none of the characters are prepared to face.



We felt this was not a heavy intellectual read but was an enjoyable “beach read.” There was also agreement that Conroy’s characterizations sounded a bit too clichéd as did the broad social issues presented that the characters attempt to address.



Critics have commented that this novel, after a 15 year dry spell, does not live up to his prior novels, but in South of Broad there are still touches of Conroy’s noted “lyrical” voice in his descriptions of the rivers, tides, sunsets, streets, and homes of Charleston that his prior novels were known for.

Existing on the fringe of Washington, D.C., four eccentric and downtrodden members, somewhat forgotten by society, form a conspiracy watchdog organization. Camels have great stamina and never give up, is the mantra of The Camel Club.


The Camel Club whitnesses a shocking murder and explode into a plot that threatens the security of the nation. This group studies conspiracy theories, current events and global governments but never in the Club's wildest dreams/nightmares, could they imagine this conspiracy.


Our club felt the book was slow to start, involved some poorly developed characters, and the ending came very abruptly.


Not an easy discussion book, however we were able to explore the avenue of applying the wild conspiracy into our "current day" world. We explored the potential of this story or parts of it being true today. Our national security and just how little we know. The inter-workings of our Government. What information and/or truth is made up and what is covered up?

Although, we agreed we liked the book, it was not the best for book club and subsequent discussion. Many of our members have gone on to read The Collectors, which they enjoyed more than The Camel Club. The Camel Club continues their adventures in The Collectors and following two books. A good adventure, suspense, beach read.