Valentine's Day is coming up on Monday, February 14.  

Although popular among many people, gifts and cards are not required on Valentine's Day.  Perhaps your Valentines, however, enjoy books, and you would like to give each of them a novel.  

​But which novel?   

Here are six "good reads" perfect for your gift-giving list.  

A Beautiful Blue Death.
Book 1 of 14 in the Charles Lenox Mysteries.
Charles Finch, 2017.

​​​England.  1865.  Gentleman Charles Lenox, a bachelor with comfortable means, enjoys his comfortable life in his comfortable home in London next door to his widowed friend, Lady Jane Grey.​
​
​Nice guy (or rather, gentleman) that he is, Lenox must help when Lady Jane asks him to investigate the unexpected death of her former maid, a likable young woman engaged to be married.  Lady Jane thinks the maid might have died by poisoning or suicide.  

I haven't had the pleasure of reading A Beautiful Blue Death, but my husband Richard recommends it because he blasted through all fourteen books of the Charles Lenox Mysteries during our on-going pandemic.  He shared details with me about each novel, often when I was about to drop off to sleep.  

The plot always woke me up.    

​
​You love to read, and you want to discuss books with other people who love to read.  You’ve decided to start a book club.  What’s the next step?
 
I started and conducted a book club that continued for over ten years.  Currently, I’ve been participating in a book club for over two-and-a half years.  
 
Try out these ten tips to make your book club great.

1.  WHO TO INVITE? 

​Fellow book lovers! 

They’ll need to be readers who have both the time to read and to discuss books.
 
Are you interested in creating a club that focuses on one genre of fiction (for example, mysteries) or several genres?  Do you want to include nonfiction selections?  You might find it easier to recruit members if the readers are open to a wider range of books.
 
2.  HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES A BOOK CLUB NEED? 
​
It takes only a few people.  Four or five regular attendees at each meeting might be just the right number for a discussion in your group.   Over time, the club can adjust that number to what works best for them.
 
Two of the biggest determinants of a club’s size are

• available meeting room space and
• opportunity for everyone to share their thoughts during discussions.

 
As the founder, take the role of coordinator to keep the group together.

Good suggestions, but if it hasn't come together for you or you'd like to up your game, then check out one or more of the following five books for ideas.​