While many people have a very specific idea of what book clubs select, in reality, a book club is a group of people who get together to discuss a book they (hopefully) read. The selections can be anything the club members—or the person in charge of selecting—want to read. And genre fiction can have plenty to discuss, which is why popular book clubs sometimes pick mystery, thrillers, and true crime books.
Out of curiosity, I took a look through my monthly roundups, which highlight popular book clubs’ selections, to see how many crime books have been chosen so far this year. I found a modern classic PI novel, a true crime on art theft, a thriller, two suspense crime novels, and one crime novel that was selected by two different book clubs. Check out the books, what the book clubs said when they announced the pick, and the follow-up interview or author discussion.
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Devil in a Blue Dress by Walter Mosley
In May, Traci Thomas chose Walter Mosley’s series starter for her podcast The Stacks, which hosts a monthly book club.
What Traci Thomas said about the pick: “We’re diving into the world of crime fiction in May by reading Walter Mosley’s debut novel, Devil in a Blue Dress. Written in 1990, this mystery is the first in the award-winning Easy Rawlins series. It follows Rawlins, as he is tasked with finding a missing blonde woman with a penchant for frequenting Black jazz clubs in 1940s Los Angeles. The book is not only a masterclass on mystery and suspense, but also on social commentary; which is why it was named one of “The 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time” by Time Magazine.”
The podcast book club episode: Kara Brown joined Traci Thomas to “…share our thoughts on the story’s twists and turns, especially the big reveal. Then we dive deeper to discuss the significance of this book on the literary landscape, and what about the novel does and doesn’t hold up when viewed through a modern-day lens.”
Adaptation: Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, and Jennifer Beals starred in the same-titled 1995 film.
All access members continue below for more of the mystery, thriller, and true crime picks of the most popular book clubs
Count My Lies by Sophie Stava
The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel
We’ve got The Stacks podcast again since, in June, Traci Thomas chose a true crime book about a prolific art thief.
What Traci Thomas said about the pick: “This month on the Stacks, we will be taking a look into the world of true crime with Michael Finkel’s The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession, which creates a vivid portrait of Stéphane Bréitwieser, one of the most prolific art thieves in history. Based on a series of exclusive interviews with Breitwieser—the first he has ever granted to an American journalist—Finkel narrates his fall in this epic tale of greed, arrogance, and betrayal.”
The podcast book club episode: Ceara O’Sullivan joined Traci Thomas to chat about how “The book explores the ethos of Stéphane Bréitwieser—the titular art thief in question—who stole and kept over two billion dollars worth of art. Together, we discuss Finkel’s portrayal of Bréitwieser, the myriad of twists throughout this story, and what this book has to say about crime, ownership, and punishment.”
Killer Potential by Hannah Deitch
The book chosen by not one, but two book clubs!
King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby
In July, self-proclaimed eclectic blogger of Eclectix The Book Club, Dawnshaeé Reid, chose the crime novel King of Ashes because, “Cosby is one of my personal favorite thriller authors…” You can also watch Reid discuss her pick on an Instagram video.
Also in August, the book club of Black women who love to read, Mocha Girls Read, selected Cosby’s novel, which won a week of voting for which book to read that month.
Dawnshaeé Reid had a book club discussion about King of Ashes that you can watch on Youtube. You can also check out upcoming in-person events, and follow on TikTok and Instagram.
Mocha Girls Read did a live Instagram video where they shared their thoughts. You can check out in-person MeetUps, and follow on Facebook and Instagram.
Browse the books recommended in Unusual Suspects’ previous newsletters on this shelf, see 2025 and 2026 releases, and get Tailored Book Recommendations! Until next time, come talk books with me on Bluesky, Goodreads, Litsy, and Multitudes Contained.
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