Welcome back to the blog! Today we’re chatting with bookseller Amanda Robinson to learn more about OTB’s newest monthly attraction: the Murder by the Book Club!

Old Town Book’s newest book club is not for the faint of heart! All things “murder adjacent” from true crime, horror, fictional crime retelling, and thrillers alike can be found in the monthly choices for Murder by the Book.

This book club was inspired by the love of this genre of several staff members, and is currently led by horror book enthusiast and sometimes bookseller, Amanda (yours truly). Each month I pick a book that fits the category, which is followed by a monthly virtual meet-up of the club.

This book club began as a pop up in November 2020 with the book Unspeakable Acts (edited by Sarah Weinman), which was a runaway favorite, and cemented the love of the club in the hearts of the OTB team. From there, the first part of 2021 we did the club every other month and are now officially selecting picks each month for the rest of the year.

We’ve had author visits, memoirs, and our first fiction pick - In the Garden of Spite by Camilla Bruce- this past month. Each month has brought a variety of regular and new OTB fans, and we’re so excited to see how this club continues to grow.

We hope you choose to join us this summer for all your “murderino” needs! Our June selection is Last Call by Elon Green which is all about the true story of a serial killer plaguing New York City, and the poor response from NYPD in a time where LGBTQ+ people had fewer protections.

If June is too close, we hope you’ll join us this July for The Lost Village by Camilla Sten. Billed as “Midsommar meets Blair Witch Project,” this spooky tale will leave you with shivers regardless of the oppressive summer heat of Washington, DC!

Be sure to mention the book club at cash register in person or in the special comment section online during checkout to receive 10% off!

Blog contribution by Amanda Robinson.
Photo contributions by Nicole Blair.
Edited by Shannon McCarthy.