Reading List Submissions How To

Submissions for the following year’s reading list are collected every October. 
The suggestions are posted on this website for everyone to view and make comments.

New for 2025 Nominations: each member is asked to nominate 4 books only.

  • Take time to really vet the book. Look at reviews. Read a sample chapter on Amazon.
  • If we end up being short on submissions, I’ll open it up again for more submissions.
  • Deadline is October 15

Books submitted must meet the following criteria:

  • We can’t have read the same book within the last 5 years  See All Books Read >>
  • The book must be available in paperback
  • It must be clearly and primarily classified as mystery fiction (no sci/fi, true crime, literary fiction with “mysterious happenings,” etc.)
  • Young Adult mystery fiction is allowed
  • Multiple books by one author may be nominated but only the one with the highest rank gets in, the others disqualified. Same rule applies to YA books.
  • If a book was proposed last year and not chosen, it may be resubmitted for consideration

How to submit a book:

  • Send your submissions to Marni. You can use the link from my Meetup profile or email me directly at malka1966@gmail.com
  • Please use the following format: Title, Author First Name Author Last Name
  • Include a 2-4 sentence “blurb” about why you are nominating this book. Please do not copy/paste from the back of the book or from other websites. We want your personal thoughts!

Here is a sample nomination:

Suburban Dicks, by Fabian Nicieza
I’m nominating this book because it is a funny and insightful story, with a unique and interesting amateur sleuth: a dogged pregnant mother of 4 who was once a budding FBI profiler. It’s a murder whodunnit with a clear mystery that needs to be solved. The humor is dark and the story is entertaining. It’s a first in series with a second book out that I also enjoyed.

Your submission will be reviewed

After books are submitted, I will check to make sure all the criteria are met. If I have questions I will contact you. Once your nomination has been approved it will be posted on this website.