The multi-million bestselling author
The multi-million bestselling author

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The LJ Ross Book Club is a space for fans of my books to discover my monthly recommendations of other great books to enjoy, while you’re waiting for the latest DCI Ryan or Dr Gregory! Look out for competitions and giveaways, as well as Q & A’s and live interviews with guest authors.

Join in the conversation online and make new friends with a shared love of reading, or sign up to my newsletter to find out more. You can also join one of our in-person book clubs or set one up by clicking the links below

There are no paid affiliations with any other author or publisher, so you can be sure that my monthly recommendations are books I have genuinely read and enjoyed!

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November 2023 Recommendations

Something in the Water

Catherine Steadman

Scary, in a way. How quickly what is good can become not good enough through comparison.

Questions

  1. The novel begins with Erin digging a grave, then flashes back in time to describe the events leading up to it. Is this an effective way to enter the story? Did the opening pages hook you?
  2. What were your first impressions of Erin and Mark? Did you root for them, or not?
  3. If you found the bag, what would you do?
  4. The idea of people being good or bad seems to be a theme throughout the book. Are any of the characters purely good? Or purely bad?
  5. Erin is often very empathetic, and she doesn’t blame Mark for the consequences of their actions until she has no other choice. Does this reflect a broader tendency for partners to excuse their spouses’ behaviours or put them on a pedestal?
  6. What do you think Erin will do next? Will she be satisfied with the simple life?

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October 2023 Recommendations

The Silence of the Lambs

Thomas Harris

Nothing makes us more vulnerable than loneliness except greed.

Questions

  1. Why does Hannibal Lecter capture our interest so strongly? What qualities of his character are so intriguing, or most frightening?
  2. What do you think that Hannibal saw in Clarice Starling to make him trust her? Do you think they shared traits?
  3. What do you feel is the underlying message of the book The Silence of the Lambs?
  4. Compare Jame Gumb, Hannibal Lecter, and the other inmates of the Baltimore State Hospital for the Criminally Insane. How does Harris highlight the similarities and differences between the criminals? Why is Lecter afforded a heightened level of respect and civility compared to the others?
  5. What stance does this book take on the polarisation of 'good' and 'evil'?
  6. What are the main themes of the book? Did you feel that there were themes found in The Silence of the Lambs that were also echoed in LJ Ross' Impostor?

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The town moved together, united in its outpouring of grief. And yet, a predator roamed freely amongst them, undetected and unstoppable, at least in their own mind – which was the most dangerous place of all.

Questions

  1. How did you feel after reading the prologue? Do you feel this sets the direction for Imposter’s storyline well?
  2. In the prologue, we meet Cathy Jones. How do you think she relates to the death of Claire Kelly, thirty years later? What ties the two women together?
  3. What were your initial thoughts regarding Dr Alexander Gregory? Did your opinion of him change throughout?
  4. Do you think Imposter is plot , character-driven ,or both? Explain why.
  5. Do you think offender profiling is a useful tool in murder investigations? Why?
  6. How do the murders of Claire Kelly and Aideen McArdle differ? What do you think this says about the mental wellbeing of the assailant?
  7. How did you feel about the ending of Imposter?

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Impostor

After an elite criminal profiling unit is shut down amidst a storm of scandal and mismanagement, only one person emerges unscathed. Forensic psychologist Doctor Alexander Gregory has a reputation for being able to step inside the darkest minds to uncover whatever secrets lie hidden there and, soon enough, he finds himself drawn into the murky world of murder investigation. In the beautiful hills of Co.... Read more
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ABOUT LJ ROSS

LJ Ross is an international bestselling author, whose books have sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

Her debut, Holy Island, was released in 2015 and became an instant, international bestseller. Since then, more than twenty of her novels have gone on to take the coveted #1 spot, some even before general release and whilst only available to ‘pre-order’. The Bookseller magazine has reported on Louise having topped the ‘Most Read’ and ‘Most Sold’ fiction charts, and she has garnered an army of loyal fans who love her atmospheric and addictive storytelling.

Her eleventh novel, The Infirmary, is a prequel story to the DCI Ryan series and is available as a major Audible Originals audio-drama starring Tom Bateman, Kevin Whately, Bertie Carvel, Hermione Norris and Alun Armstrong.

The first novel in her Alexander Gregory Thrillers series, Impostor, was shortlisted in the British Book Awards 2020: Crime & Thriller Book of the Year. The audiobook of Impostor, narrated by Hugh Dancy, was also selected as a finalist in the New York Festivals Radio Awards, Best Fiction Audiobook of the Year Category.

In May 2021, Louise was shortlisted for the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association ‘Dagger in the Library’ award, which recognises an author’s entire body of work having been consistently enjoyed by library borrowers around the United Kingdom, and an author’s longstanding support of libraries.

Louise was born in Northumberland, England. She studied undergraduate and postgraduate Law at King’s College, University of London and then abroad in Paris and Florence. She spent much of her working life in London, where she was a lawyer for a number of years until taking the decision to change career and pursue her dream to write. Now, she writes full time and lives with her husband and son in Northumberland and Edinburgh. She enjoys reading all manner of books, painting, travelling and spending time with family and friends.

To find out more about the many philanthropic ventures Louise has founded and sponsored through her publishing imprint, Dark Skies Publishing, please visit ‘Philanthropy’.

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