Page-Turners Society, or: Monsters, Mysteries, Cowboys, Crimes and Spies

Welcome to the Page-Turners Society, your new favorite escape into fiction’s most gripping corners. Hosted by the Cumberland County Public Library, this monthly book club dives deep into stories that thrill, unsettle, and provoke, spanning noir mysteries, supernatural horror, historical espionage, and literary suspense.

If you crave unforgettable characters, haunting twists, and themes that stay with you long after the final page, you’re in the right place.

We meet on the third Monday of every month from 4:30–5:30 pm EDT, with each session centered around a carefully curated novel that fits our rotating themes. Whether you’ve read the book cover-to-cover or are just getting started, all readers are welcome.

We launched our fall season in September with Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll, a chilling, razor-sharp novel inspired by true events, exploring the long shadow of violence through the eyes of two unforgettable women.

Coming up in October, we’ll be reading The Only Good Indians by Stephen Graham Jones, a visceral, slow-burning horror novel that blends Indigenous identity, guilt, and supernatural revenge into an unforgettable narrative. This genre-defying story is sure to generate rich discussion and a few goosebumps.

Future selections include:

• Transcription by Kate Atkinson
• The Sympathizer by Viet Thanh Nguyen
• Velvet Was the Night by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
• The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey
• Razorblade Tears by S.A. Cosby

To expand our storytelling horizons, graphic novels will be featured as optional companion reads throughout the year. These visual narratives align with our monthly themes and provide fresh ways to experience suspense, mystery, and drama. For September, we recommended I Know What I Am: The Life and Times of Artemisia Gentileschi by Gina Siciliano, a powerful companion to Bright Young Women that explores resilience and justice through art and history.

So grab your favorite beverage, clear a spot on your bookshelf, and join us as we turn the page on stories that captivate and challenge.

The reading list is set through the end of the year, with each month exploring a new theme, but reader suggestions are always welcome!

The opinions expressed on this website are not authorized by and are in no way intended to represent those of the Cumberland County Public Library or Cumberland County.