Welcome Letter

Welcome to The Lace and Lantern Society — a bespoke book club devoted to cozy murder mysteries, small-town secrets, and the gentle thrill of bygone intrigue.

Here, we gather beneath imagined lantern light to unravel fictional crimes from quieter times — where the tea is always warm, the suspects are many, and the settings are steeped in lace, fog, and forgotten charm.

We read stories stitched with secrets:
🕵️‍♀️ Curious village murders
🏡 Quaint countryside investigations
🧵 Mysterious letters and lost keys
⏳ Eras gone by — from Edwardian parlors to post-war cottages

Each month, we'll select a new mystery to explore — something richly atmospheric, character-driven, and just a bit suspicious. Expect discussions with a touch of whimsy, plenty of tea (or coffee), and the occasional questionable alibi.

🔍 Whether you're a lifelong sleuth or simply curious, you're warmly invited to join our Society!

***********************************************************************************

Let's start October the right way!  For our first-ever read, please help me select from the following titles.  Once we have chosen a book, we will begin our adventure.  We can meet once a month at a common location or at my home, where we can get dressed up for aesthetic fun or cozy up with warm drinks.  Let's collaborate and make it OUR society!  If you are joining virtually, please feel free to leave comments and recommendations on this blog.  I will also try and get a Zoom link ready for those who may want to join on the day of our meeting.

Here are the picks:

Murder by the Thames (Lady Felicity Quick Mystery #8) by Rosie Hunt
England, 1922. A private detective working in a glamorous post‑war social world, thefts, secrets, fashion, high society undercurrents. Has that historical coziness + light intrigue. Amazon

The Curious Case of Florence Winters by J. L. Collins
Set in the 1920s. Florence Winters goes from small‑town Ohio to New York City (West Village), into a brownstone full of mysteries: missing people, secret passages, strange behavior among house staff, etc. Atmospheric, period detail, not heavy or violent. Tertulia

A Murder at the Manor by Catherine Coles
This has a “hotel break” in 1920s England, small‑scale stakes, character interplay, mystery without overbearing horror. A Murder at the Manor

Murder Westminster: A 1920s Historical Cozy Mystery (Kitty Worthington Mysteries)
Amateur sleuth Kitty Worthington, London, 1923. A member of the nobility is murdered. It’s historical, genteel, with social intrigue. Murder Westminster: A 1920s Historical Cozy Mystery

Murder at the Mansions by Sara Rosett
London, 1924. High society setting, a body found in a flat, stylish social circles, flappers, modern women, etc. More character interaction, period decor and fashion, intrigue. Murder at the Mansions