Two years ago, if someone suggested that I read a murder mystery book, or even a thriller, I would have said “Nope, no way, I’m not interested.” However, as you might have guessed from the title of this article, I recently fell in love with this genre, and I have a lot of fun reading new books. Even more so than my newfound appreciation for this genre, I am truly grateful for this discovery because it has enabled me to connect more with my grandma. Here’s how it all went down. . .
I’ve always been a bookworm, and the books I read span across a few genres, from contemporary fiction, romance, and historical fiction to fantasy and sci-fi. That being said, I had no interest in murder mysteries. Every time I came across this genre in the library, it seemed like the whole shelf was dedicated to a murder mystery series somehow revolving around cats or tea. It seemed so weird and boring to me. But this past year, I found myself in a bit of a reading slump. I had finished some awesome fantasy and romance books, and I wanted something different to read, so I went out on a limb and picked up Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn. It’s a murder mystery series set in England during the 1880s, but it also has a hint of romance as well. After the first couple of chapters, I was hooked, and finished the book in a matter of days. After that, I ended up reading most of the books in the series.
It just so happens that around this time I found myself talking on the phone to my grandma, and I mentioned the mystery series I had read. My grandma is a prolific reader, but she often reads mysteries and thrillers, so up until this time we weren’t usually reading the same types of books. I was able to talk to her about my excitement for finding a new genre I liked, and I told her what I had read. She ended up reading some of the series as well, and we were able to talk all about it. From that point on whenever I saw my grandma, or we talked on the phone, we talked about what we were currently reading and gave each other recommendations. Because my grandma has read so many books, she never runs out of ideas for me, and I have enjoyed reading her suggestions.
My family is very important to me, and I am fortunate to see my grandparents multiple times a year. We have always had things to talk about, but discovering our shared love of mystery books has enabled me and my grandma to connect even more. Even if it has been a while since we last talked, we usually end up having our own mini version of a book club. I truly value each one of our conversations and I’m excited to talk to her soon about our newest reads!
HCXO,
Sarah