Peoria, IL—A recent study determined that book club members don’t feel so safe talking about cozy mysteries if no one offers them wine. “It’s not obvious,” said Melissa Shapinsky of Johnstown, Illinois. “You wouldn’t notice the tension if you just walked into the room. But you can feel it after a while. It gets very agro. Especially, Carol.” 

 

Researchers surveyed one hundred book clubs in the country and found that the ones that specialize in reading cozy mysteries tend to allow other issues to intrude. Most of the groups reported more aggression, less patience, and a higher incidence of sarcastic sighing when someone else was talking. 

 

Evi Schutes of Modesto, California knows all too well. 

 

“We decided to not drink one time and it blew up almost right away.” Now an ex-member of Biblio Beauties, Evi used to plan her week around her book club. “I loved it. We’d laugh and talk. It was a great release. Any time someone said “killer” you drank. But then for some reason, we went dry once and Carol just kept insisting it was a YA book, which set off Ginny who stormed outside to vape, and the whole discussion blew up into a late night argument on the Nextdoor app.” Clubs that go from drinking to abstaining have an 80% higher chance of dissolving. “I used to read a book a week. Now, what’s the point of reading at all.”

 

Researcher Dr. Janice Ebersoll thinks “cozies” in particular help cause the agitation. “Evidence shows that when these book clubs do light drinking they let things roll off their back more easily. Sobriety often adds an unspoken tension. Some of the members’ lives are fraught with screaming children, a distracted spouse, and constant trivial tasks that just repeat themselves on an endless loop throughout the week. Now, add the competition and resentment that comes when someone says they knew who the killer was by page thirty. Or that the clues were so obvious a child could see them. If you’re a member and didn’t know who the killer was till the end you might construe that as an insinuation that you’re dumb. Or inferior.” 

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“It all builds up.” Marti Benson says. She quit her book club in Boise, Idaho, The Screaming Book Jackets, after six years to start Read Between the Wines. “I wanted a name that made it clear that we were a club who drinks first and reads second. Everyone from SBJ was invited to join. Except Carol.” 

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It hasn’t all been wine and roses. 

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“The new club had a couple of fistfights a year ago. But that was old grievances. People who brought their baggage over from SBJ. Nowadays, we get along wonderfully. I enjoy reading again!”

 

Dr. Ebersoll was surprised by the results. “We’ve looked at other types of book clubs and haven’t seen the same results. My guess is that cozy mysteries just bring out the worst in people. We’re not entirely sure why and are still doing research.”  

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Marti didn’t agree.

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“I know exactly why our group fell apart,” she said. “It’s not just the alcohol.” When pressed she refused to comment further. “I don’t want to say. But…” she added cryptically. “We all knew who the problem was.” 

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