July 2026 Book Poll
Jun. 15th, 2026 07:18 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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bookclub_dwThe options for July 2026.
1. Strange Houses by Uketsu, translated from the Japanese by Jim Rion, 208 pages. When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious "dead space” hidden between its walls, the start of a compelling Japanese mystery. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout. Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, death, illness, substance use, addiction, ableism, child death, emotional abuse, bullying, mental illness, child abuse, suicide, self-harm, pregnancy termination, and sexual violence. Floorplans are part of the book.
2. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. Set in 12th‑century England, the story follows Adelia Aguilar, a brilliant female physician trained at the University of Salerno, known as the “Mistress of the Art of Death” for her forensic skills. Warnings: graphic violence (detailed descriptions of violent crimes, mutilations, and bloody scenes) and historical violence and prejudice (medieval anti-Semitism, mob violence, and religious persecution).
3. Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan. Set in Bombay on New Year’s Eve, 1949, Inspector Persis Wadia, India’s first female police detective, stationed at Malabar House — a police unit for officers deemed unreliable or undesirable Despite her gender, her competence, and her determination, she is often sidelined and assigned to the midnight shift. When a high-profile murder of English diplomat Sir James Herriot is reported, Persis is thrust into the case, even though it is politically sensitive and should have been handled by the more prestigious CID. Warnings: references to violence, prejudice, and the consequences of colonial rule.
1. Strange Houses by Uketsu, translated from the Japanese by Jim Rion, 208 pages. When a writer fascinated by the macabre is approached by an acquaintance, he finds himself investigating an eerie house for sale in Tokyo. At first, with its bright and spacious interior, it seems the perfect first home. But upon closer inspection, the building’s floor plans reveal a mysterious "dead space” hidden between its walls, the start of a compelling Japanese mystery. Seeking a second opinion, the writer shares the floor plans with his friend Kurihara, an architect, only to discover more unnerving details throughout. Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, death, illness, substance use, addiction, ableism, child death, emotional abuse, bullying, mental illness, child abuse, suicide, self-harm, pregnancy termination, and sexual violence. Floorplans are part of the book.
2. Mistress of the Art of Death by Ariana Franklin. Set in 12th‑century England, the story follows Adelia Aguilar, a brilliant female physician trained at the University of Salerno, known as the “Mistress of the Art of Death” for her forensic skills. Warnings: graphic violence (detailed descriptions of violent crimes, mutilations, and bloody scenes) and historical violence and prejudice (medieval anti-Semitism, mob violence, and religious persecution).
3. Midnight at Malabar House by Vaseem Khan. Set in Bombay on New Year’s Eve, 1949, Inspector Persis Wadia, India’s first female police detective, stationed at Malabar House — a police unit for officers deemed unreliable or undesirable Despite her gender, her competence, and her determination, she is often sidelined and assigned to the midnight shift. When a high-profile murder of English diplomat Sir James Herriot is reported, Persis is thrust into the case, even though it is politically sensitive and should have been handled by the more prestigious CID. Warnings: references to violence, prejudice, and the consequences of colonial rule.
Poll #34735 July 2026 Book Poll
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 17
What should we read in July?
View Answers
Strange Houses
6 (35.3%)
Mistress of the Art of Death
4 (23.5%)
Midnight at Malabar House
7 (41.2%)
