I hosted the Book B*tches Wednesday evening and, to the surprise of no one, I chose a true crime novel. Oh my word I loved The Carpool Detectives by Chuck Hogan! Here’s the Amazon synopsis:
The incredible true story of a group of moms who, united by a search for new purpose, attempt to solve a fifteen-year-old double murder.
“A true crime mystery that reads like a novel . . . It can be easy to forget that the underlying case is based on real, not fictional, murder.”—Los Angeles Times
A lot of us like to think we could solve a mystery. Can these four moms actually do it?
In 2020, Marissa, Jeannie, Samira, and Nicole find themselves at a familiar crossroads: when motherhood takes charge of their lives, they begin grappling with their own identities. Their thriving careers seem like a lifetime ago, and as their children become more independent, they struggle to find purpose. But when they meet at a bowling night fundraiser for their kids’ school, they discover a shared interest in true crime that crystalizes around a mysterious double homicide that took place in their hometown a decade earlier: A couple in their 60s vanished overnight from their home and mysteriously shuttered their family business, leaving millions of dollars unaccounted for. Initially believed to have absconded with the money, they went from suspects to victims when their bodies were discovered in their car at the bottom of a steep ravine. And then the case turned cold.
But what if the moms could solve it? What if they could bring a killer to justice and give closure to a grieving family?
The four women have no connection to the case and no law-enforcement background, but the determined group find themselves in incredible and often dangerous situations–digging for evidence in prohibited ravines, scouring potential crime scenes for blood splatter, and sifting through pages and pages of dense police files. As they get more and more entangled in this complex investigation, they also find themselves in real danger—and with information that could blow the case wide open.
An emotional and often terrifying odyssey through a DIY criminal investigation, The Carpool Detectives is the ultimate wish fulfillment for any true crime fanatic, an absolutely thrilling read for armchair sleuths and mystery fans alike.
The Carpool Detectives
I don’t want to give anything away, but these women are amazing! So smart and dedicated…while being great mothers and wives. As is often the case, the B*tches were split on their reviews. Many of us loved it, but a few thought the details of the team’s personal lives could have been trimmed. I loved learning about their backgrounds and day to day lives because it made them so relatable. That said, revisiting Covid and the lockdown situation was stressful. I think I have PTSD from elearning.
The only food mentioned in the book is tacos, so I happily arranged for Tipsy Taco to cater a taco bar. I failed to get any photos of our gathering or the food, but I did snap a few of my table beforehand because the table runner made by a dear friend several years ago makes me so happy.
Book Club Table
I had a hard time finding discussion questions for The Carpool Detectives, so I made my own. If you can read my handwriting, here you go:
Discussion Questions
A fellow B*tch was able to track down what we think is an actual photo of “Joel and Angela Watkins.” Many of the details of the actual case are changed in the book to protect the privacy of the family, but we think this Callender couple is actually them.
“Joel and Angela”
With or without a book club, you need to read this book! Purchase here: https://amzn.to/3OjhCsJ
