Hybrid: A.M. Book Group

An unsolved double murder, and then it gets worse. September's selection is Barnaby Rudge, Dickens set against the Gordon Riots of 1780, and it is the one people mean when they say there is a Dickens novel nobody reads. It deserves better.

What starts as mystery and suspense widens into conspiracy, blackmail, abduction and retribution. Fathers turn against sons, apprentices plot against their masters, and anti-Catholic mobs take over the streets while Barnaby himself tries to outrun the curse of his own past. The public violence and private horror are both drawn with more force than Dickens usually gets credit for.

How it works. The group is hybrid, so you can come to the Randolph Board Room or join from home. It meets monthly on the fourth Wednesday, 10:00 to 11:30 am. Registration is required.