I want to read a book with two other friends with somewhat different reading tastes and we need to agree on a title.

My reading preference is along the lines of dark, mysterious fiction with suspense and dysfunction.

Friend #1 likes Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance and Fiction (think Anita Shreve).

Friend #2 is rediculously obsessed with Ian Flemming , The Rat Pack and True Crime (mafia mostly).

As you can see we need help!!!!!

Any suggestions???

I think everyone is going to have to agree to read out of their genre/comfort zone :-)

The three of you could agree to read from a published list of books - Pulitzer's, Oprah, Today Show, Booker Prize, etc.

I like Anita Shreve too, but found out about Greg Iles and some of his books are amazing.  24 hours, Black Cross to mention just a few.  Good luck!

How about Jim Butcher's Storm Front? It's urban fantasy, crime, and gets a little edgy sometimes(ok I'm a wimp but it seems that way)

You might consider Beat the Reaper by Bazell.  It's a completely far-fetched, over-the-top, unique novel about a former hit man who is now a medical intern in the witness protection program. It's dark, frenetic, funny, and entertaining.  There's certainly crime, dysfunction, and suspense with some romance thrown in. Note that some (much?) of the language is vulgar and some scenes are graphic. The footnotes are hilarious.  I didn't think I would like it when I read the first couple of pages, but I ended up loving it. Just suspend disbelief and enjoy the roller coaster ride.

Thanks for your suggestions!!!  I'll research them!! Keep em coming!

What about The City and the City by China Mieville?  It's a murder mystery set in two separate cities that occupy the same physical space.  It might appeal a bit less to Friend #2, whose tastes sound more specific, but it's a book that just came out, which might add a little extra fun.

Or maybe Catch Me if You Can by Frank Abagnale?

You guys need epic novels that have it all:  history, battles, love, loss, suspense...  Herman Wouk is an excellent author and I highly recommend his works.  They are riveting!

E

Why not agree to each choose a book and then take turns reading them.  I usually read Fantasy, sci fi and mysteries but recently I really enjoyed the book "The commoner".

I think people need to read outside their normal reading habits every so often.

Or write all the titles on slips of paper and pull one from a hat each month. Each person gets 5 titles to put in the hat. Each must be from a different genre.

I am not one to recommend Oprahs book club, because those books all seem to be the same so you dont have to use that list.

Christopher Moore books are really funny some of them are kinda mysteries, with fantasy aspects in them.

Try something like "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls or "Enemies of the People" by Kati Marton.

Hi!  Check out "The Glass Harmonica" and see what you think.  I read this book and loved it.  I was VERY surprised I loved it because it's kinda sci-fi in a way, but also hist. fiction (back and forth from past to present).  I'm into hist. fiction but NOT sci fi!  I had never heard of this instrument until I read this book.  I'm in a book message board on another site and 2 other ladies also loved this book. 

Maybe "The Auctioneer"?  We had to read that for a class.  I remember it was a very strange book-and very dark.  Kinda like "Needful Things" by Stephen King. 

Hope you can find something! 

I recently read The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon for my bookclub and absolutely loved it.  It is a love story intertwined with a good mystery.