Chapter One Book Group
Chapter One is a community of friends committed to enriching our lives through shared experience of the written word and meaningful discussion. The group was established in January 2008 and is currently celebrating its eighteenth year.
Each month, Chapter One dives into a new book selected directly from group nominations. Selections can vary as much as our members.
The group continues to meet and celebrate literature each month in the Chillicothe area of Ohio.
October 2025
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix
Horror
Published in 2020
The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires is a darkly comic and chilling tale that blends Southern charm with supernatural horror. Set in 1990s suburban Charleston, the story follows Patricia Campbell, a housewife whose only escape from the monotony of domestic life is her true-crime book club. But things take a terrifying turn when a mysterious and charismatic stranger arrives in town — and children start to go missing. As Patricia and her friends begin to suspect something sinister, they find themselves drawn into a deadly confrontation that tests their courage, loyalty and resilience.
Hendrix crafts a gripping narrative that’s both a nostalgic homage to vampire lore and a sharp critique of the societal expectations placed on women. Beneath its gory thrills and suspenseful twists lies a powerful exploration of female friendship, gaslighting and the ways in which evil often hides in plain sight. With wit, heart and plenty of blood, The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires redefines what it means to be a hero — and a monster — in the modern South.
This meeting for discussion of Book #214 is currently scheduled for October 18 at 5 PM.
November 2025
Franny and Zooey by J.D. Salinger
Fiction
Published in 1961
J.D. Salinger’s Franny and Zooey is a dazzling portrait of the Glass family, a household marked by brilliance, wit and spiritual yearning. In “Franny,” a young college student wrestles with disillusionment as she questions the emptiness of ambition and the shallow rituals of social life. Her quiet rebellion against the world leads her into a spiritual crisis that is as moving as it is unsettling.
In “Zooey,” her older brother steps into the story with sharp humor, keen intelligence and unexpected tenderness. Through their conversations, Salinger explores questions of faith, love and the search for authenticity in a noisy, complicated world. By turns funny and deeply compassionate, Franny and Zooey is both a family drama and a timeless meditation on what it means to live with sincerity.
This meeting for discussion of Book #215 is currently scheduled for November 15 at 5 PM.