Book Club Gozo is a free, monthly reading group that was set up on the island over eight years ago.

The group has proved to be a real success story with Gozo’s book lovers, who get together to meet over a coffee to discuss the featured book of the month, and so that all group members can engage in conversations and share their opinions and thoughts about the book with fellow readers.

All the book titles for the forthcoming year, along with the monthly meeting dates and venue details, are shared on the Book Club Gozo’s Facebook page, where those interested can also join the discussion online, and find lots of book-related information and further reading ideas and details of forthcoming author events.

Malta Libraries staff based at Gozo’s Central Public Library, in Victoria have been very supportive in helping to publicise the club and host regular author events.

The club explained that copies of all the 2026 book club choices have been added to library stock and can be borrowed or requested free of charge by any library user. Some of titles can also be downloaded using the free online e-Books service offered through Malta Libraries.

Book Club Gozo said that two of the main aims of the book group are to firstly create a friendly and welcoming space, where reading, often a solitary act, is transformed into a enjoyable communal experience; and secondly, to go ‘beyond the bestsellers,’ by enabling members of the group to read more widely and discover new and different genres and themes – often this will be reading books that perhaps you wouldn’t have picked up otherwise, or by authors that never sparked an interest, or by reading what you might have considered to be outside of your comfort zone.

Members of the book club also get the opportunity to read more and be part of a diverse community of enthusiastic readers who just love talking about books!

‘Meet the Author’ Events Programme

In addition to this year’s monthly review sessions, Book Club Gozo teamed up with Malta Libraries to launch a series of four library-based author talks, all with a connection to the Maltese Islands.

So far guest speakers have included Lynne Marie Taylor, talking about ‘Death in Valletta’ the author’s debut historical crime fiction novel, set in Victorian-era Malta. A look at how Malta’s surprising arts and cultural scene is being shaped by a new generation of movers and shakers in ‘Malta – The Beautiful Hour’ by Karen Elizabeth Steed. Last month, the library welcomed the contemporary crime fiction novelist AJ Aberford, and creator of the highly popular series of books, featuring the adventures of Detective George Zammit.

The final author event of the year will take place on Wednesday, the 17th of December at 10.30am in the Gozo Central Public Library and will be an illustrated talk and book launch of ‘The History of Dwejra Tower and its Surroundings.’

Further author talks and events at the library are planned for 2026

Book Club Gozo said that it will hold its first meeting of the New Year on Wednesday, the 28th of January 2026 to discuss ‘The Surf House’ by Lucy Clarke – an unforgettable destination thriller set in Morocco. Details of the meeting venue can be found on the group’s Facebook page and the public library.

Karen, who is a regular member of the book club, commented that, “Gozo is a surprising place to begin with, and the book club is no exception. The books chosen are from every genre and the members have lived in all four corners of the world, which makes for lively discussion – first, you’ll learn something from the book, then you’ll learn something more from the talk. Above all, this group, which meets at a cafe over coffee and cake, provides an excellent way to spend a few hours on the last Wednesday morning of every month.”

Jill, another member of Book Club Gozo, said, “the book club provides opportunities to meet with other readers, and to share our reactions to the books we read. Our enjoyable discussions of books often expand to include films, theatre, and other cultural events taking place in Gozo.”

Photo: Book Club Gozo

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