Sue Monk Kidd's first novel, The Secret Life of Bees, spent more than a hundred weeks on the New York Times bestseller list, sold more than six million copies in the United States and was made into a major, award-winning film. , and has been translated into thirty-six languages. Her second novel, The Mermaid Chair, was a deep dive into Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees with extensive analysis, commentary, and discussion. Sue Monk Kidd's novel was well-positioned for success as a book club favorite because of this.