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Horace tells Frank, "Every great man is as hated as he is loved" (p.141). What did you think of this statement? Do you agree with him? Are there exceptions that come to mind?
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5
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11
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July 9, 2026
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The Cloak and Dagger Club references many Golden Age crime authors and classic mysteries. Have you read any mystery novels from this period? Did you notice any parallels?
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7
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24
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July 9, 2026
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Payne Tool & Die is told they’ll have to outsource to China, but the family patriarch wants to sell their personal property to keep the company afloat. He’s outvoted, but had his strategy prevailed, do you think he could have saved the company?
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8
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25
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July 9, 2026
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What mystery-writing advice does the author slip in that she, herself, observes? Are there any rules that she breaks?
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2
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12
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July 9, 2026
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Who did you suspect of the crime? Did your opinion about the guilty party change over the course of the novel?
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13
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75
|
July 9, 2026
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To what audience would you recommend Chelsea Girls? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
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10
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61
|
July 9, 2026
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To what audience would you recommend Days of Sun and Shadow? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
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7
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43
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July 9, 2026
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This is the third historical fiction novel Benedict and Murray have written together. Each has also written several novels on her own. Have you read any of their other works, and if so, how do they compare?
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19
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113
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July 8, 2026
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What do you think about the phenomenon commonly called the Sight? Have you ever met anyone who possessed it to any degree?
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7
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38
|
July 8, 2026
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Compare Emilie’s marriages. How much control do you think she had over either?
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11
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58
|
July 8, 2026
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How do you feel Star’s return helped Emilie recover from the traumatic events surrounding Rose’s birth?
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6
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33
|
July 8, 2026
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Discuss Emilie’s decision to exchange babies. Was it a good decision? Do you believe she would have made it had she not been caught by postpartum depression?
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11
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58
|
July 8, 2026
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Why do you think Emilie chose Miranda over Walker?
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11
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58
|
July 8, 2026
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Do you believe Caleb will ever follow Emilie to Texas?
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12
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63
|
July 8, 2026
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Why do you think Emilie didn't run for help when her mother drowned?
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18
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88
|
July 8, 2026
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Overall, what did you think of Days of Sun and Shadow? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
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21
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127
|
July 8, 2026
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What social conventions did Emilie defy throughout her life, in your view?
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14
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63
|
July 8, 2026
|
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In considering the contrasts between the main female characters’ lifestyles, what do you think these differences reveal about class and privilege? How does wealth act as both an enabler and a barrier for different characters?
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3
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18
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July 8, 2026
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Catherine Lloyd is the author of several other novels, including the Kurland St. Mary Mystery series and the Miss Morton Mysteries. Have you read any of her other books? If so, how did it compare to Chelsea Girls?
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13
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54
|
July 8, 2026
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Were the 1960s truly a time of great change? Did fashion and music play a part in this generational change, and how did those changes differ in the UK and the US?
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5
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34
|
July 8, 2026
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What do you think the book has to say about loyalty and friendship between women?
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10
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59
|
July 8, 2026
|
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What surprised you the most about the novel? Did you learn anything new from it, and if so, what?
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11
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62
|
July 8, 2026
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Why do you suppose none of the women’s parents want them to have careers outside the home?
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17
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84
|
July 8, 2026
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Outsourcing factory work to China is a major theme. What’s your take on this trend? Do you think it can or should be reversed? Why or why not? Do companies have a choice, in your opinion?
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6
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29
|
July 7, 2026
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Tyler Wilson mourns the loss of his son. His friend Ray blames The New World Order and convinces him to join his quest for retribution in New York City. Why did Tyler went along with Ray’s scheme? Did you foresee the outcome?
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3
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16
|
July 7, 2026
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What role does money – the pursuit of it, the lack of it, the loss of it – play in each character’s life?
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3
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20
|
July 7, 2026
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Lucky Luciano was the most notorious mobster of his time. Had you heard of him before reading the book? Lucky, Eunice, & Polly were all prominent figures in the 1930s. Who do you think is the best known of the three today? Why do you think that is?
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17
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86
|
July 6, 2026
|
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What did you think of Polly’s relationship with the Lion? Why do you think the two women were so close?
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9
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45
|
July 6, 2026
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Eunice & Polly formed an unlikely alliance to take down Lucky. What qualities are required to make these kinds of alliances successful? Can you think of other situations where women from different backgrounds came together to achieve a common goal?
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4
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25
|
July 6, 2026
|
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Overall, what did you think of A Pair of Aces? (No spoilers in this topic, please!)
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25
|
200
|
July 6, 2026
|