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When Effie first arrives back at the hut, what did you guess happened there?
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8
|
76
|
August 25, 2026
|
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There is a powerful pull on each character to return to their place of origin. Have you felt such a pull in your own life?
|
|
10
|
89
|
August 25, 2026
|
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For the most part, technology doesn't intrude on the characters' lives. Does that strike you as appealing?
|
|
14
|
111
|
August 25, 2026
|
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Was Effie's dad right to hide the truth for so many years?
|
|
13
|
108
|
August 25, 2026
|
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Should Effie trust in Lewis more and accept his help, or would that undermine her own strength? Are you frustrated by her self-reliance, or do you feel sympathetic toward her?
|
|
11
|
82
|
August 25, 2026
|
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Did the descriptions of the bush make you want to go there or scare you off?
|
|
26
|
180
|
August 25, 2026
|
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Did learning about Adam's childhood affect the way you felt about him? To what extent are we responsible for our adult actions, and how much is an unavoidable consequence of our childhood?
|
|
11
|
72
|
August 19, 2026
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Children view the world differently than adults. They place an importance on different things and interpret situations differently. In which moments do you get a sense that Anya is seeing a different world than the adults around her?
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6
|
43
|
August 19, 2026
|
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Which scene in The Vanishing Place was your favorite? Were there any passages or quotes you highlighted, and if so, which ones?
|
|
4
|
39
|
August 19, 2026
|
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Why do you think Anya goes to the bridge? What is she so frightened of?
|
|
8
|
65
|
August 19, 2026
|
|
Did your feelings toward Effie's father change over the course of the book, and if so, how?
|
|
9
|
72
|
August 19, 2026
|
|
Eunice Hunton Carter and Polly Adler were well-known figures in 1930s New York. Were you familiar with either of them before reading A Pair of Aces?
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|
34
|
471
|
August 18, 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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22
|
209
|
August 18, 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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21
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132
|
August 18, 2026
|
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Horace decides that while people write books for many reasons, he writes for control. “The characters did whatever he told them to.” What did you think of this statement? How does it illuminate Horace’s character and set up the rest of the book?
|
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13
|
56
|
August 11, 2026
|
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What role did traumatic loss play in Emilie’s relationships with Keller and Walker? Do you think she’d have taken up with either man without that catalyst?
|
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5
|
45
|
August 18, 2026
|
|
Lottie starts looking at retirement homes in part because she’s afraid that she’ll die alone in her house, and no one will find her for a long time. What’s your experience with aging in one’s home vs. in a retirement community?
|
|
20
|
102
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
Burke has continued to track Lottie because catching a serial killer is his only chance to be remembered. Why do you suppose being remembered is so important to him? Do you believe most people strive to be remembered in some way?
|
|
13
|
82
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
To what audience would you recommend Too Old for This?
|
|
19
|
138
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
Were you surprised that Lottie was never caught? Do you think she'll continue to kill people, or do you feel she's finished?
|
|
29
|
267
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
On page 172, Lottie claims that “people put their interest ahead of others’, even in times of tragedy…Self-interest always takes precedence.” Do you think this is true? Why or why not?
|
|
9
|
84
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
Lottie finds the way funerals end to be depressing. “Everyone walks out and continues with their day as if nothing happened. That seems sadder than the death.” Do you feel her take on funerals and death is correct? What’s your opinion about the rite?
|
|
20
|
131
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of Too Old for This? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
|
|
40
|
280
|
August 9, 2026
|
|
What did you think about Niamh’s belief that her mother only moved to a small, rural cottage so that Niamh couldn’t move in with her?
|
|
9
|
81
|
August 8, 2026
|
|
To what audience would you recommend How to Kill a Crime Writer?
|
|
19
|
125
|
August 8, 2026
|
|
Frank tells Rita that “when you belong with someone, you don’t think they’re perfect.” Do you agree with this assessment?
|
|
24
|
140
|
August 7, 2026
|
|
Christine asks Frank about Lucy, and he responds by asking where she goes on Sundays. She backs off, saying “I see your point. Friends can still have secrets.” What did you think of this? What are your thoughts about sharing secrets with friends?
|
|
16
|
101
|
August 6, 2026
|
|
Overall, what did you think of The Cloak and Dagger Club? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
|
|
36
|
236
|
August 6, 2026
|
|
Have you ever been a member of a writer’s group, and if so, in what ways did it resemble The Cloak and Dagger Club? If you were a writer, would you join such a group?
|
|
12
|
72
|
August 6, 2026
|
|
What do you think the book says about the aging process? Do you agree with the author’s point of view on getting older? In what ways does Lottie fight her age, and in what ways does she give in to it?
|
|
7
|
46
|
August 5, 2026
|