(if) I Did It: Confessions of The Killer by O.J. Simpson (Ron Goldman, LLC)

 On June 12, 1994, Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman were found brutally murdered on her doorstep with her children sound asleep inside.  They were stabbed to death so viciously that the police thought Nicole was decapitated.  There was only one arrest made in connection to this murder, Nicole's husband, O.J. Simpson.  He was an acclaimed football star and actor at the top of his prime.  No one wanted to believe it was true.  Not even the jury.  After an excruciatingly long trial, O.J. was acquitted.  He was set free to continue his fame in notoriety. 

But the question remained - who killed Nicole and Ron?

No other arrests were made, and the families remain convinced that O.J. did it!  

Later, in 2006, O.J. had the audacity of actually writing and publishing a book that many believed was his confession.  The Goldman family were appalled that he would profit from the gruesome murder of their son and, naturally, sued him for the rights of that book.  They won the request for rights; however, the judge made a shocking condition - the family had to publish the book in order to claim any capital that could come with it.

So, this version of the book, revised by the Goldman family is the only legally available copy of the "confession" by O.J. Simpson.  It was both wanted and rejected by the public, but eventually became one of the New York Times bestsellers.  What do you think?

Join the Discussion on August 17, 2024.

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Discussion Questions:

1. The Goldman Family published a book about their only son's murder.  They were disgusted by the topic and did not want that to be their son's legacy.  Why do you think they eventually did?
2. O.J. wrote about the love/hate relationship he had with Nicole prior to the murders.  How accurate do you believe his view of their life was?
3. During the year together, O.J. mentioned that Nicole asked to move into the larger home with O.J. and the children.  O.J. indicated that he did not want that, even though Nicole was losing her lease.  He later writes that he has several smaller and vacant homes (except one was occupied by Kato) on the property.  Do you think there was every discussion about allowing the family to live on those properties?  Or was this all a lie?
4. On the night of the murder, O.J. mentioned that there was a man named Charlie present.  Who is Charlie?
5. O.J. appears to have blacked out during the actual murder and then discusses how he hypothetically covered up a crime he never committed.  What do you get out of the depiction of this night?
6. How do you feel about Ron Goldman's involvement?
7. Do you think O.J. did it?

The Resort by Sara Ochs

 I'm going to do this a bit differently from now on!  I will be writing the blog FIRST and including the discussion questions.  When I post on Meetup this will be available for anyone interested.  Also, since I have started implementing a "troll prevention fee" to my Meetups - which has been somewhat working - I will use this blog as a vehicle to include the FREE CODE for attendees.  This does not apply to this Meetup, as no fee was assigned.

So, about The Resort

As thrillers go, this was definitely one for me!  There were so many secrets and twists and turns it was unbelievable.  The ending was stellar, and you were left wanting a sequel to see what happens now!  Everyone was on that island to hide but look what happened when someone threatened to give away their secrets!  The "bad guy" changed hands as freely as a relay racer and the "good guy" stayed true, but we all know what happens to those characters, don't we?

Discussion Questions (feel free to add comments below but these will be asked at the Meetup so everyone can discuss in voce!)

• "The Permanents" are those that have basically emigrated to this resort island of Koh Sang.  Do you envision ever living permanently on a remote island?
• Cass receives a note at the very beginning of the story that said, "I know who you are."  Who did you think it was from?  What do you think it could have meant?  Why do you think this made her so anxious?
• Cass and Brooke may not have been the only ones with secrets on the islands; however, they did go through great lengths to change their identities.  What did you think of their "transformations"?
• Brooke is portrayed as a travel influencer.  What are your thoughts about influencer culture today?
• What does Cass find next to Lucy's body?  Were you surprised to learn how it got there?
• Cass and Brooke investigate Lucy's death because they are convinced that she was murdered.  What were their individual motives for investigating and do you think that influenced their approach?
• The book is written back and forth between Cass and Brooke's point of views.  How did that effect your understanding of the story or influence your thought process?
• Three people died within a few weeks.  If you were on this island as a guest at this resort, what would you do?
• This island is a paradise.  Do you think the deaths would affect how people viewed the island and the resort?
• How do you feel about Brooke and Cass after learning about their truths?
• The final twist introduces the real mastermind and villain of the story.  How well do you think the author created this suspenseful and inconclusive "ending."

The Fury by Alex Michaelides

 This one was a little hard to follow.  I mean, I get the premise - deserted island, murder, mayhem, etc. However, I find it hard to believe that the story played out the way it did.  Are rich people really that bored that they have to plan murder retreats on their deserted islands?  Why drag your kid into this idiocy also.  Are there not better ways to deal with conflicts?  You know, like talk to each other?

Well, psychologically, many people are intrigued by mystery and some even love to toy with other's emotions.  So, I guess that's why this novel came about.  The author does do a good job of keeping you guessing until the very end and adding several plot twists and red herrings.  Yet, in the end, I think it fell short in the area of likability for me.

What are your thoughts?