A Killing Cold by Kate Alice Marshall

 She finally wrote a book I liked!

For those of you that have been with me for a while, you may know that I have read KAM before but was not much of a fan.  Well, I decided to try one more time and A Killing Cold definitely did not fit the same mold as the others!

I liked this one and the way she weaved the suspense in every chapter.  I was guessing through the end!  I didn't see a clear-cut psychological component but many of the characters definitely need some therapy!

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Discussion Questions:

1. What was strange about Conner and Theo's "meet-cute"?
2. Do you think their engagement was quick?  Did you think either of them had ulterior motives?
3. What happened to Theo's mother?  
4. Who was Theo's father?
5. Who was the actual antagonist in the entire story?
6. Which character did you feel suffered the most?
7. What are your thoughts on the ending?
8. Who are your cast of characters?

The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner

 I love it when books connect the past to the present.

This is an interesting tale about women being diabolical in the 1800s and just getting through life in the 2000s.  

3 main characters all going through their own "stuff" but each story as compelling as the other.  

But where's the "thriller" part?  Well, you tell me ...

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Discussion Questions

Borrowed from the back of the book (Park Row Books, 2021)

1. The Lost Apothecary opens with Nella in her shop, preparing to dispense a poison meant to kill a man.  Her work is sinister, and much about her character is dark and disturbing.  When you first learned that Nella was a murderer, how did you view her?  How did your feelings change over the course of the book as more of her past was revealed?  Did you believe she would eventually find redemption?  In the end, did you see her as a hero, a villain or somewhere in between?  Why?
2. At the beginning of Caroline's story, she finds the apothecary vial while on a mudlarking tour.  Had you heard of mudlarking prior to reading this book?  Do you believe that fate or coincidence led to her discovery?  Have you ever stumbled on something that you consider to be fate?
3. Both Nella and Caroline have been betrayed by men in their lives.  In what ways did the two women respond similarly to these betrayals?  In what ways did they respond differently?  Do you feel that one woman was more emotionally resilient than the other?
4. Nella and Eliza form an unlikely friendship early in the story, despite Nella's resistance to having the young girl in her shop a second time.  Why do you think Nella eventually softened her heart toward Eliza?  What drew the two characters - one at the cusp of womanhood, the other near the end of her life - toward one another?  What kind of impact did Eliza have on Nella's character?
5. The Lost Apothecary is sprinkled with mentions of magic and several events occur that could be considered either the work of magic or merely good luck.  When you learned that Eliza survived after ingesting the Tincture to Reverse Bad Fortune, did you believe it the result of magic, or do you think she was a lucky survivor after jumping into the freezing river?
6. When James feels a cold coming on, Caroline points him to the eucalyptus oil in the hotel bathroom but she doesn't tell him it's for topical use only.  Later, we learn that he ingested the toxic oil.  While reading, did you consider the possibility that Caroline purposely didn't tell him the oil was for topical use only?  Do you think that, even subconsciously, this might have been a form of revenge?
7. James is a nuanced character.  At different junctures in the story, he shows remorse and heartbreak, only to later lie again to his wife.  What did you think of their relationship?  Did you believe he was truly sorry for his infidelity, or were his apologies to Caroline yet another form of manipulation?
8. At the end of the story, when Eliza is an adult with children of her own, she says that Nella still counsels her to "this very day."  Do you interpret this as Nella having lived many more year, or is Eliza referring to Nella's spirit?  Why do you think the author might have left this purposefully vague?
9. Which of the characters - Nella, Eliza, or Caroline - did you find the most compelling or enjoyable to read about?  Why?
10. THRILLER BOOK CLUB FINAL QUESTION:  Who would you cast?

Beautiful Ugly by Alice Feeney

 Finally, a book with a male lead.  Many of our recent thrillers centered on a female protagonist that gets in to all sorts of mischief, trouble, and mayhem.  Now we have a male author deserted on a small island with zero contact with the outside world.  What could go wrong?

Did you notice anything strange about the island?  Lots of things are.  

I like that each chapter focuses on an oxymoron, indicating that this is not exactly black or white, it is a gray world, and all the characters are not exactly what they seem.

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Discussion Questions - Borrowed from: Book club questions for Beautiful Ugly | Bookclubs

1. How does Feeney build a growing sense of unease?
2. Have you ever been to Scotland? Could you picture the Isle of Amberly? Do you imagine it as similar to anywhere you've ever traveled?
3. Did you enjoy all the twists and turns of the plot, or did it feel convoluted to you?
4. Which twist was most jaw-dropping for you?
5. Oh boy that ending! Did you expect it? Did it make sense to you? Did you feel it did a good job of tying up loose ends from earlier in the novel?
6. Beautiful Ugly is told from both Grady's and Abby's perspective. What does the reader gain by experiencing both points of view? From the way that the novel also jumps back and forth in time.
7. Spoiler alert: Beautiful Ugly features a very unreliable narrator. How do you feel about this authorial choice in novels, especially thrillers?
8. Did you grow to care about Grady or Abby as characters? What about any of the many eccentric side characters on the island? Why or why not?
9. Thriller Book Club Favorite Question:  Who would you cast in each role?

The Father She Went to Find by Carter Wilson

 This was amazing!

The main character becomes a savant by trauma - never heard of that.  That's an interested condition, though.  You remember EVERYTHING from the day of your accident until this very second.  How mind numbing.  It can definitely be useful but difficult.  I mean, there are definitely some things we need to forget to protect ourselves, don't you think?

Besides this psychological phenomenon we have all kinds of fun in this book.  From missing fathers, random road trips, meet-cutes, strange coincidences, drug cartels meet mob bosses, rogue cops, clandestine agencies, I mean the list goes on and on and on.  

There's just no knowing where this genius will find herself next.  All I can say is she took me for a ride, and I didn't stop gasping until it ended!  And even then ... 

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Discussion questions (taken from the back of the book; Poisoned Pen Press, 2024 (c))

1. Our main character is a savant and can remember everything.  How does this ability affect her?  If you had the ability to remember everything, how do you think you'd feel and why?
2. Penny's father left her after her accident.  What does he send her once a year on her birthday, and what made her 21st birthday different?  How did you feel when Penny received this card?  Would you have reacted the same way?
3. Penny sets out on a road trip to find her father, as well as the clues they buried all those years ago in their final moments together.  Why is this a risk for her?  Would you have done the same thing?
4. Penny and her father "talk" in her head.  What are these conversations like, and how do they change throughout the narrative?  Why do you think Penny feels the need to have these conversations?
5. Sebastian tells Penny, "You recall everything but know nothing."  What does he mean by this?  How does the idea of recalling versus knowing play a role in Penny's character transformation?
6. Travis and Penny begin to travel with a woman named Fia.  Why are the Snakeskin Boys after her, and what is the reason they decide to all travel west?
7. In an emotional ending, Penny is finally able to "find" her father.  What does she learn about him?  How did you feel when this was revealed?
8. List your cast of characters!

The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden

 Is he the man of your dreams or your worst nightmare?

OK - this one was an interesting and deviating tale!

I absolutely disliked Kevin and everything he was about.  However, I am more weirded out by the "boyfriend" from the very beginning.  I mean, who watches a girl bleed profusely from her face and does not offer to get help!  That thought stuck with me throughout the whole book.  

What about you?

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Discussion Questions

(taken from the back of the book - Poisoned Pen Press 2024 Book of the Month version - October 2024)

1. Compare Sydney and Bonnie's approach to dating.  What are the pros and cons of using dating apps?  Have you ever used one?
2. Is Slug a good person?  Why do you think he and Tom stick together?
3. After Bonnie's murder, it becomes apparent to Jake that a serial killer is on the loose.  What is the killer's MO? Who do they seem to target, and why?
4. Why does Alison hate Tom so much? Are her feelings justified?
5. Count the ways Tom seems like a perfect boyfriend.  In what ways does he seem ... not so perfect? 
6. Sydney can't help but feel unsettled around Randy.  Why is that?
7. Consider Tom's mother's choice to protect her son, though she suspects he's guilty of something terrible.  Do you think she made the right decision?  What would you have done in her position?
8. This story is told between two perspectives and timelines.  Did this make the read more suspenseful?  Were you able to predict any of the twists?
9. What do you think happened to Kevin?  Do you think he deserved it?
10. Discuss Sydney's future.  Then, discuss Tom's future.  Do you think each are happy?

Sleep Tight by J.H. Markert

 What a psychologist's dream, this book!  This book has all kinds of psychoses, I don't even know where to begin!  

Dissociative identity disorder (multiple personalities) is a good place to begin.  The author put a twist on this already difficult to believe and understand mental health condition and had one of the characters envelop other characters' personalities.  Is that actually a thing or what this character just a "good actor"?  The argument in the book (and real life) is that the child lived through such trauma, his brain created these personalities to cope with the stress.  Do you think it helped?

Other issues that arise are cultism and how it breeds and cultivates, psychosis that leads one to kill and entice others to follow your lead and kill for you (Charles Manson ring a bell?).  The story also shows us what childhood neglect can lead to (i.e., kidnapping and psychotic violent breaks).  We even have a touch of substance abuse in the mix.

The story has many plot lines and stories weaved into the mix and it can get too confusing.  Often, I found myself wanting it to "get to the point."  But that it did.  I truly enjoyed reading this and personally am thrilled with the outcome.  Can't wait to discuss.

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Discussion Questions

1. The book begins with the public execution of "Father Silence."  What went wrong during the execution and how that play into the entire story?
2. Tess Claiborne's parents are brutally murdered, but the story is more heavily centered on the kidnapping of her daughter at the same time.  Do you think it was important to murder Tess's parents, given the plot, or could they have just created the mystery around Julia's kidnapping?  What added plot quality was there to include the double murder?
3. There are several relationships highlighted among the story's heroes.  Discuss the dynamics between the relationships of Justin, Tess, Danny, and Eliza.
4. There were several events leading up to the arrest of Father Silence.  What role did Tess play in the entire night?  Why do you think she repressed many of the memories of that night?
5. Julia, despite her parent's weaknesses, is a strong character throughout the story.  Do you think she will be able to keep her resiliency after experiencing this trauma?
6. There were many religious elements included within the story.  What role do you think Catholicism played and why do you believe the author included such as strong influence?
7. Do you believe that Benjamin would ever hurt "his" children?  Did you find his ending tragic?
8. Who do you believe was the main antagonist? How did you feel about the end for them?
9. Do you believe Noah actually suffered from dissociative identity disorder, or was he just a good actor?
10. What do you think is in the future for any and all of the characters?

I, Robot by Issac Asimov

 Adding a sci-fi thriller to the list!

I enjoyed this, even though some of the concepts were a bit over my head :(.  Logically, everything presented made sense and I kind of liked the utopian ending.  What did you think?

I also liked how it was happening in our current time - in fact, I am the exact same age as the robopsychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin.  She's a psychologist, too, so fun!  I liked how she was a female leader in the ever-growing world of men and basically everyone went to her for answer on why the robots have gone wrong.

The level of suspense in this book definitely would classify it as a thriller.  I was always wondering when the robots would take over, like you would see in all the robot movies out there, even the one with the same title!  Not going to spoil the ending for you, but you will see that the anxiety was not worth it.

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Discussion Questions:

Borrowed from Reading Group Guides

1. Do Asimov’s now-famous Three Laws of Robotics mirror humanity’s ethics code in any way? Whose orders are human beings required to obey? Do our definitions of "harm" ever lead to the same confounding dilemmas experienced in I, Robot?

2. Why was Gloria’s mother unable to accept Robbie as an excellent nursemaid? Was Robbie premonitory on Asimov’s part—a prediction that children in the twenty-first century might form intense emotional attachments to electronics?

3. Cutie (QT) questions his origins and finds it impossible to believe that a human created him. In what ways did Powell and Donovan reinforce this belief?

4. Does the case of Stephen Byerley indicate that robots might make better politicians? Would this only hold true if, as the novel envisions, nations dissolve into massive world regions?

5. What is the ultimate commodity produced by U.S. Robot & Mechanical Men, Inc.? Does our global workforce follow this model in any way? Were humor and compassion inevitable traits in the robots? Do these traits interfere with productivity in the world of I, Robot?

6. In the book’s closing lines, Dr. Susan Calvin tells the narrator, "You will see what comes next," as robots stand between mankind and destruction. How did her career lead up to such a precarious conclusion?

7. I, Robot has been turned into a major motion picture starring Will Smith. How does the movie compare with your book-reading experience? What do you think of the adjustments made and liberties taken when converting this collection of stories to one seamless film adaptation?