| Discussion Questions
for
Book Clubs & Libraries |
For book club networking
and author phone chats,
visit Readers Circle.
|
Most people who are enthusiastic participants in book clubs know that
it's the lively exchange of thoughtful opinions that makes them fun
and engaging. The following questions and ideas are intended to help
guide discussions, but Jane wants to encourage you not to feel limited
to these questions—what do you want to talk about? Contact Jane directly so she can attend or call into your Book Club.
Silent Auction
Killer Keepsakes
Antiques to Die For
Deadly Appraisal
Consigned to Death |
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Silent Auction
| 1. |
Prepare Zoë’s Lemon Drops for your guests: |
Recipe —"Zoë’s Lemon Drop"
- 1 ¼ oz vodka
- ½ oz Triple Sec
- ¾ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Twisted peel of lemon
- Pour all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice and shake very, very well.
- Pour the mixture into a chilled martini glass.
- Garnish with a twisted lemon peel .
| 2. |
Toast one another with Josie’s favorite toast, the one she learned from her dad: “Here’s to silver light in the dark of night.” |
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| 3. |
Read or reread the book. |
| 4. |
When you’re ready to begin, spend a few minutes explaining: |
| |
| • |
What you liked best about the book |
| • |
Plot points that struck you as especially significant |
| • |
Which character or characters were most intriguing |
| • |
Anything that you didn’t like or that confused you |
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| 5. |
Start with a closed-ended question such as “Did you like the book?" |
| 6. |
Facilitate a discussion of Silent Auction by asking a series of open-ended questions such as: |
| |
| • |
What do you think about Frankie and Zoë’s relationship? |
| • |
Celebrating second chances is a uniquely American approach to failure. Have you ever had a second chance? |
| • |
Were you familiar with scrimshaw before you read Silent Auction? Do you like scrimshaw? If so, why? If not, why not? |
| • |
Josie refers to the gazebo in Rocky Point’s central village green. Have you ever been to a summer concert where the band plays familiar tunes in a pretty gazebo? If so, what did you enjoy about it? (Or what didn’t you enjoy?) If not, what do you think it would be like? |
| • |
Josie’s favorite music is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. What’s your favorite kind of music? What’s your favorite piece of music? Why? |
| • |
Chief Hunter moved to Rocky Point to see if Norman Rockwell had it right—he retired from the New York City police department and wanted to give small town living a try. What are the differences between small town and big city living? |
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| 7. |
Continue your facilitation by noting any words you had to look up in the dictionary, facts that surprised you, and the like. For instance, did you know that scrimshanders used candle black and soot to darken their etchings? |
| 8. |
Ask if anyone has any additional comments. |
| 9. |
Take a digital photo of the group holding Silent Auction and e-mail it to us for posting on the website! |
| 10. |
Toast yourselves again using Josie’s dad’s favorite toast: “To silver light in the dark of night.” |
|
Killer Keepsakes
| 1. |
Josie sometimes enjoys flavored martinis. Her neighbor, landlady, friend, Zoë enjoys Apple Martinis! Prepare Zoë’s Apple Martinis for your guests: |
Recipe —"Zoë’s Apple Martini"
- 1 ½ oz vodka (from bottle kept in the freezer)
- ½ oz apple schnapps (from bottle kept in the freezer)
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- thin slices or wedges Granny Smith apple
- Fill a cocktail shaker half way with crushed ice. Add vodka, schnapps, and lemon juice.
- Shake vigorously for several seconds.
- Pour into previously frozen martini glass.
- Place slice over the lip (cut half way into the apple slice so it balances properly) or slide wedge into the glass.
|
 |
| 3. |
Read or reread the book. |
| 4. |
When you’re ready to begin, spend a few minutes explaining: |
| |
| • |
What you liked best about the book |
| • |
Plot points that struck you as especially significant |
| • |
Which character or characters were most intriguing |
| • |
Anything that you didn’t like or that confused you |
|
| 5. |
Start with a closed-ended question such as “Did you like the book?" |
| 6. |
Facilitate a discussion of Killer Keepsakes by asking a series of open-ended questions such as: |
| |
| • |
Why is Gretchen, a young woman who likes celebrity gossip and always dresses stylishly, attracted to working in antiques businesses? |
| • |
What about that celebrity gossip quirk? Do you know people who share Gretchen’s interest? What about celebrity gossip appeals to people? |
| • |
Are you a stylish dresser? Why or why not? When you shop for new clothes what’s more important—style or comfort? |
| • |
Gretchen and Lina love living in New Hampshire. What about it appeals to them? |
| • |
Have you ever moved somewhere new, somewhere where you didn’t know anyone? If so, what was the experience like? |
| • |
Josie seems nostalgic for the Olson brothers, for the fly-boy ethos of a generation ago. What do you think appeals to her about that long-gone era? |
| • |
What are you nostalgic about? What aspects of life that existed when you were young and are gone now do you miss? |
| • |
What do you think of Mandy’s relationship with Vince? How does it contrast with Josie’s relationship with Ty? |
| • |
Were there any big-picture issues in the book that resonated with you? |
|
| 7. |
Continue your facilitation by noting any words you had to look up in the dictionary, facts that surprised you, and the like. For instance, did you know how professional photographers use cropping? |
| 8. |
Ask if anyone has any additional comments. |
| 9. |
Take a digital photo of the group holding Killer Keepsakes and e-mail it to us for posting on the website! |
| 10. |
Toast yourselves again using Josie’s dad’s favorite toast: “To silver light in the dark of night.” |
|
Antiques to Die For
1. |
Josie sometimes enjoys flavored martinis. Guavatinis are among her favorites! Prepare guavatinis for your guests. Josie usually mixes a pitcher of guavatinis at a time. |
 Recipe: Guavatini
Mix four parts guava nectar with one part vodka. Stir.
Serve.
Sip.
Ah! |
| 2. |
Read or reread the book. |
|
[Top] |
| 3. |
When you’re ready to begin, spend a few minutes explaining: |
| |
| • |
What you liked best about the book |
| • |
Plot points that struck you as especially significant |
| • |
Which character or characters were most intriguing |
| • |
Anything that you didn’t like or that confused you |
|
| 4. |
Start with a closed-ended question such as “Did you like the book?" |
| 5. |
Facilitate a discussion of Antiques to Die For by asking a series of open-ended questions such as: |
| |
| • |
Rosalie was a communications expert and a historian. Do you enjoy history? What period? What, specifically, interests you? |
| • |
Josie’s mother died when she was thirteen. The last member of Paige’s immediate family is killed when she’s twelve. Can you imagine what either of those circumstances would be like? How would you cope? |
| • |
Josie thinks about her father all the time, quoting him to help her find answers to life’s questions. Is there anyone whose past words still resonate with you? Your grandmother? An elementary school teacher? Who is it? Also, do you recall anything in particular that Josie’s dad said? What was it and why did you find it meaningful? |
| • |
Who is your favorite character? Why? |
| • |
Ty accepts a new job. What do you think of this decision-making style? |
| • |
What do you think of Josie’s relationship with Ty? How is it evolving? |
| • |
An ongoing theme in Antiques to Die For is the importance of community and being accepted. What are your thoughts about fitting in? |
| • |
Do you collect anything? If so, what and why? |
| • |
Are there any big life lessons in Antiques to Die For? If so, what are they? |
|
| 6. |
Continue your facilitation by noting any words you had to look up in the dictionary, facts that surprised you, and the like. For instance, did you know what “haptic” meant? |
| 7. |
Ask if anyone has any additional comments. |
| 8. |
Take a digital photo of the group holding Antiques to Die For and e-mail it to us for posting on the website! |
| 9. |
Toast yourselves using Josie’s dad’s favorite toast: “To silver light in the dark of night.” |
|
[Top] |
Deadly
Appraisal
| 1. |
Prepare martinis for your guests. Josie sometimes enjoys martinis straight up with a twist. |
| 2. |
Read or reread the book. |
|
 |
| 3. |
When you’re ready to begin, spend a few minutes explaining: |
| |
| • |
What you liked best about the book |
| • |
Plot points that struck you as especially significant |
| • |
Which character or characters were most intriguing |
| • |
Anything that you didn’t like or that confused you |
|
| 4. |
Start with a closed-ended question such as “Did you like the book?" |
| 5. |
Facilitate a discussion of Deadly Appraisal by asking a series of open-ended questions such as: |
| |
| • |
Why are whistle blowers so hated? |
| • |
Josie reveres her father. Whom do you revere and why? |
| • |
Josie wants to feel part of a community—what does it take to feel like you “belong,” as if you “fit in”? |
| • |
Who is your favorite character? Why? |
| • |
Ty spends a lot of time in California because an aunt is ill. What does his attitude toward his aunt say about him? |
| • |
What do you think of Josie’s relationship with Ty? How is it evolving? |
| • |
An ongoing theme in Deadly Appraisal is the impact of perception on our impressions of reality. What are your thoughts about perception vs. reality? |
| • |
Do you collect anything? If so, what and why? |
| • |
Are there any big life lessons in Deadly Appraisal? If so, what are they? |
|
| 6. |
Continue your facilitation by noting any words you had to look up in the dictionary, facts that surprised you, and the like. For instance, did you know what a “catalogue raisoné” was? |
| 7. |
Ask if anyone has any additional comments. |
| 8. |
Take a digital photo of the group holding Deadly Appraisal and e-mail it to us for posting on the website! |
| 9. |
Toast yourselves using Josie’s dad’s favorite toast: “To silver light in the dark of night.” |
|
Recipe — "A Little Lift"
Pour two shot glasses worth of Bombay Sapphire gin into a cocktail shaker two thirds full of ice. Add a cap-full of of dry vermouth. Squeeze a lemon wedge worth of juice into the shaker. Shake well. Pour the mixture through the strainer into your frozen glass. (Keep your martini glasses in the freezer.)
Add a lemon twist... take a lemon and pound it on the counter a few times to "loosen the juice." Using a sharp knife, cut into the peel just deep enough to pierce the skin, but not the fruit, and draw the blade down from end to end. Starting at the same point and ending at the same point, draw the blade down again at a slight arc. Remove the cut out piece. You'll be holding a 1/8" sliver of lemon peel. Twist the piece into a spiral, drop into the gin, and swirl. |
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[Top] |
Consigned to Death
| 1. |
Prepare martinis for your guests. In Consigned to Death, Josie drinks Bombay Sapphire on the rocks with a twist. (See recipe in the sidebar to the right..) |
| 2. |
Read or reread the book |
| 
Recipe—
On the Rocks
Pour Bombay Sapphire gin, kept in the freezer, over ice in a pretty rocks glass.
Add a lemon twist... take a lemon and pound it on the counter a few times to "loosen the juice." Using a sharp knife, cut into the peel just deep enough to pierce the skin, but not the fruit, and draw the blade down from end to end. Starting at the same point and ending at the same point, draw the blade down again at a slight arc. Remove the cut out piece. You'll be holding a 1/8" sliver of lemon peel. Twist the piece into a spiral, drop into the gin, and swirl. |
|
| 3. |
When you’re ready to begin, spend a few minutes explaining: |
| |
| • |
What you liked best about the book |
| • |
Plot points that struck you as especially significant |
| • |
Which character or characters were most intriguing |
| • |
Anything that you didn’t like or that confused you |
|
| 4. |
Start with a closed-ended question such as “Did you like the book?" |
| 5. |
Facilitate a discussion of Consigned to Death by asking a series of open-ended questions such as: |
| |
| • |
What do you think of Josie’s relationship with her parents? |
| • |
Who is Josie closer to—her mother or her father? |
| • |
One book club attendee mentioned that reading about Josie’s dad’s advice made her think about how she spoke to her own children. What are your thoughts on this subject—the power of words? |
| • |
Would Josie be stronger if she had to deal with things on her own, without being able to call on her father’s sayings—or do you think she’s lucky to have that legacy? |
| • |
Who is your favorite character? Why? |
| • |
What do you think of Josie’s relationship with Ty? |
| • |
What does Josie look like? |
| • |
Do you like antiques? If so, what kinds? |
| • |
Which aspects of Josie’s business were most interesting to you to learn about? |
| • |
Are there any big life lessons in Consigned to Death? If so, what are they? |
|
| 6. |
Continue your facilitation by noting any words you had to look up in the dictionary, facts that surprised you, and the like. For instance, did it surprise you that people will buy art they know to be stolen and thus can’t display? |
| 7. |
Ask if anyone has any additional comments. |
| 8. |
Take a digital photo of the group holding Consigned to Death and e-mail it to us for posting on the website! |
| 9. |
Toast yourselves using Josie’s dad’s favorite toast: “To silver light in the dark of night.” |
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