Book Club for Introverts discussion

Here's the place to talk about chapters 22-23. Please don't spoil it for others; if you want to talk about something in a later chapter, I'll be posting topics for the other chapters as well.

OMGOSH!! I did not expect the twist at the end!! Frances killed her mother and I’m assuming the guilt of that was triggering the ghostly occurrences or it was actually her mother’s ghost haunting her. So Frances was happy to take the punishment for Peter and Cara’s deaths either because she figured she deserved prison for killing her mother or else she really did need the routine that she knew she would have in prison. And how sad is it that Victor was in love with her but because Frances was so obsessed with Peter she never had the chance to find out?

I was thinking the same about the ghostly happenings...guilty conscience. I don’t think the author really started showing just how much Frances resented her mother until more towards the end (there were small clues here and there) so it caught me by surprise to learn that she murdered her!

It caught me by surprise too. There were little comments her mother made that gave me pause. But I didn’t see the murder coming. I’m still thinking about my final thoughts. It was a very good book with interesting characters who were all self destructive in one way or another.

when Peter tells Frances what really happened to Finn, I thought it was interesting that though much less dramatic, there's still blame to be passed around. Peter left Cara alone knowing she was tired and stressed. Peter says "if she tells the story well, you'll think she's someone different than the person in her head." Cara is trying to transform herself from the mother who fell asleep with her child in the tub tub to a mother who tried to save him from a tragedy not of her making. Peter says Cara is "piling on the guilt and wanting a penance extreme enough to make it all go away." What could do that other than death?

There is mention of the dull knives Cara used to prepare the food. Does Peter "forget" to sharpen them on purpose? Is he afraid Cara will intentionally hurt herself with a sharp knife?

Despite all the warnings and despite Peter talking about how he just wanted to help Cara, Frances can't help but think the timing is perfect to declare her love and so she bares her soul and her body to Peter.

Peter rejects Frances but Cara saw them embracing as he was trying to dress and hug Frances in apology.

Frances packs to leave and dresses again in her mother's underwear. I think this is important as it's as if she's trying to contain and control herself again.

when she hears the water in the bath beneath her room, why doesn't she just look through the judas hole?? Why wouldn't she? I certainly would have.

When she realizes Peter is in the tub and Cara locks the door, why doesn't she run up and look from her bathroom right away?

I don't really understand why she drags the hammer all the way to the bridge. she tried to destroy it by making it fall into the lake. The bridge brought her to this place, though she largely ignored it once she arrived. I think I missed the message here.

I thought it was interesting that her father came to the trial but we didn't know until the end if he was there to support her or as she wondered, just as a voyeur.

Frances tells us she wanted to be convicted, but we don't know why at first. What did she feel she needed to pay for? we then learn more about how awful her mother was to her. As soon as I read "spare pillow" I knew what was about to happen.

We never learn who the father of Cara's baby was, the noises and presence in Frances' room is never explained, nor is why Peter cannot get an erection with Cara.

I do like that the bitter oranges are used in the commission of the crime.

Frances and Cara both achieved their goal of sufficient penance, though I think Frances rather enjoyed her time in prison as it forced her to the schedule and routine she craved.

It's ironic, I think that she wasted away after always being too fat.

I'm a little disappointed that all the loose ends weren't tied up, but I guess that's just my version of mother's underwear. I too crave control and structure.

Just finished. I didn’t see that twist coming the whole book.

And I don’t know if it’s just because I’ve just finished and am still absorbing it all, but I’m a little disappointed too.

The ending just wasn’t satisfying, there was such a build up in the last few chapters, but the ending didn’t seem complete.

Overall the book kept me reading but the end and the unresolved plot points leave me needing more closure.

Frances said, “sometimes it’s better not to tell - better to lie or not say nothing at all, deal with the reparations by oneself.


I guess her wearing her mother’s underwear was her way of keeping mother close to her, letting her still control her from the grave....




Who is the father of Cara’s baby?

Betty wrote: "Frances said, “sometimes it’s better not to tell - better to lie or not say nothing at all, deal with the reparations by oneself.


I guess her wearing her mother’s underwear was her way of keepin..."

It is never revealed.

What a twist. It makes sense why Frances wanted to be convicted, why she was hallucinating the smells and ghosts in the house, she had such extreme guilt.

I found it slightly ironic that Cara used Frances’ knife to kill Peter. I guess she was the able woman with a knife in the end.

I feel so sad for Victor. Sad that he was helplessly in love with a woman who was so wrapped up in herself and her housemates she couldn’t even notice. I’m even more sad, though, that he never finds out the truth. Also, I’m left wondering what Frances dies of at the age of 59, that’s so young.

Overall I enjoyed the book, and am glad we read it because I wouldn’t have chosen it on my own. I admit I, too, feel slightly disappointed with unanswered questions and dissatisfied with the end.

I finished the book a few days ago and forgot to post while it was fresh in my mind. Overall I liked the book but the last paragraph sucked! It didn’t fit with the rest of the book. Such a disappointment. Great plot twist though. Never once considered that she killed her mom and purposely took the blame for Peter and Cara’s death. Lots of unanswered questions though which feel like loose ends. I’m glad we chose this book though as I’m not sure I would have read it otherwise.

I agree about the last paragraph. It didn’t fit. But what a twist!

I’m working on starting to post the discussion questions... I think it will make some of these loose ends fun to discuss. 😊

Yes, too many loose ends! Also, so many references to animals--the cows, the black bird, peacocks, etc. Can't wait for the discussion questions!

Yes!!!! to be honest the references to the cows were lost on me 😅

To me, there were tons of loose ends. I did enjoy the read, but wasn’t happy with the ending

I enjoyed this book, but still have questions. Frances was such a sad person, yet everyone carried secrets. I feel sad as I finish reading. It seems as though all of these characters were drawn to each other as a result of their own sadness in life.

Oh my goodness! What a twist!! I think I'm still processing everything that was revealed. I feel bad for Frances, she never really lived her life except for that one tragic summer. Not excusing her murder of her mother but it seems she was so overbearing and controlling she ending up stunting Frances' growth into adulthood.

The first discussion question is up! Because the questions were written by the author, I think it's going to be fun to see if our answers tie up any loose ends.