Book Club for Introverts discussion

Let's discuss! To avoid spoilers, please comment only on the chapters listed.

Oh boy, I'm sucked in already. I always enjoy books where the main character is an artist.

I like the writing style...easy to follow, clear and engaging. I am ok with the brief description of the murder, the husband, Gabriel and the journal entry of the wife, Alicia. It's enough to begin. I like the journal format as that gives more information about the internal perceptions of the character. I get a very brief description of their relationship, which seems to be a loving one.

I will need to look up the Greek myth about Alestis as I am not familiar with this one.


Of course, the main question of 'why would she kill her husband' becomes a driving one of speculation at this point....too numerous possibilities to list.


Now retired from being a psychotherapist, I loved the discussion of Theo Farber about why some people go into this profession. I am one who subscribes to the wounded healer theory, especially in my case. That he has a suicide attempt in his past and a family dynamic of abuse makes sense to me. I related to his description of becoming increasingly comfortable with madness as also reflective of my own experience when working inpt hospital unit.


Occurring in England, the laws around Alicia's trial and the charges may be slightly different than here in the US. As a clinican I am interested in this but not sure how much this needs to be understood in service to the entire story so I won't go there.


I am engaged and ready to be introduced to the environment of the hospital and Alicia.

Just realized my comments didn’t save. Alcestis is a key, I believe. She sacrificed herself to save her husband and then herself was saved from the underworld and brought back to him. She remained silent dor 3 days and then was made whole again. I question that she killed him alone (or at all). He arrived home at 11 and somehow this thin frail woman tied him to a chair with wire and shot him in the face and then slit her own wrists. She is hiding something from herself in her diary. There’s something she doesn’t want to think about. Gabriel seems controlling.. is he abusing her somehow? I love Theo’s observations: “somehow grasping at vanishing snowflakes is like grasping at happiness: an act of possession that instantly gives way to nothing.” And, “We’re all crazy, I believe, just in different ways.” I can’t wait so see how he and Alicia interact. I’m worried though—he’s already so invested and I’m afraid he won’t be able to be objective.

Deanna, I found your comments helpful and interesting. Still need to look up Alcestis. Certainly one of the possible explanations is that either she had help or that someone else killed her husband. Then for what reason? Why not kill the wife? Why would her silence be helpful? Is she trying to protect her own life? Maybe the myth has more hints. Alicia's journal talks about crazy thoughts....without more indications what this is.

Alcestis was a princess and daughter of Pelias and Anaxibia. Many courters; the fellow who performed a feat on two animals won her for marriage, and turned out to be Adematus (who was fated to die soon, forget why). When the day came for his death, Alcestis was the only one to forfeit her own life to save him. She went to the underworld, rescued by Heracles.

Thrillers are my jam, so I'm absolutely sucked into this one already. I love the writing style, and I can see that this will be a quick read for me.

Like some of the other group members, I'm going to have to brush up on my knowledge of Alcestis. I feel like that's going to be an important key to the mystery.

Not sure how I feel about Theo so far and if he will be a reliable narrator....

Just getting started and I kind of want to blow off everything today and just keep reading. I love books that hold me from the very start. I was also a therapist so I’m completely intrigued by the psychology of it all.

I’m intrigued by the story, thus far. I hadn’t heard the mythology piece before, so that adds a new level. I’m wondering if this silence is the result of witnessing a murder, rather than committing it.

Carrie wrote: "Just getting started and I kind of want to blow off everything today and just keep reading. I love books that hold me from the very start. I was also a therapist so I’m completely intrigued by the ..."

I had no idea we had so many therapists in this group! I can't wait to hear all your thoughts.

Deborah wrote: "I’m intrigued by the story, thus far. I hadn’t heard the mythology piece before, so that adds a new level. I’m wondering if this silence is the result of witnessing a murder, rather than committing..."

I really liked the inclusion of mythology. I went and brushed up on the story and it helped me look at the plot differently.