Book Club Discussions

Give your book club a thrill by selecting one of Brian’s psychological suspense novels as a book-of-the-month this year!

You can even invite Brian to join the discussion. He regularly calls in to book clubs around the world to talk about his novels, answer questions, and discuss the creative process. For those of you in the Twin Cities area of Minnesota, Brian would be happy to visit your book club in person.

If you’d like to talk to Brian about joining your book club discussion, send him an e-mail.

Here are some questions about each of his books to guide your club in talking about the characters and issues raised in the novels. Click the book title for the set of questions for each novel.

Spoiler Alert: Don't read the discussion questions for a book you haven’t read yet!

IMMORAL
STRIPPED
STALKED
IN THE DARK / THE WATCHER
THE BURYING PLACE
THE BONE HOUSE
SPILLED BLOOD
THE AGENCY

Discussion Questions: IMMORAL

• Brian’s novels feature more sexual content than many novels in the suspense genre. Why do you think he chooses this technique? How did the focus on sexuality affect your knowledge of the characters and your enjoyment of the book?
• Did Stride make the right choice with regard to Andrea at the end of the book? Why do you think he chose to act as he did?
• Many readers have commented that Rachel – who is the victim – is the most “immoral” character in the book? How did Rachel evolve as she did? What influenced her? Is she evil? Is she believable?
• How do the settings of Duluth and Las Vegas become characters in the book? Why did the author choose cities that are so dramatically different?
• How does the name Jonathan Stride reflect his character? What are Stride's virtues and flaws as a hero? How did the death of his first wife, and his failure to resolve the disappearance of Kerry McGrath, affect his approach to Rachel’s case?
• Brian calls his novels “psychological suspense” rather than “mysteries.” Is this an apt description? How would you compare and contrast his approach to the genre with other authors you enjoy?
• What is the source of the attraction between Stride and Serena? Is it purely sexual? How are their relationships with their police partners (Maggie and Cordy) different?
• Go back and re-read the prologue and first chapter. How many hidden clues can you find to the ultimate resolution of the book?
• This novel includes an extended courtroom sequence in the middle of the book. How did the legal battle contribute to the suspense?
• Who does Stride really belong with? Cindy, Andrea, Maggie, or Serena?
• Have you read Brian’s other books? Compare IMMORAL to the others he has written. Which one is your favorite? Why?

Discussion Questions: STRIPPED

• Brian’s novels feature more sexual content than many novels in the suspense genre. Why do you think he chooses this technique? How did the focus on sexuality affect your knowledge of the characters and your enjoyment of the book?
• Brian calls his novels “psychological suspense” rather than “mysteries.” Is this an apt description? How would you compare and contrast his approach to the genre with other authors you enjoy?
• How does the novel change – or reinforce – your impressions of Las Vegas?
• Is Stride wrong to stay with Serena at the end of the book? Talk about Serena’s background and her relationship with Claire.
• Many readers have said that Amanda is their favorite character. How did you react to her unusual sexuality?
• Stride is introduced in this book with the line “Fish out of water.” Talk about Stride in Las Vegas and his relationship to the city. Could he ever survive there?
• Contrast 1960s-era Las Vegas – particularly Amira and the Sheherezade – with the city in the present. How does the past cast its shadow over the book?
• Discuss the complexities of Boni Fisso as a character and his relationships with women like Amira and Claire.
• There are numerous broken relationships in this book between parent and child. How do the parent/child relationships shape the characters?
• Talk about the minor characters in the book, such as Tierney Dargon, Rex Terrell, Nick Humphrey, and Harvey Washington.
• Have you read Brian’s other books? Compare STRIPPED to the others he has written. Which one is your favorite? Why?

Discussion Questions: STALKED

• Brian’s novels feature more sexual content than many novels in the suspense genre. Why do you think he chooses this technique? How did the focus on sexuality affect your knowledge of the characters and your enjoyment of the book?
• Brian calls his novels “psychological suspense” rather than “mysteries.” Is this an apt description? How would you compare and contrast his approach to the genre with other authors you enjoy?
• Weather plays an important role in STALKED and in all of Brian’s books. How did the weather become a “character” in this book?
• STALKED is a violent book, but most of the violence is implied, not explicit. How did you react to the violent scenes, particularly those involving Serena?
• Talk about Maggie’s experiences before the action of the novel. Was she wrong to let Eric get her involved in Sonia’s club? Be honest, now: Could you imagine yourself in the club?
• What was your reaction to Abel Teitscher as a character? What did you think of him at the end of the book?
• Discuss Tanjy and her sexual fantasies. What does this suggest about her as a person? Why do you think she found this type of fantasy arousing?
• Brian’s books involve highly complex plots and multiple narrative perspectives. Did you find you needed to read the book in fewer sittings? Do you want to re-read the book to pick up nuances you missed the first time?
• Discuss the relationship between Serena and Maggie. How do their feelings for Stride affect their friendship?
• Have you read Brian’s other books? Compare STALKED to the others he has written. Which one is your favorite? Why?

Discussion Questions: IN THE DARK / THE WATCHER

• This book has different titles in the U.S. (IN THE DARK) and the U.K. (THE WATCHER). Which title do you prefer? Which one best fits the action of the novel?
• Brian calls his novels “psychological suspense” rather than “mysteries.” Is this an apt description? How would you compare and contrast his approach to the genre with other authors you enjoy?
• Did the ending leave you in tears? How is Stride likely to be changed by his experiences at the end of the book?
• How did the book-within-a-book structure affect the flow of the narrative for you? Why do you think Brian chose this technique?
• How do the cities of Duluth and Superior become “characters” in the book? In what way does the setting enrich the drama?
• Discuss your reactions to Tish Verdure as a character. What was your final assessment of her at the end of the book?
• There are strong, conflicted women in this book. How do you compare and contrast characters like Serena, Maggie, Tish, and Rikke?
• Talk about the fate of Clark Biggs. Does he deserve what happens to him? Does he act in a “moral” way?
• Brian often says that he never wants chapters to end the way reader expects them to end. What were some of the best examples of this approach to storytelling in the book?
• Would it have been better for everyone if Laura’s case had remained unsolved?
• Have you read Brian’s other books? Compare IN THE DARK/THE WATCHER to the others he has written. Which one is your favorite? Why?

Discussion Questions: THE BURYING PLACE

• Discuss Stride’s situation in this book. Did you sympathize with him? Were you angry with him?
• Should Serena have forgiven Stride? Where does their relationship go from here? What should Serena do next?
• What happens now between Stride and Maggie?
• Was Marcus right about being treated unfairly even though he was “innocent”?
• Discuss the final interaction in the book between Valerie and Kasey. Did Kasey deserve Valerie’s forgiveness?
• Who was the most evil character in the book? Nieman? Kasey? Regan?
• Did you re-read the prologue after discovering the secret of the book? How did it change for you?
• There is less sexuality in this book than many of Brian’s other novels. Did you miss it?
• Have you read Brian’s other books? Compare THE BURYING PLACE to the others he has written. Which is your favorite? Why?

Discussion Questions: THE BONE HOUSE

• How would you compare Cab Bolton to the detective in Brian's Duluth-based books, Jonathan Stride?
• This is a book about trust, faith, and doubt. Do you trust Mark Bradley? Do you believe anything happened between him and Tresa? Between him and Glory?
• Are people too quick to leap to assumptions about someone's guilt? Are men in particular considered guilty until proven innocent?
• Why do you think Brian chose remote Door County as the setting for this book? How does it add character to the story? How is it different from Duluth?
• Was Harris Bone wrong to take the blame for the fire? Could you protect a family member who did something horrific?
• There is obviously some sexual tension between Hilary and Cab. Talk about the nature of their attraction, even though both are involved with other people.
• How does the "stand alone" nature of The Bone House differ from Brian's series books? Do you want to see Cab Bolton return in a future book?
• Could you ever move to a small town as an outsider? How do you think you would be accepted?
• Talk about the teenagers and their relationships in this book. Is a small town environment different for young people?
• How does Cab's journey to Door County change him? What's next for him?

Discussion Questions: SPILLED BLOOD

• Author Lisa Gardner calls Spilled Blood a novel of revenge and redemption. How do those themes play out among the characters?
• Discuss the parental relationships in the book. How does a character like Chris can maintain faith in his daughter in the face of so much evidence against her? How does Florian Steele deal with the mistrust of his own daughter?
• Brian often sets his books in remote, rural locales. How does this change the nature of his drama, compared to "urban" suspense?
• How does the relationship between Chris and Hannah evolve during the book? Are they right for each other?
• Unlike Brian's other books, Spilled Blood contains no police characters. How do you compare a stand-alone like this novel to Brian's Stride series? To his stand-alone novel The Bone House?
• Discuss the morality and choices of Marco Piva as a character. How do the conversations between Marco and Chris shape the events at the end of the novel?
• Rollie is in most respects an ordinary man, yet he harbors a terrible secret. Can there be goodness in someone with an evil side?
• Discuss the similarities - and differences - between the two teenage girls at the core of the book, Olivia and Ashlynn.
• Who would play these characters in a movie version of the book?
• Many reviewers have commented on the "cataclysmic" ending of the novel? How do those events shape the emotional climax for the major characters? Is it a "happy" ending?

Discussion Questions: THE AGENCY

• Do you like Tess Drake? What are her worst qualities – and her redeeming qualities?
• What was the funniest scene in the book?
• Is this chick lit? Or thriller? Or both?
• Does Tess get what she deserves at the end of the novel?
• London and New York are both “characters” in this book. Where would you prefer to live?
• Who was your favorite celebrity cameo?
• Discuss the relationship between Tess and Saleema. Where does it go from here?
• The next Ally O’Brien book will be about Saleema. What kind of heroine will she make, and how will she be different from Tess?
• Were you surprised to learn that the principal writer of the book was a man?
• Have you read any of Brian Freeman’s books? How do you compare his suspense novels with THE AGENCY?