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My Perfect Husband by Georgina Cross
Book Club Discussion Questions:
1. The book starts off with a tranquil early morning when Alex brings a cup of coffee to Lauren in bed before a phone call comes in and all hell breaks loose. Their family’s bombshell secret is revealed in the first two chapters, quickly kicking off Lauren’s dismay with her husband.
What do you think about novels with a faster pace, secrets revealed at the top, compared to books that have a slower burn? Authors will try to write a combination of these over the course of their careers and it’s always interesting to know what readers prefer and whether or not they think the pace depends on the type of story. Please discuss.
2. The idea of the police finding a photograph in a missing person’s pocket was the jumping off point while I was brainstorming this book. I wanted the photograph to be a critical piece for explaining what could have possibly happened to Lauren’s sister while also shedding some light on who she was with before she disappeared—the explosive secret that will have Lauren forever thinking differently about the man she married.
What do you think about how Lauren initially trusted her partner, believing in him and what he said about his past, about his own missing brother, and how those beliefs were shattered after the photographs and Alex’s secrets were revealed? What would you have done in Lauren’s place, and would you have responded differently?
3. The title of this book, My Perfect Husband, is pretty on the nose, but it was done deliberately by my editor and the publisher’s marketing team. What is it about books with themes about marital strain, a possibly already suspicious husband, a rocky marriage rife with secrets that can seem intriguing and entertaining to readers? For example, the idea that “it’s always the husband”. What did you think when you started to realize that the killer could end up being someone else?
4. There are several references to heights in this book—a fear of heights or a love of heights—when it comes to stairs, certain balconies, the cupola, the family’s treehouse, with Lauren fearing heights while her sister Ellie seemed to be more of a thrill seeker and would find these balconies on her own. What does this fear, or lack of fear, say about the sisters? What do you think about the way they responded, and so differently, following what happened to them when they were children?
5. Furthermore, do you think their childhood experience, the fear or love of heights continuing, ends up being a precursor to what eventually happens to them when they are older, and how it ends up affecting them when they respond to certain situations?
6. Over the course of this book, who did you suspect, if any, of certain wrongdoings: the husband Alex, his brother Clive, the magazine editor Connor, the former roommate Carmen, the co-worker Riley, or even Lauren or Ellie? Please explain.
7. As for the setting, when Lauren searches for clues while tracing her sister’s known locations before she disappears, do you get a sense of the New Orleans setting from the pages? For example, the sounds, the smells, the humidity and heat, the historic architecture, the music that pumps through the air from the jazz to the city’s well-known Mardi Gras spirit? If you’ve been to New Orleans before, please provide examples of your trip and what you noticed from this unique city.
8. The ending of this book features a type of creepy Groundhog’s Day where Lauren and Alex must decide on how they’re going to proceed with their lives. What do you think of this ending and how they are reacting to one another? Please discuss.
THE NIECE
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION QUESTIONS COMING SOON!
NANNY NEEDED
Resource Guide for Book Clubs:
(Spoiler Alert - Do not continue with this list of questions if you have not yet read NANNY NEEDED.)
With their beautiful home and dazzling looks, the Bird family puts up a very convincing façade for Sarah – until she signs her contract. What do you think was most influential in creating Sarah’s perfect image of the Bird family? Have you ever had a similar experience of disenchantment with someone or something?
2. As she tours Patty’s playroom, Sarah calls it something “straight out of a fantasy,” before reminiscing on her own childhood. She imagines the endless love, attention and toys Patty must have gotten, and compares it with her own memories of financial hardship and loneliness. Having finished the book, what are your thoughts on this scene?
3. Before stumbling upon their secret, Sarah wholeheartedly trusts that her employers are exactly who they say they are. Were you as surprised as Sarah? If not, when did you first start to question their story? What were some of your guesses for what was really happening?
4. After finding out the Bird family’s secret, Sarah is forced to make a difficult decision – she can stay and ensure a happy future with her fiancé or do what she thinks is right. Did you agree with what she chose to do? If not, what would you have done differently?
5. Nanny Needed is full of sensory details like the smell of strawberry shampoo or the texture of silk. What were some of your favorite descriptions of sights, scents, sounds, textures or tastes from the book?
6. Sarah often compares Collette’s appearance and mannerisms to those of a child. Many of her “meltdowns” resemble children’s tantrums too – what do you think this accomplishes? Did these similarities make you more sympathetic towards Collette? Or did they have the opposite effect?
7. Collette and Mr. Bird are larger-than-life characters – in both appearance and personality. At their best, they were perfect alone, yet perfectly complementary together. And although Sarah eventually sees them at their worst, she understands why Pauline seems to worship them. What did you like the most about their relationship? Did they remind you of any other fictional, mythical or historical couples?
8. Pushed to her breaking point, Sarah goes against her contract and reveals everything to her fiancé, Jonathan. While she couldn’t have known just how terrible the consequences would be, Sarah knew this would put him in danger. Yet, she justifies her actions by saying, “if I’m going to share my life with him, I need to come clean.” What was your reaction to her confession? Did you think it was the right thing to do? What would you have done in her situation?
9. In the end, Sarah chooses to leave the Bird family – a decision that essentially costs her a fortune. She is fully aware of how much that money could help her, yet she throws it all away. Why do you think she did it? For revenge? For justice? Or do you think there was an entirely different motive?
Ask about the NANNY NEEDED Book Club Kit by sending me a message on the Contact page!
The Stepdaughter
Resource Guide for Book Clubs:
(Spoiler Alert - Do not continue with this list of questions if you have not yet read THE STEPDAUGHTER.)
Were you suspicious at how quickly Tripp & Vanessa’s relationship progressed? Do you think Vanessa was ready to become a mother?
What do you think of the demands Tripp made on Vanessa’s career?
Was enough attention paid to Charlotte Sinclair (Julia’s mother)?
Was Vanessa a good communicator—was she able to express herself to Tripp? To Mia?
What does Vanessa’s inability to tell Tripp & Mia about her experience as a young girl in the pool tell you about her relationship with them?
Should Vanessa have listened to her friend Janie’s advice?
Do you think Vanessa should have told the detective about the altercation she had with Mia in the kitchen?
The police didn’t inspect the swimming pool right after Mia disappeared because they thought she had run away or whatever happened to her happened outside the pool. What conclusion would they have drawn if they had been the ones to find Tripp’s wedding ring?
What do you think about Julia keeping Vanessa company knowing she was having an affair with her husband?
Was it a Freudian slip that Vanessa got the time wrong for the tea party at Mia’s school? Does that show how she really feels about Mia?
Was Vanessa justified in setting Julia’s studio on fire?
What do you make of Mia’s rage—was it a “normal” 13-yr old temper tantrum?
Do you think it was creepy/odd/appropriate for Tripp to keep his first wife’s wedding dress, shoes, & jewelry locked up in his office closet?
Why didn’t Thomas Campbell just tell the truth and tell them exactly what happened? What makes people balk at telling the truth under duress?
The Missing Woman
Resource Guide for Book Clubs:
(Spoiler Alert - Do not continue with this list of questions if you have not yet read THE MISSING WOMAN.)
In reading The Missing Woman, did you get a sense of the socio-economic polarity from one side of the subdivision to the other? Even from one side of the pool to the other, especially when Erica is checking out Sabine and her friends and has thoughts about her own life?
Have you ever felt this way about your life? Comparing yourself to others in your neighborhood, among school groups, parent friends, or friendship circles?
Erica has such a gut feeling when she meets eyes with Sabine. She has a terrible feeling something is about to go wrong. Have you ever experienced a gut feeling before an event? Or heard about someone else going through something similar?
In the beginning, did you understand why Erica didn’t want to go to the police right away? Was it understandable she feared others may think she was being overdramatic about the look Sabine gave her, that the look didn’t mean anything, and that she worried about the police showing up late to her house when her kids wanted to go to bed? There is that notion of people “not wanting to get involved” when they hear or see something. How did you feel about Erica’s decision to hold off with information even as her friend Amanda kept asking that she talk to the cops?
What did you think about the dropped bracelet at the pool? Did you think Erica finding the bracelet was a clue?
This book centers a lot on friendships, particularly friendships among women. Erica, Tish, and Amanda are certainly close, and then we discover there is a friendship from twenty-five years earlier that will make a difference. Have you had friendships like this where you have someone that will stand by you, stick up for you, and even lie for you if needed? Your own “ride-or-die” friend?
What about Erica, Tish, and Amanda’s friendship versus the friendship Sabine has with Monica and Carol? What are your thoughts about best friends on the surface level?
What did you think about Erica’s dates with Terry? Were you ever suspicious about his excuses for leaving early and needing to meet out-of-town? Did you ever suspect his true identity?
As the investigation about what happened to Sabine continued, who were your suspects? Her husband, Mark; the best friends, Monica or Carol; the county commissioner opponent, Jacob Andrews; or even Erica herself?
Were you surprised to learn who was revealed to be hiding in the shed? Did the women’s friendship coming back full-circle make sense and feel good to you in the end?
Did you think that something bad happened to Sabine or did you suspect she had run away?
What did you think of the redemption story in the end? About women banding together to protect one another while also giving friendships a chance to repair over a long period of time?
Do you think Mark will ever track her down?
Thank you for reading my books!