Book Clubs
Below are some suggested questions to help lead a discussion on Newsworthy or The Guilt of Others.
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A Letter to My Readers
Dear fellow Booktroverts,
{booktrovert: (n.) a person who prefers the company of fictional characters to real people}
First of all, l should explain that Newsworthy is not based on personal history. That’s one of the first things that many people have asked me after reading it. I can’t say I blame them! Most of the characters are terrible people, and the Walsh family is shockingly dysfunctional.
From childhood, I have had an obsession with true crime and mysteries, devouring every book and TV show on the subject. It might have begun with Murder She Wrote, Matlock, or Law & Order, or when I fell in love with stories like Encyclopedia Brown, Nancy Drew, and The Boxcar Kids. I love when a plot is unpredictable or connects characters in unexpected or clever ways. The challenge of writing the type of story I love to read is where Newsworthy was born.
Newsworthy shows how much I appreciate character development and diving deep into the emotions and motivations of people. I am fascinated by the world as it exists in each person’s mind and how vastly different our shared realities can be. The past shapes our present, filters our experiences, and colors our perspectives, and the way each human forms their beliefs from it has long been something I’ve tried to study and understand.
While Newsworthy was in revisions, I began writing The Guilt of Others. With this new story, I wanted multiple characters to experience the same traumatic event and explain their involvement from their different perspectives.
Everyone is fighting a battle you can't see and each person's private history shapes their behavior. Our lives are more interconnected than we realize. Even strangers are more intertwined than is always obvious at first glance, and in ways they'd never dream possible. Small actions, choices, and encounters can ripple outward and affect others in profound ways. The Guilt of Others is a story that you just can't help but get wrapped up in that explores these truths through mystery and suspense.
I wrote Newsworthy and The Guilt of Others because I thought they were good stories, but I still have a hard time thinking of myself as an author. Even after publishing is completed and readers tell me how much they enjoy reading my books or how much they like the stories, I still have a hard time coming to terms with people referring to me as an author. Imposter syndrome is real! My guess is that writing was something so personal to me for so long, something I didn’t share with other people, and it still feels very vulnerable to let others read the ideas in my head.
All that to say that I’m thankful to my readers, for their positivity, support, and encouragement. It’s difficult to describe the joy that accompanies getting to hear from or meet people who’ve read and enjoyed my books.
Grateful,
Sara
Book Club Reader's Discussion Questions for Newsworthy
- What was your overall impression of the book? Strengths and weaknesses?
- How does the author establish a sense of foreboding and suspense in the story? Discuss specific instances or techniques used.
- Owen Walsh has specific reasons for becoming a journalist and starting the "Newsworthy" column. How do these reasons contribute to the tension of the plot?
- How does the novel explore the dangers of prioritizing money and power over relationships?
- How does Liam’s athletic accomplishments affect his relationship with Frank? What do you think are Frank’s motivations for the way he treats his three children?
- How does witnessing Liam’s penchant for stealing and bullying affect Cara’s attitude toward him?
- In what ways does Newsworthy address issues of trust and betrayal?
- How does each character seek to have control over their life?
- Reflect on the significance of secrets in the novel. How do the secrets held by various characters drive the plot forward, and what consequences do they face as a result of keeping or revealing these secrets?
- How does the author use unreliable narrators and misdirection to keep readers guessing about Cara’s intentions?
Book Club Reader's Discussion Questions for The Guilt of Others
1. It's clear that Chase and Doug have similar personalities and a penchant for violent responses. For each character: do you think their short fuses are reflections of past betrayals or inherited personality traits?
2. How did watching her sister's battle with cancer shape Nancy's belief of where she finds her self-worth?
3. Cedric lives in his mind and filters his experiences through his obsession with the Stranger Things TV show. What is a show or movie that you've connected with in a similar way?
4. With multiple characters mentally unraveling and revealing past indiscretions, it’s hard to know who will snap first. Who did you think it would be—and were you right?
5. How does Mike Anderson's rising agitation about his son lead to what eventually unfolds with Maya? Have you ever had a fantasy of quitting your job if you won the lottery?
6. Can you justify Nancy’s plan to help her husband?
7. What does the title The Guilt of Others mean to you after finishing the book?
8. Were you satisfied with each character’s fate? Is there anyone you wish had a different ending?
9. Fast forward ten years from the end of The Guilt of Others. What do you think each character is doing?
10. Which character did you like or relate to the most? Imagine The Guilt of Others as a film or television series—who would you cast as that character?