DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• Did any aspects of the plot date the story? If so, which?

• Would the story be different if it were set in the present day? If so, how?

• Did the social context of the time play a role in the narrative? If so, how?

• If you were one of the main characters, would you have acted differently at any point in the story?

• Did you identify with any of the characters? If so, which?

• What skills or qualities make Duncan Maclain such an effective sleuth?

• In his foreword, Baynard Kendrick talks about wanting to create a realistic character with Maclain. Do you think he succeeded?

• Discuss other disabled detectives you have encountered in mystery fiction. How does Duncan Maclain compare?

• Did this book remind you of any present day authors? If so, which?