From A Matter of Trust
1. On her eHeartMatch profile, Colleen lies about her weight and age. Vincent lies about his appearance and occupation. Do you feel that you have a different level of trust for what you read on the Internet as opposed to what someone tells you or what you see in the newspaper or on TV? Do you think that the truth has become more malleable in your lifetime? Or is it perhaps easier to discover?
2. Her husband’s death made it necessary for Mia to go back to work. Many women juggle duties both at home and at a job. Is it really possible to have it all? How can we find balance? Have you ever felt torn between competing needs?
3. Nate says about his son Darin, “A long time ago, I realized I could spend all my time wishing for the son I never had or I could love the son who was standing right in front of me.” Have you ever struggled with loving someone just the way they are? Do you think in some cases it’s not possible?
4. Teens these days interact with so many different kinds of social media: Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, Pinterest. They can access social media on their phones, computers, tablet computers, or netbooks. If you have kids, how have you tried to manage or oversee this? Have you put the computer in a common area? Do you look at their texts, their Facebook posts, their e-mails—or is that any different than eavesdropping or reading their diaries? Is it even possible to successfully monitor their interactions? Would you ever consider putting spyware on your child’s phone or computer?
5. Darin was bullied. Were you ever bullied as a kid—or perhaps even on the other side? Do you think that bullying is more prevalent today or is it something we are simply more aware of? What do you think are the best ways to help prevent bullying?
6. Gina’s and Martin’s adopted child might be autistic. Doctors say he needs thousands of dollars worth of therapy. Have you known anyone who has struggled with autism?
7. Gabe’s coach keeps him on the bench instead of putting him in to play. Do you think high school sports should focus on winning or on letting more kids on the team play? Does that change if you’re talking about a JV team?
8. Mia discovers that Scott has left their family in debt. Do you think she should have pursued bankruptcy? Do you know someone who has been affected by foreclosure or overwhelming debts?
9. Brooke has night terrors. Have you ever known a child with night terrors? Have you dealt with a child who had a mysterious illness?
10. One of the main themes of A Matter of Trust is that appearances can be deceiving. Ronni is homeless yet determined to finish school. One of the boys who tormented Darin turns out to have also been his friend. Do you think as you have gained more experience in life that you have gotten better at seeing below the surface? Or are we all so busy that we are often forced to rely on the surface and to make snap judgments?
From A Deadly Business
1. Mia’s work as a public prosecutor is extremely important and demanding, as is her work as a single mother of two. Have you ever struggled with work-life balance? Discuss the difficulty of doing well at work while also maintaining personal relationships.
2. When Charlie approaches Mia about the inconsistencies of her husband Scott’s death, Mia says, “Let the dead bury the dead.” Have you ever wanted to move on so badly that you didn’t care to know the truth? Is knowing the truth about an event essential to coming to grips with it?
3. The justice system is the arena for Mia’s work, yet she is often asking what justice is supposed to look like. How do you define justice? Is the point of justice punishment for wrongdoing? Rehabilitation for criminals? Preventing future crimes? All of these things?
4. Mia’s discoveries in the basement make her believe that her whole life with Scott had been a lie. Have you ever experienced or discovered something that made you question the most foundational aspects of your life?
5. When handling the shopping cart case, Mia can’t help but compare her own son to the teenagers involved. How does her role as a mother affect her viewpoint and her actions? How would you have handled the case?
6. At many points during Mia’s investigations, she feels that she is finding more questions than answers—and that truth itself is “as slippery as a silver bead of mercury.” Have you ever searched for the truth, only to come up empty-handed?
7. While Mia works to prosecute criminals, her friend Eli works to defend them. In your opinion, which position would be more difficult, and why?
8. Even though Mia is overwhelmed by responsibilities, she manages to make room for Kali and Eldon in her home. What makes her so sympathetic toward Kali and her circumstances?
9. Scott’s unethical accounting practices led him down a slippery—and eventually deadly—slope. Have you ever found yourself trying to justify smaller offenses, only to find yourself knee-deep in bigger ones?
10. Hindsight is 20/20 for Mia once she learns the whole truth about Scott, his work, and their marriage. Like Mia, have you ever been in long-term denial about a situation in your life? How differently would things have turned out if Mia had confronted Scott about her concerns?
From Lethal Beauty
1. Before you read Lethal Beauty, were you aware that there were modern day slaves in America and that they work in all different types of industries?
2. One of the key witnesses, Sindy, goes missing after being in foster care. Have you ever considered being a foster parent? Do you know anyone who has been one or someone who spent time in foster care as a child?
3. Today, even teenagers can turn to legal drugs and supplements to help them concentrate, loose weight, gain weight, be less anxious, etc. Do you think too many normal issues are being turned into medical problems, or that it’s good that today’s teens have more options for help than kids did twenty or more years ago?
4. When Gabe first goes online to read message boards about steroids, he gets a one-sided picture of the truth. Have the Internet and other targeted media become an echo chamber, presenting information that isn’t balanced? Should we as individuals try to do something about it? How can we get the full picture when we seek out information about controversial subjects?
5. Mia decided to go cold-turkey on junk food, purging her house of any foods she thought her family shouldn’t be eating. How do you balance the need to eat healthy with the desire for something fun and/or fast? Do you have tricks for keeping a kitchen that helps you support a balanced diet?
6. At first when Eli sees the African American woman come out to talk to them about Jiao’s surgery, he think she’s a nurse. “This was the surgeon, Eli realized as Charlie nodded, not the scrub nurse. How often did he only see what he expected to see?” Have you found yourself making assumptions about people based on how they dress, the color of their skin, or other externals? How can we train ourselves to not jump to conclusions?
7. Even though David Leacham is guilty, Warren is able to bring the trial to a halt by refusing to vote to convict him. Do you think the jury system is the best way to go about deciding cases? If not, what would you propose in its place?
8. Who do you think Mia should end up with? Charlie? Eli? Neither?
9. Have you ever wondered about the working conditions of a foreign-born worker whom you encountered? What would you do if you suspected that the man at the convenience store or the woman at the dry cleaners had been trafficked? If you have information about a potential trafficking situation, please contact the National Human Trafficking Resource Center at 1-888-373-7888 or text BeFree (233733). The hotline is open all hours, all days. They take reports from anywhere in the country related to potential trafficking victims, suspicious behaviors, and/or locations where trafficking is suspected to occur. All reports are confidential. Interpreters are available.