All Good People Here

1. General Impressions 

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• How do you feel about the novel’s cliffhanger ending? Do you think that continuing Margot’s story would undermine the impact of her capture? Or do you think her story should continue in order to fulfill her final resolutions?
• What do you think of the novel’s braided structure? Would you have preferred the story if it had only been told through one character’s perspective? If so, do you prefer Margot’s or Krissy’s perspective?
• Do you feel that the author’s expertise as a true crime podcaster helped to provide texture, complexity, and depth to the novel’s mystery? If you are familiar with Flowers’ podcasts Crime Junkie and The Deck, how did her expertise manifest in the novel’s plot and setting?

2. Personal Reflection and Connection 

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Everyone has secrets, including the people closest to us. Have you ever discovered a secret about someone that affected your perception of them? If so, did this discovery change the way you behaved around them?
• Apart from the grief of losing her childhood friend, Margot experiences survivor’s guilt, which drives her to seek purpose in her life by investigating January’s cold case. How have you dealt with difficult or traumatic experiences in the past? What are some of the ways you tried to reassert your personal agency or your power over those experiences?
• Margot’s drive to solve the mystery years after Krissy’s and January’s deaths is a form of restitution that empowers women to resist the violence they experience in domestic settings. What are some of the ways you could extend solidarity to female survivors of abuse in your own community?
• Although Margot finally uncovers Luke’s deepest secrets, the novel suggests it can be difficult to fully know another person. Looking at your own loved ones, how do you deal with the parts of their lives that remain hidden from you? Is ignorance truly bliss or do you think it is necessary to learn as much as you can about your partner and/or family members?

3. Societal and Cultural Context 

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• The narrative speaks to the way violence is often perpetrated against women in domestic settings. What factors contribute to this troubling phenomenon, as revealed or suggested by the novel?
• Small towns and suburban communities have been traditionally seen as idyllic settings, where residents can comfortably pursue the American Dream. How might the novel be read as a critique of small-town dynamics? In what ways do the suburbs reveal the dark underbelly of interpersonal relations in the United States?

4. Literary Analysis 

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Aside from the plot, how else does Flowers distinguish Margot and Krissy’s narrative perspectives? Do you think Flowers changes her writing style to separate the past from the present?
• January’s baby blanket, aside from being a crucial piece of evidence, plays a symbolic role in the narrative. What does the blanket represent to you? How does its meaning evolve when it is revealed that the blanket was planted at the scene of the crime?
• Discuss how Luke fulfills the function of a red herring by misleading the reader. How does Luke’s role in the narrative relate to the way the townspeople perceive Krissy in the years following January’s murder?
• How does the novel’s braided structure enhance the narrative’s suspense? Did you feel there were moments when the exposition in Margot’s storyline increased the stakes in Krissy’s? Or vice versa?

5. Creative Engagement 

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• Put yourselves in the shoes of Margot and outline your exposé on Elliott Wallace. Afterward, discuss which details you chose to push to the top of your story and which details you chose to leave out. What does this reveal about how you prioritize different kinds of information?
• How do you envision Margot’s escape from the basement? Does she get out on her own? Would Jodie or Adrienne help her? How might Billy attempt to further obstruct the truth from coming out?

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