Book Discussion Questions for Shadows of a Dark Past

1. The author has spoken about being influenced by mysteries and eerie films and books of the 1930s-1940s. Do you recognize any of these influences in atmosphere? Style? Plotting? Characterization? Imagery? Do you recognize any specific film or book influences? What are they? How does this style of writing a haunted tale differ from modern tales of terror?

2. People and events are definitely not what they appear to be on the surface in Shadows. What does this book seem to be showing about the difficulty of knowing whom to trust – whether friends, colleagues, family, or new people?

3. The author has revealed that she often develops characters by being inspired by actors of the golden era as well as by some contemporary individuals. Do you recognize any performers, past or present, in her characters? Given the choice, whom might you choose to play the characters in Shadows, from the past or the present?

4. Several characters in this novel carry heavy burdens of guilt, yet they don’t all deal with it in the same way. Whose response intrigues you the most? Piques your respect, sympathy, or disapproval? Why? What does Shadows seem to be saying about guilt and responsibility?

5. Do you think that the relationship between Jessica and James changed or evolved over the course of the four novels in the series? How? What do you think about those changes? How about Liz? Has she changed over the course of the series? What do you think about her relations with her brother-in-law in this book?

6. A good mystery must also be adept at building a world. How effectively does Shadows create the colors and moods of autumn? How well does it capture life in a small New England town? Not just the physical structures but the relationships amongst people, alliances as well as resentments? Do you think that as a historical mystery the book effectively recreates life in the fall of 1947 New England?