1st to Die

How does aplastic anemia affect Lindsay’s life? How does this diagnosis change the way Lindsay responds to the Honeymoon Murders or Chris?

Why does Phillip Campbell ask repeatedly what the worst thing a person could do is? How does our understanding of this question change as the novel progresses?

Why does the murderer kill people hours after their wedding? Is the choice of newlyweds symbolic? Why does the killer take the wedding rings? Does the identity of the killer change how we understand the motive? 

Discuss the novel’s take on the press. What role does the press play in the murder investigation? How does Cindy manage her conflicts of interest? Why do the police keep a lid on information?

Lindsay refuses to become romantically involved with Chris Raleigh because she has an illness that could be fatal. Why? Why does she change her mind?

How do the Voskuhl murders affect the investigation? 

Why does Patterson make excuses for Nicholas’s behavior toward women? Is the novel sexist in its presentation of male violence? Why or why not?

Discuss the portrayal of Kathy and Joanna. How does the novel explain their attraction to Nicholas’s abuse? Is this a realistic or psychologically accurate portrait of women? Why or why not?