A Killing Cold

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your initial understanding of the dragonfly symbol when it first appeared as Theo’s tattoo? How did your understanding of its significance evolve as Marshall revealed its connections to the abandoned cabin and Theo’s buried memories?

2. Kate Alice Marshall structures A Killing Cold around the gradual revelation of buried memories, echoing classic gothic novels where protagonists slowly uncover dark family secrets. How did you feel about the pacing of Theo’s memory recovery, and did you find the fragmented revelation technique effective in building suspense?

3. How did Marshall’s portrayal of the Dalton family’s wealth and privilege affect your reading experience? Did you find their actions believable given their social position, or did any of their behaviors strain the novel’s credibility?

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

1. Theo struggles with constructing an identity from fragments of memory and stolen mementos from people she’s loved. Think about how you’ve formed your own sense of identity—what experiences, relationships, or choices have been most influential in shaping who you are today?

2. The novel explores how economic differences create invisible barriers between people, even in romantic relationships. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where class or economic differences affected your relationships or social interactions? How did you navigate those dynamics?

3. Connor’s family investigates Theo’s background to protect their reputation, while Theo hides her past to gain acceptance. When have you felt pressure to present a different version of yourself to fit in with a particular group? What motivated that choice, and how did it feel?

4. Have you ever been in a position where loyalty to family or friends conflicted with your sense of what was right? Alexis carries decades of guilt over her role in Mallory’s death, keeping the family secret despite the personal cost—how did you handle similar tensions between loyalty and morality?

5. What resonated with you about Theo’s journey from feeling like an outsider to claiming her place in the world? Have there been moments in your life when you’ve had to fight for recognition or belonging?

6. The Scotts’ religious fundamentalism created an environment where Theo faced severe punishment for perceived moral failures. How do you think community values and expectations shape individual identity, both positively and negatively?

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

1. How does Marshall’s fictional portrayal of the Dalton family’s ability to manipulate investigations and escape consequences connect to real-world examples of economic privilege affecting the justice system? What patterns do you recognize from contemporary society?

2. The novel shows how institutional networks—churches, law enforcement, adoption agencies—can be co-opted to serve the interests of the wealthy. Where do you see similar dynamics operating in contemporary society, and what safeguards might help protect vulnerable people?

3. The novel suggests that traditional mechanisms of justice often fail when confronting entrenched power. What alternative forms of accountability or justice might be more effective in addressing systemic inequality?

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

1. Throughout the novel, Marshall uses the hunting motif to establish power dynamics between characters. What connections do you see between the literal hunts that Magnus organizes and the metaphorical hunting that occurs within family relationships?

2. Marshall uses the dragonfly symbol as a tattoo, brass ornament, and cabin nameplate—what layers of meaning do you see in its recurring appearances? What other visual symbols occur repeatedly in the novel, and how do they interact?

3. Blood appears repeatedly in various contexts—from hunting scenes to traumatic memories to evidence of violence. In what ways does Marshall use this motif to suggest that truth cannot be permanently buried, regardless of wealth and power?

4. The author structures the novel through fragmented revelations that mirror trauma’s impact on memory formation. How did this narrative technique help you understand Theo’s psychological state, and what effect did it have on your reading experience?

5. How does Connor’s relationship with Theo force him to confront uncomfortable truths about his idealized memories of his father? What does his character evolution reveal about how privilege can breed willful blindness to family dysfunction?

6. The isolated Idlewood setting functions as more than a backdrop, becoming almost a character itself in the gothic atmosphere, reminiscent of classic works like Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca. How does the mountain retreat’s physical environment reflect the psychological entrapment that various characters experience?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re designing a memorial garden for Mallory Cahill that would honor her memory while acknowledging the injustice of her death. What elements would you include, and how would you balance remembrance with the reality that her burial location remains unknown?

2. The voices of Mallory and Liam, both of whom died in Theo’s early childhood, are largely absent from the narrative. Write a flashback chapter from each of their perspectives, noticing how these perspectives deepen or complicate the narrative. What do they see that other characters cannot?

3. Create or plan an art installation inspired by the novel’s themes of memory recovery and buried truth. What materials, colors, or interactive elements would you use to represent how suppressed memories resurface despite attempts to erase them?

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