Blood Moon

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the novel’s multiple points of view affect your reading experience? Did it enhance or hinder your understanding of the characters and events?

2. Which character’s account resonated with you the most, and why? Did your feelings about any character change as the novel progressed?

3. How did Blood Moon impact you emotionally? Were there any moments that were particularly thought-provoking?

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

1. John Bowie struggles immensely with the personal cost of a past professional compromise. Can you recall a time in your own life when you felt a tension between professional expectations/loyalty and your personal sense of what was right? How did you navigate that situation, and what was the lasting impact on you?

2. The novel explores how individuals, like John, Beth Collins, and Carla Mellin, cope with prolonged, unresolved grief and trauma. How do you see people, including perhaps yourself or those you know, reacting to and coping with deep loss or traumatic events? What, if anything, does the book suggest about paths to healing?

3. The Crisis Point episode highlights the double-edged sword of true-crime media. How do you personally consume true crime, and has reading Blood Moon changed your perspective on how these stories are told or their potential impact on public memory and justice?

4. The symbol of the blood moon evolves from a dismissed detail to a source of dread and then to a sign of resolution. Have there been symbols, events, or specific details in your own life that initially seemed insignificant but later took on profound or unexpected meaning as circumstances unfolded?

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

1. Blood Moon extensively explores the theme of institutional corruption within law enforcement, particularly through characters like Tom Barker. What contemporary societal issues or headlines does this aspect of the novel remind you of regarding public trust in institutions and calls for accountability?

2. The setting of coastal Louisiana, with its unique landscapes and isolated communities, plays a significant role in the novel. How does the cultural and geographical context of this region contribute to the novel’s atmosphere, themes of hidden secrets, and the challenges faced by law enforcement in such areas?

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

1. Discuss the symbolic evolution of the blood moon throughout the narrative. How does its meaning shift from an initially dismissed detail to a sinister harbinger of violence and, finally, to a marker of resolved conflict? What role does its connection to the crescent-moon tattoos play in solidifying its symbolic power?

2. Examine the contrasting character arcs of John and Barker in relation to the theme of Moral Responsibility Versus Career Loyalty. How do their choices and their ultimate fates illustrate the novel’s stance on professional ethics and the cost of corruption within institutions?

3. How does the author manipulate narrative pacing—through the shifting perspectives, the ticking clock of the blood moon, and the escalation of threats—to build suspense and maintain reader engagement throughout the thriller?

4. Analyze the Crisis Point episode as a symbolic element within the novel. How does its portrayal, from its initial intent to its eventual fate, comment on the ethics of true-crime media and its impact on the public’s understanding of justice and truth?

5. Analyze the literary techniques used to portray the psychology of Dr. Victor Wallace. How does the author balance glimpses into his rationalized delusions with the horror of his actions, and what is the overall effect of presenting his perspective to the reader?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine that you are a set designer tasked with creating a theatrical adaptation of Blood Moon. Describe how you would use lighting, sound, and a single, recurring set piece to represent the oppressive atmosphere of the Louisiana swamps and the omnipresent threat of the blood moon.

2. The novel concludes with John and Beth finding a new kind of peace. Write a short journal entry from either John’s or Beth’s perspective five years after the events of the book, reflecting on their lives, their relationship, and how the trauma of the past has continued to shape them.

3. If the events of Blood Moon were adapted into a song, what genre would it be (e.g., blues, folk, rock, country)? Choose one key character and write a short verse (4-6 lines) from their perspective, capturing their core emotion or dilemma within that chosen genre.