Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The novel blends historical fiction with a high-stakes thriller and a deep psychological study. Which of these elements did you find most compelling? Was there a particular moment or storyline that has stayed with you since you finished reading?

2. How did the novel’s depiction of a Soviet-era investigation resonate with you? If you’ve read other thrillers set in the USSR, such as Martin Cruz Smith’s Gorky Park (1981), how does Child 44’s Stalinist setting create a different kind of tension and danger?

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

1. Leo’s journey takes him from a loyal MGB officer to a man who defies the state he once served. Have you ever lost faith in a system, cause, or ideal? How did you respond?

2. Consider the evolution of Raisa and Leo’s relationship. Have you ever seen a relationship that began as something functional transform into something more?

3. The book presents a conflict between personal loyalty and self-preservation. Do you think it’s ever acceptable to sacrifice others to save oneself (or one’s loved ones)? What experiences or beliefs shape your opinion on this?

4. Leo eventually recognizes that he has repressed the truth of his identity as Pavel. Can you think of a time when you forgot something on purpose, or when your memory of something turned out to be faulty? How did you cope with the realization?

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

1. A central idea in the book is the state’s official declaration that “There is no crime,” an ideology that actively obstructs justice. Can you think of ways modern societies deny or downplay problems for ideological or political reasons?

2. How does the novel use Nesterov’s roundup of men who have had sexual relationships with men to explore the practice of scapegoating during times of crisis or fear?

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

1. The Prologue, set 20 years before the main action, reveals the traumatic childhood event that links Leo (Pavel) and Andrei. How did this shape your reading of Leo’s investigation and Andrei’s crimes, even before the connections to the primary narrative were made explicit?

2. Did Leo’s discovery of the hollow coin convince you that Raisa was a spy? How did her later discussion of its purpose change your understanding of its role in the narrative?

3. What specific traits does the ambitious and cruel Vasili possess that highlight Leo’s own moral transformation? How does he compare to Andrei as an antagonist?

4. What does seeing the world through Andrei’s eyes, particularly his interactions with his daughter, Nadya, reveal about his psychology? Did these chapters evoke any sympathy for him?

5. This is the first book in the Leo Demidov trilogy, which continues with The Secret Speech (2009) and Agent 6 (2011). How does Child 44 function as a complete story, and in what ways does it set up future conflicts for Leo’s character?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. At the end of the novel, Leo rejects a promotion and instead requests to create Moscow’s first homicide department. Imagine you are writing a scene for the next book in the series. What would the first day on the job for Leo and Nesterov look like, and what challenges might they immediately face?

2. What do you imagine happens next for the newly formed family of Leo, Raisa, Zoya, and Elena?

3. Imagine a scenario where Andrei was captured alive and put on trial. Given the state’s insistence that serial murder doesn’t exist in the Soviet Union, how would the government handle a public trial, and what might Andrei’s confession sound like?