Death Row

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What were your overall impressions of the book? Were you surprised by the plot twist? Why or why not?

2. What did you like most and least about the book? What parts of the book were most engaging, and which parts did you find lacking or confusing?

3. How does the book compare to others you have read by Freida McFadden? For example, this novel explores similar themes to The Tenant (2025). What similarities or differences did you notice between the two texts?

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

1. Talia struggles with a guilty conscience. Have you ever felt guilty or mentally imprisoned by something you did or wanted to do? How did your responses to that pressure compare with Talia’s?

2. Talia reveals herself to be a person with extreme emotions and issues around jealousy. Despite her faults, did you find Talia to be a sympathetic character? Could you relate to her fears and insecurities? Why or why not?

3. How does Talia’s past affect the way she reacts to her suspicions about Noel’s cheating? What are some of the ways in which your past affects you?

4. What type of society does the text depict? Does the world of the novel represent or match the world we live in? Why or why not?

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

1. What commentary does McFadden offer on the state of the death penalty in the United States? Did the novel teach you anything new or surprising about death row, and did it impact your views on capital punishment at all?

2. How do Talia’s experiences in prison illustrate real-world conditions and concerns that prisoners may face, especially female prisoners?

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

1. How does the novel’s structure of alternating “Present Day” and “Before” chapters impact your understanding of the story? What effect does the structure have on the way the novel unfolds?

2. How does Talia develop throughout the text? Is she a reliable narrator? Why or why not?

3. McFadden’s novels often have unresolved or ambiguous endings. How do you interpret the nature and significance of the Epilogue in Death Row?

4. How do you interpret the refrain of “letting go” or “knowing when to let go” in the text? In what ways does Talia need to learn to “let go”?

5. McFadden’s novels often explore the effects of betrayal and trauma on human psychology. How does this manifest in Death Row and affect Talia’s choices?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were teaching a class about the ethics of the death penalty and capital punishment within the United States, what texts would you include on the reading list? Would you include this one? Why or why not?

2. McFadden’s popular novel, The Housemaid, is being adapted for film. Could you see Death Row being adapted to film or television? If so, who would you cast in the lead roles?

3. How do you foresee the events of the text affecting Talia’s life (or afterlife) moving forward? Write a short account offering some resolution for Talia.

4. Memory is an important theme in the text. If you were in a similar situation to Talia, what memories would you go back to and why?