Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Had you read other novels by Jessica Knoll prior to this one? If so, how did they compare?

2. Would you classify Faye as an unlikeable protagonist? How does she compare to other complicated female protagonists, such as Natalie in Yesteryear or Amy from Gone Girl?

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

1. Faye’s mentor, PT, encourages her to write about her painful breakup with Henry. Have you ever found that turning a difficult experience into a story, whether written down or just told to friends, helps you process it or see it in a new light?

2. Henry admits he constructed a specific persona because he believed it was what Faye wanted from him. Have you ever felt pressure to be a certain kind of person to meet someone else’s expectations in a relationship? How did that affect your authentic connection with them?

3. Faye feels professionally trapped by her husband’s powerful family, who threaten to derail her career during their divorce. Think about a time you faced a significant personal or professional risk. How did you weigh the potential consequences against the need to make a change for yourself?

4. The Emmy-winning episode simplifies Faye’s complex dynamic with Henry and leaves her with a sense of having been misunderstood. Has there ever been a time when a personal story of yours was simplified or misunderstood by others? How did it feel to have your narrative reshaped by someone else’s perspective?

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

1. Faye is repeatedly manipulated by the threat of having incriminating messages leaked via social media. How has social media and the rise of “cancel culture” changed the dynamics of power? Does social media ensure greater transparency, or can it also lead to unfair recriminations?

2. How does the novel challenge or complicate mainstream understandings of consent and power within a relationship? By portraying Faye as an active participant in a sadomasochistic dynamic, what kind of conversations does the book open up about female agency and desire?

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

1. Discuss the role of first-person narration. Did this narrative technique make you more sympathetic to Faye? Were you ever suspicious that you were only accessing her point of view?

2. Flashbacks are deployed throughout the novel to convey information about Faye’s past. What opportunities and challenges does this create, as compared to a more linear and chronological narrative?

3. How does Faye’s background as a writer and actress inform her actions throughout the novel? Does her experience crafting stories for entertainment shape her ability to lie?

4. The novel is set during a period of unseasonably warm spring weather. How does this setting set the mood and tone for the plot events?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you’re one of the studio executives listening to Faye’s pitch for Helpless. What questions would you have for her after she finishes? What part of her story would you be most excited about, and what would be your biggest concern in turning it into a film?

2. The novel ends on an ambiguous note as Faye clutches the Tiffany necklace, leaving her true relationship with Henry unclear. If you were to write the next scene, what happens? Does she pursue a new chapter with Henry, or does she move on, having successfully used their story to secure her future?

3. If you were in charge of casting the film adaptation that Faye pitched, who would you choose to play Faye, Henry, and Corrine? What specific qualities would those actors need to capture the complex, and often contradictory, nature of these characters?