Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This novel is a collaboration between James Patterson, known for his thrillers, and Viola Davis, whose memoir Finding Me details her personal journey. How did you feel their distinct voices and experiences blended in the book? Did you see Davis’s influence reflected in Judge Mary Stone’s character?

2. The story blends a high-stakes legal thriller with contemporary social commentary. Did you find this combination effective, or did one aspect overshadow the other for you?

3. What was the most memorable or impactful scene for you? Was it Nova Jones’s courtroom testimony, the bombing of the farm, Mary’s final ruling, or another moment entirely?

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

1. Mary’s connection to her family farm is central to her identity and principles. Do you have a place, object, or family tradition that grounds you in a similar way? How does that connection shape your values?

2. The novel depicts a community deeply fractured over an abortion case. Have you ever witnessed or experienced a situation where a community—or even a group of friends or family—was similarly divided? What, if anything, helped bring people back together, and do you think the novel offers a realistic view of how such deep divisions can heal?

3. Both Dr. Bria Gaines and Mary make career-altering decisions based on their personal conscience. Have you ever had to choose between following a rule and doing what you felt was morally right? What factors influenced your decision?

4. Nellie’s attempt to get publicity for Mary’s reelection campaign is well intentioned but clashes with Mary’s principles. Have you ever been in a situation where your idea of helping someone wasn’t what they wanted or needed?

5. Mary ultimately decides to overturn the jury’s verdict in Bria’s trial. Can you think of a time when you had to challenge a group decision or opinion? How did you decide what to do—and does that experience shape how you view Mary’s choice?

6. Mary admits to feeling “impostor syndrome” despite her obvious competence. In what ways did you find her struggle to assert her authority, in the face of constant undermining, relatable?

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

1. The novel is explicitly set in the post-Dobbs American South. How does this specific political and legal context shape the entire narrative? Could this story have been told in the same way in a different time or place?

2. What commentary is the book making about the media’s role in high-profile legal cases? Consider the local news crew, the national tabloids, and the viral footage of Bria’s arrest.

3. The guide highlights the challenges that Black women face in positions of authority. How does Mary’s experience with the governor, the DA, and even the defendant Ferrell Gray reflect these real-world dynamics of race and gender bias?

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

1. How do the alternating narrative perspectives among Mary, Bria, and Nova create a more complex understanding of the central conflict? What does the reader know that the individual characters don’t?

2. The letter “K” appears as a recurring motif. How does its meaning evolve from Cocheta Bass’s murder to Nova’s testimony to the attack on Mary’s farm, and what larger commentary is it making about violence in the community?

3. The Stone family farm is a central symbol. How does its status as heirs’ property connect the current political retaliation against Mary to a longer history of economic disenfranchisement for Black families?

4. How does Mary’s character challenge or uphold archetypes of legal heroes in literature? You might compare her to a figure like Atticus Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, considering how their approaches to justice reflect their respective eras.

5. One of the novel’s central themes is The Conflict Between Legality and Morality. Besides the main plot with Bria, where else did you see characters grapple with this conflict?

6. Mary’s judicial robe is an important symbol in the novel. How does the robe function to represent both the power and the personal constraints of her position throughout the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. What might the immediate aftermath of Mary’s ruling look like for the community of Union Springs? Describe a scene that could take place at the local diner or the church on the day after the verdict.

2. You are asked to write a short acceptance speech for Mary to deliver on election night. What key message would you have her convey to the community that just reelected her?

3. At the end of the novel, Bria moves to Chicago. What do you envision for her new life and career, and how might her experiences in Union Springs have shaped her approach to medicine and activism?