Just the Nicest Couple

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of graphic violence and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. The title, Just the Nicest Couple, carries irony as we discover the secrets behind both marriages. How does this compare to Kubica’s use of deception in her other works, like The Good Girl or Local Woman Missing?

2. Which character’s moral compromises did you find most justifiable? Which crossed a clear ethical line?

3. Kubica builds suspense through multiple potential suspects before revealing Nina’s mother as Jake’s killer. Did this revelation feel satisfying? Would you have preferred a different character to be responsible?

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

1. Christian demonstrates unwavering loyalty to Lily by helping her cover up what he believes is her crime. When has loyalty to someone you love tested your own moral boundaries?

2. What boundaries should exist between parents and their adult children’s lives, considering Nina’s mother’s extreme “protection”?

3. Have you noticed similar gaps between appearance and reality in relationships around you, as portrayed in both marriages in the novel?

4. Nina must choose between protecting her mother and ensuring justice for Lily. What would you have done in her position?

5. How a personal experience with betrayal ever affected your ability to trust others? How does this compare to Nina’s journey following Jake and Lily’s betrayal?

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

1. In what ways do the marriages in the novel reflect or challenge gender expectations in present-day society?

2. What commentary does the novel offer on single motherhood through Nina’s mother’s experiences and subsequent protective behaviors?

3. Why are readers drawn to domestic thrillers like Just the Nicest Couple—books that expose the hidden problems behind the facade of suburban life? What anxieties about modern relationships might these stories tap into?

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

1. How does Kubica use each couple’s home as a symbol of their values and expectations around marriage?

2. What purpose does the recurring motif of feeling watched serve for both Nina and Christian throughout the narrative?

3. The novel uses dual narrators with surprisingly similar motivations despite their opposing situations. Which techniques does Kubica use to make both Nina and Christian sympathetic to readers?

4. Jake never narrates but remains central to the plot. How does his character development through others’ perspectives affect your understanding of him?

5. Identify the clues Kubica plants throughout the narrative that hint at Nina’s mother being the true killer.

6. How and where does wind function as a symbol in the novel? How does it enhance the mood and anticipate events in the story?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Write a brief epilogue set five years after the novel’s conclusion that imagines what happened to Nina, Christian, and Lily.

2. What actors would you cast as the main characters in a screen adaptation of Just the Nicest Couple? Why?

3. Create a playlist of songs that capture the emotional journey of either Nina or Christian throughout the novel.

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