Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. This novel is a direct homage to Agatha Christie’s classic closed-circle mystery, And Then There Were None. How did this structure influence your reading experience? Did knowing the conventions of the genre help you solve the mystery, or did the author use them to subvert your expectations?

2. What was your reaction to the final reveal of Tristan as the killer and Vivienne’s son? Did you find the clues leading up to this twist satisfying, and how did the shift in perspective in the final chapters change your feelings about the story?

3. After finishing the novel, who do you believe held the most power in the story and why?

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

1. The novel explores the idea of a “curated self,” from Stella’s online persona to Matthew’s carefully crafted image as a successful banker. In what ways do you see this performance of identity in your own life or in the world around you, especially with the rise of social media?

2. Vivienne undergoes a significant change, moving from a cynical and isolated person to someone capable of deep connection. Think about a time your initial impression of someone was completely changed after getting to know them. What did that experience teach you?

3. The guests react to their predicted fates in very different ways: Gordon tries to fight his with science, Janet indulges in hedonism, and Melvin passively accepts his. Which of these responses to a seemingly uncontrollable situation do you find most understandable? Did any of their reactions teach you anything about how you handle difficulty?

4. Has a past mistake or event ever felt like it had an inescapable weight on your present? How do the characters’ struggles with their pasts reflect the different ways people cope with regret or guilt?

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

1. What commentary do you think the novel makes about influencer culture through Stella’s character and her secret trolling account?

2. Matthew’s predatory behavior is rewarded within his corporate environment, where his boss offers him a “look of admiration.” What does this detail suggest about how certain professional cultures can enable or even encourage unethical behavior?

3. Tristan sees himself as an agent of justice, punishing people for their sins. In an age of public shaming and online callouts, where do you think the line falls between holding people accountable for their actions and seeking personal revenge?

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

1. The novel takes place over several years with time jumps between parts. Discuss the impact that these temporal shifts have on the tension and mystery of the novel. Do they create distance, inevitability, or something else?

2. Do you think the seven deadly sins framework was an effective device for structuring the novel’s plot and themes? Discuss why or why not.

3. Bridges, rooftops, underground spaces, and CCTV blind spots recur throughout the novel. What might these repeated liminal or “in-between” settings suggest?

4. Discuss key pieces of information that were held back initially then revealed later, such as Gordon’s disordered eating or Vivienne’s past trauma. How did the later revelation of these pieces of information alter your interpretation of earlier scenes?

5. By the end, is Tristan a character you see as a tragic victim of his past, a stereotypical antagonist, or something in between? Discuss which specific scenes and traits made you feel this way.

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Imagine you are adapting this book into a movie. Which scenes do you think would be the most powerful on screen, and which might be challenging to translate from the page?

2. If you could give one piece of advice to a character before they attended the dinner, who would you choose and what would you say?