Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did the opening “Nantucket” chapter, with its collective “we” narrator, shape your initial impression of the story and the island community? Did it make you feel like a participant in the gossip or an outside observer, and why?

2. The novel uses the close-knit community of Nantucket as a character that fuels the plot, much like the wealthy Monterey community in Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies (2014). How did you feel about the way the town’s collective voice and rumor mill drove the story forward? What does it suggest about the nature of such insular environments?

3. The Rumor juggles multiple storylines involving Madeline, Grace, Eddie, and their children. Which character’s journey did you find most compelling or resonant, and what was it about their struggles or growth that captured your attention?

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

1. The friendship between Madeline and Grace is tested by betrayal on both sides. Have you ever been in a situation where a deep friendship was strained by a secret or a difficult truth? How did Madeline and Grace’s relationship provide new perspective on your own?

2. Eddie Pancik’s identity is deeply tied to his “Fast Eddie” persona and his ability to provide a lavish lifestyle for his family. Think about a time you felt pressure to present a certain version of yourself to the world. How did you handle the conflict between who you truly are and how you wanted the world to see you?

3. Madeline’s writer’s block is presented as a debilitating mix of creative, professional, and financial pressure. Have you ever felt “stuck” in a similar way in your own work or personal projects? What aspects of her struggle to create felt most realistic to you?

4. Hope is put in the difficult position of keeping her twin sister’s secrets, torn between loyalty and her own conscience. Think about a time when you had to decide whether to protect someone’s secret. How did you navigate that responsibility?

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

1. How does the book’s portrayal of the rumor mill compare to the way information and gossip spread in our own communities, especially with the influence of social media?

2. The story is set against the backdrop of Nantucket’s 2015 speculative housing boom, which directly fuels Eddie’s financial desperation. How does understanding this specific economic context deepen your understanding of Eddie’s extreme choices? In what ways do you see economic pressures shaping moral decisions in society today?

3. The island’s economy depends on a massive influx of wealthy summer residents, creating a distinct social and economic divide. What commentary do you think the novel offers on class dynamics and the tensions that can arise in resort communities like Nantucket?

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

1. The “Nantucket” chapters often reveal how information travels between people rather than focusing on one of the novel’s central characters. What does Hildebrand gain by showing readers the path a story takes through the community? How might these chapters affect whom—or what—the reader considers responsible for the consequences of a rumor?

2. Grace’s garden is a central symbol in the novel. How does its meaning shift as the story progresses, moving from a private sanctuary of creative expression to the setting of her affair and finally to a source of public spectacle?

3. Several characters construct versions of themselves for other people: Eddie becomes “Fast Eddie,” Grace cultivates an image of domestic perfection, Allegra maintains her social status, and Madeline presents herself as a flourishing novelist. Which character seems most aware that they are performing a role? How does Hildebrand distinguish between ordinary self-presentation and genuine self-deception?

4. Storytelling occurs at several levels in the novel, including Madeline’s fiction, Grace’s affair as a “novel,” and the Nantucket community’s gossip. How does Hildebrand distinguish among these different kinds of storytelling? Does the novel ultimately treat storytelling as creative, destructive, or some combination of the two?

5. Benton Coe acts as the catalyst for Grace’s emotional awakening, yet he quickly abandons her when faced with real-world consequences. Do you see him as a genuinely flawed romantic figure or as a purely selfish character? What does his cowardice reveal about the nature of their affair?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were to write an additional “Nantucket” chapter from the perspective of the town gossips, what event after the book’s epilogue would you focus on? What new rumors would be circulating about the Panciks or the Llewellyns?

2. Imagine you are adapting The Rumor for a television series. Which character’s internal thoughts and perspective would be most challenging to translate to the screen, and how might you use visual storytelling to convey their journey?

3. At the end of the novel, Madeline begins writing a prequel to her successful book, Islandia. What story do you imagine she is telling in this new novel, and how might the events of The Rumor have influenced her creative direction?