The Stranger

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. How did you react to Adam killing Tripp at the end of the book? He claims that it was the only way his family would be safe. Do you agree?

2. What other Harlan Coben novels (Fool Me Once, The Woods, Tell No One, etc.) have you read? How is The Stranger different or similar?

3. Have you seen the Netflix adaptation of The Stranger? Do you prefer the book or the series? What are the main differences?

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

1. Have you learned a secret about a person that changed the way you interacted with them? Were you able to overcome their deception? How does this inform your reading of Adam’s reaction to Corinne’s secret?

2. Drawing on your experience either as a parent or as a child, discuss Adam’s struggle to find the balance between protecting his children and smothering them. How do your experiences of child-parent dynamics compare to Adam and his sons’ dynamic?

3. Have you ever lived in a suburb like the fictional Cedarfield? Does the text accurately depict the competitive relationships between neighbors, or is it an exaggeration?

4. Heidi claims that keeping secrets and telling white lies is a natural part of life, so exposing these to others threatens to do more harm than good. Do you agree? Explain your reasoning.

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

1. Analyze the book’s discussion of gentrification in the Rinsky subplot. What does the text expose about the legal battles between big developers and private-property owners? How does it reflect concerns around gentrification more generally?

2. How does the novel interrogate some of the assumptions inherent in the myth of the “American dream”? What does the novel suggest about the advantages and disadvantages of such a dream?

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

1. Analyze how the novel uses various literary devices to create tension, build mystery, and/or complicate characterization. How do these devices reflect common tropes and techniques used in mysteries and thrillers?

2. Several characters live a dual life in Cedarfield, where their public personas don’t align with their private struggles. Choose one of these characters and explore why they are so desperate to maintain appearances.

3. Explore the text’s examination of the fall-out from secrets. Which causes more damage in the characters’ lives: keeping secrets or exposing them? How are the characters different or similar in how they handle secrets?

4. Analyze the novel’s exploration of gender roles and dynamics. How do various characters conceive of masculinity and femininity? How do these assumptions about gender roles shape the characters’ lives and motives?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. Chris claims that there is always someone monitoring an internet user’s actions. This book was first published in 2015; imagine how Chris’s group’s operation might look if the story took place after the recent explosion of automation and artificial-intelligence systems.

2. The novel ends with Chris in the wind after running away from the carnage at his secret hideout. What do you think he will do next? Will he continue to expose secrets or give up that crusade?