The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Had you ever heard of the “Missingest Man in New York” prior to reading this text? What, if anything, did you know about Tammany Hall’s corruption or FDR’s involvement in the Seabury Commission? Did the text add to or change your understanding at all?

2. What did you like the most about the text? The least?

3. Have you read any other texts by Ariel Lawhon, such as The Frozen River (2023), Code Name Hélène (2020), or I Was Anastasia: A Novel (2018)? Based on The Wife, the Maid, and the Mistress, are you interested in any of her other works?

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

1. Have you ever been in a situation where you understood that appearances were more important that truth? What was it, and how did you manage or navigate it?

2. If you identify as a woman, what moments of female solidarity have you encountered? Have you been assisted in some way by other women, personally or professionally? What impact did it have on you?

3. Have you ever been impacted by corruption or exploitation in your own life, the way people like Jude, Ritzi, and Maria are? How did your experiences compare to that of the characters? 

4. Both Stella and Maria encounter roadblocks in their marriages, and end up hiding secrets from their husbands. Have you ever had an experience in a romantic or close relationship where you felt you could no longer be truthful with the other person? How did your solution compare to, or differ from, Stella’s or Maria’s?

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

1. The book focuses heavily on corruption in politics, a largely male-dominated domain in the United States. Are there any ways in which your society’s current political climate is similar to the one depicted here? If so, how?

2. The novel explores the ways in which women have often been historically marginalized and dominated by patriarchal power structures. How does this novel reflect current discourses around women’s rights and agency? In what ways has the status of women changed since the 1930s, and what struggles still remain?

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

1. How significant is the contribution of the Epilogue to the main portion of the text? How does it reflect the novel’s key themes and ideas?

2. How does the novel create mystery and suspense around Justice Crater’s disappearance and the three women’s involvement in it? What techniques does the author use to foreshadow revelations or mislead readers?

3. Examine the motifs of ambition and disillusionment in the text. How do different characters experience disillusionment in seeking to achieve something professionally or personally? How are their experiences different or similar? 

4. The novel features three female protagonists. How does the novel explore the ways in which class and gender oppression intersect under patriarchal systems?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If this novel were turned into a film or limited series, who would you cast in the six main roles, and why?

2. If you were to create a soundtrack for this film or series using music from the 1920s and 1930s, what songs would you include for which scenes?