Too Close to Home

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your immediate reaction to the car bomb in the Prologue? How did that violent opening at a seemingly perfect neighborhood party shape your expectations for the rest of the novel?

2. The domestic thriller genre, popularized by books like Gillian Flynn’s Gone Girl and Liane Moriarty’s Big Little Lies, often explores the dark side of suburbia. How did Too Close to Home feel similar to or different from other books you’ve read in this genre? Did it meet your expectations for a suburban thriller?

3. Which of the three main characters, Andi, Regan, or Sasha, did you find most compelling? What was it about her that resonated with you the most as you were reading?

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

1. Andi’s first instinct upon finding Tia’s body is to hide it to protect herself and her family from the consequences. Would you have made the same decision? How does her choice reflect the powerful, sometimes morally complex, nature of protective instincts?

2. What does the novel suggest about the nature of secrets? Has there ever been a time when keeping something to yourself, big or small, created a sense of distance from others?

3. Regan’s friends and community dismiss her belief that her husband is still alive, treating her claims as a symptom of grief. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you had to trust your own instincts despite skepticism from others?

4. Sasha finds herself torn between her complicated past with Raffy and her seemingly perfect present with Tom. When have you felt pulled between conflicting loyalties or relationships in your own life? How did you navigate those feelings?

5. The three protagonists have very different responses to crisis. Andi is panicked and reactive, Regan is fueled by a determination to uncover the truth, and Sasha is quiet and secretive. Which character’s way of coping with extreme stress felt most familiar or understandable to you, and why?

6. What did you think of the subplot involving Drew and Roxie’s investigation? Have you ever experienced a situation where children had a clearer perspective on the truth than the adults surrounding them?

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

1. Cloverhill Lakes’ culture of neighborhood surveillance is illustrated when Tia photographs Andi’s broken gate lock as an HOA violation. In what ways did the novel’s depiction of neighbors using phones and apps to document infractions feel true to life?

2. What commentary do you think the author is making about affluent suburban communities like Cloverhill Lakes? How does the story explore the pressure to maintain a perfect facade and the dangers that can hide behind it?

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

1. How did the shifting perspectives between Andi, Regan, and Sasha impact your experience as a reader? Did you find it effective for building suspense, and did you have a favorite perspective to read from?

2. The author’s background is in playwriting. Where did you see this influence in the book’s pacing, dialogue, or creation of suspense?

3. How does each of the protagonists differently illustrate The Collapse of Ethics Under Threat? Was there a specific moment where a character’s choice pushed the boundaries of your own moral compass?

4. Cars appear throughout the novel as symbols of status, instruments of violence, and spaces for secrets. Which scene involving a car did you find most powerful, and what made it stand out to you?

5. Tom Blanc performs the role of a loving family man while hiding his criminal identity. How does his characterization serve as the ultimate embodiment of The Illusion of Suburban Security?

6. Did you find the novel’s resolutions for Andi, Regan, and Sasha to be satisfying and believable? What does the aftermath suggest about the possibility of healing after experiencing deep betrayal and violence?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. If you were casting a film adaptation of Too Close to Home, who would you choose to play Andi, Regan, and Sasha? What qualities would you look for in the actors to bring these complex characters to life?

2. Picture the main characters five years after the epilogue. What do you imagine their lives look like? Specifically, how do you think Regan and Jack’s relationship has evolved, and has Sasha found a stable, peaceful life with Raffy?

3. Imagine Sasha failed to kill Tom in the rehab facility’s kitchen and he escaped. Write a final scene that concludes the novel on a suspenseful or ambiguous note.