Unspeakable Things

Content Warning: This section of the guide contains discussion of emotional abuse, child abuse, antigay bias, graphic violence, and death.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. Lourey draws on conventions from classic detective fiction, with Cass even referencing Nancy Drew as inspiration for her investigative efforts. What distinguishes Unspeakable Things from traditional young adult mystery novels like Carolyn Keene’s Nancy Drew series? Does this novel ultimately reward or punish its young protagonist for her curiosity and determination?

2. The rural Minnesota setting creates an atmosphere of isolation that intensifies both the family dynamics and the community-wide fear. Did this geography and small-town environment successfully build tension for you throughout the story? What elements of the setting did you find most unsettling?

3. What aspects of this novel lingered with you most powerfully after finishing it? Did certain scenes, characters, or revelations feel more impactful than others in terms of their emotional weight?

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

1. Cass repeatedly encounters adults who abuse their authority or fail to protect children, from her father to Sergeant Bauer to teachers gossiping in bathrooms. How does her loss of faith in institutions resonate with your own experiences of growing up and recognizing that adults aren’t always trustworthy?

2. The novel explores how socioeconomic differences affect how victims are treated, particularly when comparing Gabriel’s case to the Hollow boys’ attacks. Have you observed similar patterns in your community where certain people’s problems receive more attention or resources than others?

3. Cass’s friendship with Frank provides one of her few sources of genuine support. Think about friendships that have sustained you during difficult periods. What qualities made those relationships particularly meaningful or healing?

4. Throughout the story, Cass struggles with when to speak up and when to stay silent, especially about her father’s behavior. Reflecting on your own experiences, what factors make it easier or harder to find your voice in challenging situations?

5. The relationship between Cass and Sephie shifts as Sephie enters adolescence and begins pulling away from childhood bonds. How did you navigate changes in sibling relationships or close friendships as you grew older? What did you mourn about those transitions?

6. Cass creates elaborate protection rituals, like sleeping in her closet or believing her writing acts as a talisman against her father. During uncertain or frightening times in your life, what strategies have you used to feel safer or more in control?

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

1. The novel is set during a period when American perceptions of childhood safety were dramatically changing, particularly after cases like Jacob Wetterling’s disappearance. How do the fears and protective measures depicted in 1980s Lilydale compare to contemporary concerns about children’s safety and freedom?

2. Sergeant Bauer dismisses the Hollow boys’ accounts partly because of classist assumptions about their families and neighborhoods. What connections do you see between the victim-blaming depicted in this novel and current discussions about whose stories are believed in cases of assault or abuse?

3. The townspeople’s treatment of Mr. Connelly reveals deep-seated antigay bias, as they automatically assume his sexual orientation makes him dangerous to children. How does this scapegoating reflect broader patterns of prejudice that you’ve observed in communities facing unexplained threats or crises?

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

1. Lourey employs both child and adult Cass as narrators. What advantages does this dual perspective create? How did the tension between what child Cass understands and what adult Cass reveals affect your reading experience?

2. Gabriel’s paper-airplane necklace appears throughout the text as a symbol of hope, ambition, and ultimately devastating loss. How does this object’s meaning shift for both Cass and readers as the story progresses? What makes it such an effective recurring symbol?

3. The clicking noise motif creates suspense while serving as a red herring pointing to multiple suspects. Why do you think Lourey chose an auditory clue rather than a visual one? How does this choice affect the mystery’s development and resolution?

4. Cass’s father saving her life at the climax complicates any simple reading of him as purely villainous. Does this moment undermine Cass’s journey toward independence and agency, or does it serve another narrative purpose? What do you make of this controversial plot choice?

5. The novel subverts many conventions of young adult detective fiction by having its protagonist fail to solve the mystery and nearly die in the process. How does this departure from genre expectations serve the book’s larger themes about childhood vulnerability and institutional failures?

6. Lourey creates an atmosphere where almost every adult character harbors secrets or engages in inappropriate behavior. What literary techniques does she use to build this pervasive sense of corruption and danger? How does this atmosphere support the novel’s exploration of lost innocence?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The novel ends with Cass finally telling her story to authorities, but we only glimpse the aftermath through the Epilogue. Imagine you’re designing a follow-up story set five years later when Cass is 17. What challenges would she face as a teenager processing her childhood trauma, and how might her experiences have shaped her aspirations?

2. Consider the story from Frank’s perspective as the new kid who becomes Cass’s closest ally during this terrifying summer. Write a brief scene showing his first impression of the McDowell family’s dynamics when he visits their house. What would he notice that Cass might overlook due to her familiarity with the situation?

3. If you were creating a visual representation of Cass’s emotional journey throughout the novel, what objects, colors, or imagery would you use to capture her transformation from hopeful child detective to traumatized survivor? Design a symbolic map or artwork that traces her psychological landscape across the story’s major events.