Verity

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What did you think of the plot twist that Verity's manuscript was a work of fiction? How did this change your understanding of the characters and the story?

2. Compare and contrast Verity with Hoover’s other thrillers, such as Too Late, or any other works of hers that you’ve read.

Connect the book’s themes and characters with personal experiences and perspectives.

1. Lowen’s view of Verity is founded on a misunderstanding. Have you ever realized that you misjudged someone? What did you learn from the situation?

2. Verity uses antagonistic journaling to cope with her problems. Have you ever tried journaling or a similar exercise, and did you find it helpful?

3. Over the course of the novel, Lowen gains confidence in herself and her abilities as a writer. What are some personal or professional experiences that have helped you believe in yourself?

4. Lowen, Jeremy, and Verity are all deeply impacted by grief. In your own life, who or what helps you handle loss?

Examine the book’s relevance to broader societal issues, cultural trends, and ethical dilemmas.

1. The novel raises questions about the ethics of storytelling, particularly in the context of Verity’s manuscript. How does Verity contribute to the conversation about the responsibilities of writers to distinguish fact from fiction?

2. How does the novel challenge or reinforce the societal expectations of women to be wives and mothers, and what does it suggest about the pressures women face? By contrast, how is Jeremy free from these pressures and how does that affect his decisions in the novel?

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

1. Consider Lowen and Verity’s dual perspectives. How are these characters foils for one another? Why does Lowen believe that Verity is capable of doing the things she reads about in Verity’s manuscript?

2. Discuss the metatextual approach of a psychological thriller written about a thriller writer. What does Verity share with other thrillers written about writers, such as Stephen King’s Misery and The Shining?

3. Discuss the relationship between sex and death in the novel. How does Lowen’s attraction to Jeremy influence her perception of Verity’s supposed crimes? How do Lowen’s and Jeremy’s experiences of loss deepen their attraction to one another?

4. Discuss the importance of setting in the novel. How does the contrast between the major locations of New York City and Vermont affect the novel’s plot, atmosphere, and themes?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book’s content and themes.

1. Write an antagonistic journal entry from the perspective of a villainous character based on yourself. How does it feel to embody that perspective? Does the exercise provide an emotional or psychological release, or is it a purely intellectual and creative experience?

2. How would you change the novel’s resolution to more closely align with the romance genre convention of the happy ending?