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Reading Group Guide

Discussion Questions

The Suspect

1. What were your first impressions of Stuart Gorman? Were you sympathetic to his situation, or did you believe he was the one who murdered his wife?

2. The book opens with this quote from George Berkeley: "Truth is the cry of all, but the game of few." What does this quote mean in the context of what happens in The Suspect?

3. We learn about Caryn Dryden through flashbacks in the novel; what did you think of her?

4. Do you believe Stuart and Caryn's attempts to hide their daughter's bipolar disorder and to protect her when she got into trouble because of her illness helped or hurt Kymberly?

5. The book is set in very scenic places; San Francisco and the Lake Tahoe area. Did any particular imagery or descriptions stand out for you?

6. On pages 78-80, we read an excerpt from one of Stuart's books. What did you think of what he's written?

7. What did you think of Inspector Devin Juhle? Were his instincts about Stuart off base, or did he have good reason to think Stuart was the one who murdered Caryn?

8. Answer the question that Stuart poses to Gina Roake in Chapter 15, as he tries to explain his motivation for finding Caryn's killer: "If I didn't love her anymore, why would it matter so much?" [page 140]

9. "Gina found herself fighting for the job she now wanted more than anything in her life." [page 227] Why did she want to keep Stuart's case so badly?

10. Has your opinion of the U.S. justice system changed in any way now that you've read The Suspect? Do you believe that people are innocent until proven guilty? Was Stuart treated this way?

11. In addition to Stuart, many other characters had a motive to kill Caryn: her sister Debra; Kymberly; business partner Bob McAfee; the head of PII, Bill Blair. At any point, did you believe that any of these characters killed Caryn? Were there others that you suspected might be responsible?

12. Did you suspect that Gina's "date" with Jedd Conley was a sting?

13. Did Jedd's role in the mystery come as a surprise to you? Why or why not?

14. Were you surprised that Gina got together with Wyatt Hunt at the book's end? Do you think they make a good couple? Why or why not?

The Suspect
by John Lescroart

  • Publication Date: January 16, 2007
  • Genres: Fiction, Thriller
  • Hardcover: 400 pages
  • Publisher: Dutton Adult
  • ISBN-10: 0525949984
  • ISBN-13: 9780525949985