Book #24: Kill All Your Darlings, David Bell

Synopsis:  

ABOUT KILL ALL YOUR DARLINGS

A Most Anticipated Summer Read by SheReads * Motherly * Palm Beach Daily News * Frolic * Crime Reads and more! 

“Fans of Jean Hanff Korelitz’s The Plot may want to check this one out.”–Publishers Weekly
 
“With hints of Patricia Highsmith’s The Talented Mr. Ripley, this is a riveting thriller.”–Palm Beach Daily News
 
“Grabs you by the throat and never lets go…with a twist you’ll never see coming.”  
–Liv Constantine, bestselling author of The Last Mrs. Parrish

“Sounds like Wonder Boys times Patricia Highsmith. Yes please!”–Crime Reads 

When a student disappears and is presumed dead, her professor passes off her manuscript as his own—only to find out it implicates him in an unsolved murder in this new thriller from the USA Todaybestselling author of The Request.   

After years of struggling to write following the deaths of his wife and son, English professor Connor Nye publishes his first novel, a thriller about the murder of a young woman.    

There’s just one problem: Connor didn’t write the book. His missing student did. And then she appears on his doorstep, alive and well, threatening to expose him.    

Connor’s problems escalate when the police insist details in the novel implicate him in an unsolved murder from two years ago. Soon Connor discovers the crime is part of a disturbing scandal on campus and faces an impossible dilemma—admit he didn’t write the book and lose his job or keep up the lie and risk everything. When another murder occurs, Connor must clear his name by unraveling the horrifying secrets buried in his student’s manuscript. 

Discussion questions: 

1. At the beginning of the novel, we learn that Connor passed Madeline’s novel off as his own. Do you understand why he made that choice?

2. Connor lost his wife and son five years earlier. He feels as though the publication of the book is going to start to turn his life around. How well do you think Connor has handled his grief?

3. Before Madeline disappeared, she was beginning to work on her thesis with Connor as her adviser. Even though Connor wasn’t at his best, there seemed to be mutual respect and admiration between them. What did you think of their professor-student relationship?

4. Preston has been a very good friend to Connor, but he’s also very concerned with his own career and the perception of the department he directs. Do you know people like this at work?

5. Madeline and Sophia develop a friendship in which Sophia plays the role of an older sister and a mentor to Madeline. Do you understand their friendship? Do you understand why Connor was fascinated by Sophia and Zach’s life together?

6. Lance Hoffman has parties at his house that include drinking by underage students, and he behaves reprehensibly with Madeline when they discuss her thesis. Do you think university professors or other authority figures still abuse their power this way?

7. Rebecca is somewhat on the periphery of the events of the book, but she plays an important role when she ends up in possession of Madeline’s manuscript. Why do you think she gave the book back to Connor?

8. Zach ends up providing Connor with a key piece of information. Did it surprise you that Zach would help Connor in such a way even after he attacked him?

9. Were you surprised by who ended up being Sophia’s murderer? Do you understand why this person was willing to go to such lengths to protect their career?

10. Connor loses a lot at the end of the book, including his job, his book deal, and his reputation. But he also seems to be learning a lot about himself as he moves forward. What do you think his life will be like in the future?