- Which of the three women—Phoenix, Annalynn, Connie—did you relate to the most? Do you know women whose personalities resemble any of these three?
- From your experience in getting to know old friends again, do you expect Phoenix and Annalynn to remain close? Do you expect Phoenix and Connie to let go of old resentments and become real friends?
- All three women face personal crises. How do they deal with these? What advice would you give Phoenix on reshaping her professional life, Annalynn on coping with grief and others’ attitudes toward her and her disgraced husband, Connie on abandoning her dreams to subsist in Laycock?
- Annalynn, Phoenix, and Boom’s friends view the late Boom Keyser differently. Why? What do you think of him?
- Phoenix hides the source of some of Boom’s income rather than tell Annalynn the truth. What would you do in a similar circumstance? Why?
- How do Annalynn and Phoenix differ in their attitudes toward what means to use to reach their goal?
- Phoenix flirts with Stuart, who is about seven years younger than she. Is a lasting romantic relationship likely? Should she pursue her old beau?
- Was Phoenix creative or uncaring in using the witness as bait?
- Phoenix takes her gun everywhere. Why? When she shoots, she aims to kill. Is she justified the first time? The second time?
- How serious is the meth problem in your community? Do the majority of users belong to any particular demographic group? Who, besides themselves, do they harm most?