BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION GUIDES

The Blood of Patriots and Traitors

Note the page facing the copyright page. What are the implications of Thomas Jefferson’s words. Is his prediction inevitable? Why? Why not?
What can be done to prevent Jefferson’s prediction from coming true repeatedly?
Were the main characters in this novel well-defined? Which one was your favorite? Why? What were his/her strengths and flaws?
Were the actions of the characters consistent with their histories and personalities? If not, which acted out of character?
Did Max change over the course of the novel? In what ways? Why?
Did you find the villain a tragic figure in some respects? Why? Why not?
Was the dialogue realistic? If not, which conversations were not authentic?
Did you find the locations portrayed vividly? Were you “there”? Did the locations provide the right atmosphere and authenticity for the story?
What plot events or characters surprised you. How? Why?
Were the climaxes at the monument and on Rodney’s yacht satisfying? Why? Why not?

What story elements maintained your interest and kept you reading?
Did you get a sense of the cities where the action took place? What story elements gave you that sense of the locations?
Which character was most relatable? Why?
Which character did you enjoy most? Why?
What motivated the main characters? Why were those motivations credible?
How did the lust-hate relationship between Max and Jill affect your view of the story?
What plot twists surprised you most? Why? How did they impact the course of the story?
Which characters, if any, were changed by events? Were the changes consistent with their backgrounds and personalities?
Max and Jill collected compromising evidence. Was the FBI-CIA decision about what to do with that evidence morally defensible and strategically correct? Why?
Was the ending realistic? Were there other possible realistic outcomes, given the events that preceded the ending? What could those alternative endings have been?
What do you think happens to your favorite characters after the story ends?
Which characters would you like to read about in another story? Why?

The central plot element was that the cause of the scandal was rooted in the robbery in Vietnam. What was your opinion of that plot? Why do you hold that opinion?
Which character was your favorite? Why?
Which character was your least favorite? Why?
Which elements of the story did you find most appealing, the plot, characters, action, or settings? Why were they interesting?
How did the author structure the story to keep you turning pages?
Were there plot twists that surprised you? What were they? Were they pleasant surprises?
Did the ending to the story flow naturally from what had gone before? Why do you hold that opinion?
Was the ending of the story satisfying? Why?
What did you like most about the book?
What did you like least?
If you had written this story, what would you have done differently?