August Book Discussion

[Prince William Public Libraries]

"In a tantalizing set-up reminiscent of Patricia Highsmith’s classic Strangers on a Train… On a night flight from London to Boston, Ted Severson meets the stunning and mysterious Lily Kintner. Sharing one too many martinis, the strangers begin to play a game of truth, revealing very intimate details about themselves. But their game turns a little darker when Ted jokes that he could kill Miranda for cheating. Lily, without missing a beat, says calmly, “I’d like to help.” After all, some people are the kind worth killing, like a lying, stinking, cheating spouse. Suddenly these co-conspirators are embroiled in a chilling game of cat-and-mouse, one they both cannot survive . . . with a shrewd and very determined detective on their tail."

[Angela]

Hello everyone! Angela here. Please remember to refresh your screen often to make sure you get all the comments from everyone. Well, what a book! I've never read a book that had so many murderers! What did you all think?

[Jody]

I think I'm in...

[Jody]

I liked it! It kept me on the edge of my seat

[Angela]

Hi Jody. Yes it was a page turner. I kept reading even though I didn't like any of the characters.

[Angela]

What did you think of Lily? Did her somewhat neglected childhood create her? Do you think getting away with killing the cat affected her worldview?

[Tim]

You remember when ads for movies said something like, "If you liked X, then you'll love Y"? I wish I could remember who liked You when we read it and who didn't, because I feel like the votes on this book would match up.

I think I said then, Except for all the killing, Joe was an okay guy, and I felt the same about Lily. I really enjoyed the book, it kept my interest the entire time, great twist in the middle, and just well put together.

Just about every night at dinner, I told my wife about the stuff I read the night before, which I don't do that often. Good selection.

[Jody]

I agree about the characters I was like holy moly these people,but then again if you like them it might not have made the book. I had no attachment I just kept reading because I couldn't believe people really operate like this.

[Angela]

Hi Tim. Yes Ted seemed normal to me. As a matter of fact I think the scene where he tied up his high school crush was added just to give him some kind of psycho streak. He had rational thoughts, eventually he was just going to divorce Miranda without killing her.
Speaking of which, do you think he would have agreed to kill Miranda if he didn't think he had a chance with Lily?

[Tim]

Yeah, the tying up the girl in high school was the one part I didn't like, it seemed like you said to be added to darken him up a bit, and I didn't really think it was needed.

[Angela]

Did anyone see the ending coming? I didn't but it seems like I should have!

[Jody]

I think Joe just matched the saying "I like them big and stupid"
Lillys parents were just eccentric, their lack of showing emotion towards her may have formed her the way she was or she was just born defective.

[Tim]

Angela wrote: "Speaking of which, do you think he would have agreed to kill Miranda if he didn't think he had a chance with Lily?"

Actually, I kinda felt the opposite - it was the fact that he thought he might have a chance with Lily that made him change his mind about killing Miranda.

[Jody]

I don't believe Ted would've ever killed Miranda if he had not met Lily he would've just divorced her

[Tim]

Jody wrote: "I think Joe just matched the saying "I like them big and stupid""

Do you mean Brad? (I mentioned the main character Joe from You, comparing him with Lily)

[Angela]

Tim wrote: "Angela wrote: "Speaking of which, do you think he would have agreed to kill Miranda if he didn't think he had a chance with Lily?"

Actually, I kinda felt the opposite - it was the fact that he tho..."


Yeah I agree. eventually came to his senses. He realized he didn't need to kill Miranda to get together with Lily.

[Jody]

The contractor fella

[Angela]

Tim wrote: "Jody wrote: "I think Joe just matched the saying "I like them big and stupid""

Do you mean Brad? (I mentioned the main character Joe from You, comparing him with Lily)"

Yeah, real stupid but it happens I guess. Still he probably had lots of chances for affairs with other housebuilders. So maybe a little unbelieveable....

[Tim]

Jody wrote: "I don't believe Ted would've ever killed Miranda if he had not met Lily he would've just divorced her"

I agree with that, Lily agreeing with his feeling that he felt like killing Miranda and saying she would help was the catalyst for him making the plan with her, but his decision to not go through with it (which didn't even last a day since she beat him to it) was based on his having feelings for Lily. He felt he had a shot at something good, and would be taking a big chance by going through with the plan, best to just get it behind him with a divorce.

[Angela]

Did you get the impression that Lily was falling for Ted? Like she though he might be some kind of soulmate since he was willing to kill his wife?

[Jody]

Yes

[Tim]

I don't know about "falling for" as she didn't seem to do that sort of thing, but she certainly was developing feelings for him - otherwise I don't think she would have gone after Miranda and Brad like she did. But yeah, in addition to having feelings for him, she also felt this might be someone she could share those hidden aspects of her life with.

[Jody]

About the ending, I thought it was great. I was wondering how they were going to tie it all up, would she have a lifetime of killing sprees? And her own private graveyard?

[Angela]

I wonder what Lily would have done with the Detective Kimball's body after she stabbed him if his partner had not shown up. Just left him in the cemetery?

[Jody]

Her private graveyard

[Angela]

Jody wrote: "Her private graveyard"

Yes, that's a great! That's just what she thought!

[Tim]

Angela wrote: "I wonder what Lily would have done with the Detective Kimball's body after she stabbed him if his partner had not shown up. Just left him in the cemetery?"

While I'm sure that Lily had figured something out - Lily always figures something out - I don't think the author did. It seems like much more of a problem than her other killings, and I think the author knew it wouldn't matter.

[Jody]

Almost her graveyard could be considered her trophy room

[Angela]

I noticed that the author never explicitly writes the scene where they negotiate the murder agreement. Tough scene to write.

[Jody]

That's a good point Tim

[Jody]

I knew when he put those limericks that he was writing back in his pocket I knew that was going to get him in trouble somewhere along the line

[Angela]

Jody wrote: "I knew when he put those limericks that he was writing back in his pocket I knew that was going to get him in trouble somewhere along the line"

Ah!!!! I should have realized that!

[Angela]

I guess the big question is is revenge ever justified? Especially murder? Lily certainly thought so, Ted almost.

[Tim]

Jody wrote: "I knew when he put those limericks that he was writing back in his pocket I knew that was going to get him in trouble somewhere along the line"

Haha, yeah. When I was telling my wife about Lily putting Brad in the well (which was a running gag with us, she would ask, "Who went in the well this time?"), she said, "Oh, THAT'S a mistake."

[Jody]

No

[Angela]

Tim wrote: "Jody wrote: "I knew when he put those limericks that he was writing back in his pocket I knew that was going to get him in trouble somewhere along the line"

Haha, yeah. When I was telling my wife ..."

Your wife is right! Chet being in there would not necessarily point to Lily since so many people stayed at the house.

[Tim]

Angela wrote: "I guess the big question is is revenge ever justified? Especially murder? Lily certainly thought so, Ted almost."

While I would agree with the premise of the title - that there exists The Kind Worth Killing - I certainly wouldn't suggest that all of those killed by Lily fit that.

But I would agree with her opinion that the human race was improved in the aggregate by them being removed.

[Tim]

I did want to say - I think I've told the group, for Book Club books I don't read any of the descriptions, book covers, etc before I read them, I want the book itself to tell the story. So I had no idea what this was about when I started.

And at first, I wasn't sure about it, it seemed to be a take on the classic Strangers on a Train. But it never went that way, and built itself into a pretty good thriller.

[Jody]

Isn't that what our legal systems for to help with the removal.

[Angela]

Tim wrote: "Angela wrote: "I guess the big question is is revenge ever justified? Especially murder? Lily certainly thought so, Ted almost."

While I would agree with the premise of the title - that there exis..."

Interesting! I'll be careful if I sit next to you on a plane! I also agree with the premise of the title. But it's a very slippery slope. After all Lily was judge, jury and executioner, she probably deserved to die too. Since Eric was just a stupid college boy.

[Angela]

Any favorite quotes? I liked this

"I think most people fetishize life to the point of allowing others to take advantage of them." Said by Lily of course. I think I agree although thank goodness I've never been put to the test. I reserve the right to change my mind.

[Mary]

Hello, everyone. I'm sorry, I was outside doing some yard work and the time got away from me.

I haven't caught up with all the comments yet, but I did really like the book, but not the characters.

[Angela]

Mary wrote: "Hello, everyone. I'm sorry, I was outside doing some yard work and the time got away from me.

I haven't caught up with all the comments yet, but I did really like the book, but not the characters."

Hi Mary, I think we all feel the same way.

[Tim]

Jody wrote: "Isn't that what our legal systems for to help with the removal."

Oh, sure, I'm not condoning Lily's actions. But the world was a better place without most of the folks she killed, with the boyfriend Eric being The Kind Worth Killing the least.

[Tim]

Angela wrote: "Any favorite quotes?"

Ted about Brad, "He struck me as he’d always struck me—80 percent consummate professional and 20 percent bullshitter, like the car salesman who honestly steers you away from the leather upholstery, but still manages to sell you the expensive navigation system."

Something Miranda says (in her narration) that summed up the type of person she was, "Before Christmas break of that year I told Matthew that I needed a thousand dollars to sneak into Montreal and visit my paternal grandmother who was dying. He gave me the money in cash. It was a good relationship"

And Lily, from the first meeting and giving the title for the book, “Truthfully, I don’t think murder is necessarily as bad as people make it out to be. Everyone dies. What difference does it make if a few bad apples get pushed along a little sooner than God intended? And your wife, for example, seems like the kind worth killing.”

[Angela]

Thank you all for coming. Mary, please add any comments you might have. Next month we'll be reading "Dark Corners" by Ruth Rendell.

[Mary]

Not a favorite, exactly, but I think a memorable quote: "I don't think murder is necessarily as bad as people make it out to be. Everyone die. What difference does it make if a few bad apples get pushed along a little sooner than God intended?"

I can't agree, but it is an interesting statement, and a thought that stayed with me.

[Angela]

Tim wrote: "Angela wrote: "Any favorite quotes?"

Ted about Brad, "He struck me as he’d always struck me—80 percent consummate professional and 20 percent bullshitter, like the car salesman who honestly steers..."

Your choices have made me realized that I have a hard time liking quotes that I don't agree with. I do like the one about the car salesman.

[Mary]

I guess we were writing at the same time, Tim.

[Tim]

Angela wrote: "Any favorite quotes?"

Just wanted to add - this is one of the things I like about you, Angela. You always ask about favorite quotes, and since I read these on my Kindle I'm always marking passages.

So I like getting asked this, so I don't have to push them on people!