The Thursday Murder Club

The author uses several points of view and switches between them depending on the chapter, including personal diary entries. How did this choice shape the development of the plot? What do Joyce’s diary entries add to the plot? How could this tactic have pushed her character into a more active role?

There are many feminine archetypes in literature. Pick a female character that fits one of the following: The Beloved, The Magdalen, The Madonna, and/or The Femme Fatale, and explain how that role helps the unfolding of the plot.

“Bones is bones” is a statement said by Bogdan when questioned by Matthew about the morality surrounding the idea of the moving the graves. How is this proven accurate or inaccurate in regards to the treatment of skeletons in the story?

Joyce says that some people are the exception to the rule when it comes to people grieving their deaths. She is referencing the deaths of Tony and Ian, but how can the theme of someone being an “exception to the rule” apply to other characters? For example, how does Elizabeth take sovereignty from those who normally have it, and use it for her own personal gains?

Donna and Penny are two very similar characters. Both are women on the police force, and both are subject to gender bias during their careers. How are the two characters alike, and how are they different? And what can be said about the similarities that shows how their connection is significant to the plot?

The photograph is the biggest symbol in the novel. It is seen in several forms and with almost all the characters interacting with one in some way. How does photography drive the plot? What kind of role do photographs play when it comes to unveiling the mystery?

Bernard, John, and Matthew act the way they do in the story because of a woman they love. All three men are tormented in their own way over the women in their lives. The women that the men love have become untouchable: Two have passed away and one in a coma, but their lovers’ actions are still spurred by their memories. How does the memory of these women shape the men in the story, and is it for better or worse?

The characters are elderly, but the narrative proves that they should not be underestimated. The group shows in many chapters the way that they can manipulate the police into doing what they want, playing on the impression they have on the residents at Coopers Chase. How does being underestimated impact their ability to get information about the case? How does it hinder it? Is it an asset or a weakness in the end?