Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Black Widows by Cate Quinn

1. What did you think of Blake Nelson? Did your opinion change throughout the book?
2. Do you think Rachel, Emily, and Tina are really so different from each other? What similarities do they have?
3. What do you think keeps the three women together after Blake's death? Why don't they go their own separate ways?
4. Because of their polygamy, Rachel, Emily, and Tina struggle to find acceptance. How would you feel in their place, rejected by people both within and without your religious community?
5. What did you think of Emily's outburst at the funeral? What was the final straw for her?
6. On the Homestead, in her marriage, and in her questioning by her lawyer, Rachel gets used to men making decisions about how she should behave. How does this shape her character?
7. How would you compare Officer Brewer and Detective Carlson? Who would you rather have on your case?
8. What did you make of Rachel's memories/visions?
9. Blake passed his fear of cameras and surveillance along to his wives, even though he wasn't actually being watched. Do you think surveillance is becoming more common? Would Blake's fears be justified?
10. Were you surprised by the identity of the killer? What did you think of their motivation?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Sourcebooks. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.