Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for Last Call at the Savoy by Brisa Carleton

1. At the start of the novel, Cinnamon is a party girl—she lives for the moment. What parallels and contrasts do you notice between the cast of characters frequenting the Savoy hotel during the early 20th century and the lifestyle of Cinnamon, Kit, Piper, and Lisa 100 years later? Do you have any other favorite books, movies, or TV shows that show characters in lavish, decadent settings?
2. Cinnamon is not only grieving her parents but haunted by guilt over the circumstances of their death. Have you ever been held back from pursuing a dream because of something in your past? Or can you think of an example of a negative experience that you've successfully overcome, enabling you to pursue a new goal?
3. Ada's story is one for the history books, and yet, not much is written about her. Instead, her legacy was overtaken by a man, and this is a common occurrence in history, and even still today. Have you ever felt like your accomplishments were overshadowed by someone else or credit wasn't properly given? What did you do about that?
4. Cinnamon flies to London to be with her sister Rosemary in the final days of a difficult pregnancy, but she finds plenty of distractions once she arrives at The Savoy. What are the sources of conflict between the sisters? And how do they ultimately show up for each other?
5. Kit is a historian in search of cold hard facts about the Savoy Hotel for his book, while Cinnamon is enthralled with the mystery of Ada Coleman and the Savoy Cocktail Book. At the end, she tells Kit, "Perhaps it's not about finding the clues but finding the holes." In what ways do you think historical fiction plays a role in re-introducing women's stories even when scant facts have been previously document in the history books? Can you think of other books or movies that reintroduced formerly forgotten female figures?
6. If you could go back in time to any decade, which would you choose and why? What is it about the culture, the fashion, or the famous figures of that era that appeal to you the most?

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