Book Club Discussion Questions and Guide for The Neighbor's Secret by L Alison Heller

1. At a critical moment in the book, Jen considers the "painful impossibility of protecting a child." What does this phrase mean in the context of the parents and children in the book and their relationships?
2. "Jen did not want to care what her neighbors thought." What is the role of the opinions of others on Jen's thoughts and actions in the book? Do you think such focus is helpful or detrimental (or both)?
3. Throughout the book, each of the three main women vigilantly guards secrets. What do they sacrifice by making this choice, and what do they gain?
4. Lena convinces herself that through "self-imposed house arrest" she is paying sufficient penance for past crimes. Do you think there are pathways for justice outside of the legal system? Have the women of Cottonwood succeeded or failed in their attempts to find them?
5. What role does the book club play in the lives of its members? How do the book themes and monthly discussions reflect the community's concerns? Their values?
6. Throughout the book, Jen struggles with a perceived conflict between protecting Abe and being a "good citizen." Would you have made different choices than she does? How do you reconcile a parent's obligations to their child with their obligations to their community?
7. Annie wonders whether Lena's traumatic past has changed her essential nature. How do Lena's regrets about the past inform the decisions she makes during the year over which the book takes place?
8. One of Harriet's questions for the May book club meeting references how, in Greek mythology, prophecies can create "blind spots" for characters trying to avoid their fate. What blind spots does Annie create for herself in regards to Laurel?
9. Many of the characters note that Cottonwood Estates is an exceptionally safe neighborhood, perfect for raising children. What are some of the characters' individual reactions to the perceived threat of the vandalism? How do the acts of vandalism stress the neighborhood's myth of safety?
10. Deb self-congratulates readers as being "the gold standard of humanity." She and Annie are obviously one hundred percent correct that readers are the best people. What are some of the benefits that reading and/or book club discussions have brought to your own life?
11. How do the women in the book relate to the men in their lives? Generally and individually, do the men serve as stabilizing or destabilizing forces?
12. What are the most dangerous aspects of living in Cottonwood? Do you think it's possible to have an entirely safe community, given human nature?
13. After Jen deliberately breaks a platter, she feels better for an instant but then has "the exhausted realization that no one else was going to clean it up." How do the women of Cottonwood express their anger? In general, how do you think society expects women to channel their anger and disappointment?
14. The ladies of Cottonwood pay close attention to the quality and quantity of food and drink at their social gatherings. How do the snacks and drinks play a role in establishing community and belonging? How do the offerings support notions of cohesion and individuality?
15. The relationships between mothers and daughters—Annie and Laurel, Lena and Rachel, Janine and Katie—are fraught with unspoken expectations and unasked for sacrifices. How are the dynamics between each pair similar? How are they different?

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