How does Jamie try to get Mike to open up to her? What did you think of her strategies? What do you think she could have done differently?

Early on in the novel, Jamie feels her husband Mike slipping away: "No matter how hard he tried to exhaust himself, though, the nightmares persisted, and with every passing day, Jamie felt as if her husband was withdrawing a bit more, an invisible casualty of the shooting" (page 5). How does Jamie try to get Mike to open up to her? What did you think of her strategies? What do you think she could have done differently?

I think Jamie should have tried harder to get Mike to talk to her and if that wasn't working then definitely set up a meeting with the police counselor for both of them. I felt like she just gave up on him when she didn't try.

it's always easy to look back and blame jamie for not trying hard enuf for mike to open up to her ... yes, it would have wise for her to seek professional help. sometimes it is scary for the spouse to ask questions she really doesn't want the answers to.

I think Jamie did try to get Mike to open up initially but got little response. As with most people, she gave up trying after a while. He had a lot going on and seemed to be pretty walled off so I am not sure what she could have done to reach him.

I tried to look at this from Jamie's character's point of view. I didn't identify too much with Jamie's personality so I believe I would have had a little more faith in myself. Granted, Mike did try to seclude himself, but I understood that because he knew he did not have Jamie's complete belief in him. I think most of this part of the story hinged on Jamie's doubts. With those doubts, I can understand her not pressing him too much.

I think on the whole guys are reluctant to open up as much as women do and Jamie did the best she could to communicate with Mike.

I think Mike was very defensive and didn't want to share what he was going through with Jamie. She was afraid to push too hard, thinking it would back fire. I find it hard to believe that the police force wouldn't insist on counseling for him after his partner was shot and again when he was accused of killing someone.

I think it all came down to the fact that Jamie did not believe in him and was more focused on protecting/shielding him. She sprung into survival mode but maybe should have tried "put yourself in his shoes mode."