A False Mirror Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, and our BookBrowse Review of A False Mirror.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

About The Book

Hampton Regis, a small harbor town on the southern coast of England, is a most unlikely place for violence. Yet, one spring morning, a man is found on the strand so severely beaten that he slips in and out of consciousness. The prime suspect? His wife's jilted lover, who served with Rutledge in the recently ended Great War—but who left the Front under a cloud. Badly wounded, yes, but did someone also cover up cowardice? It falls to Scotland Yard Inspector Ian Rutledge to find out.

Questions Relating to A False Mirror

1. In A False Mirror, people see reflections of themselves that they believe are true. Even Rutledge sees in the love triangle an echo of his relationship with Jean. How does this affect his objectivity when dealing with Mallory or Felicity?
2. How does Felicity change or grow in the course of the novel?
3. Guilty consciences play a role in the actions of characters. For instance, the rector, who sees his own failure and Stratton who sees his own guilt. How does this impact their actions?

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