prologue
GARMISCH, GERMANY
JULY 1945

Long after the downstairs oven had cooled to the touch and the upstairs had grown warm with bodies cocooned in cotton sheets, she slipped her feet from beneath the thin coverlet and quietly made her way through the darkness, neglecting her slippers for fear that their clip might wake her sleeping husband. She paused momentarily at the girl’s room, hand on the knob, and leaned an ear against the door. A light snore trembled through the wood, and she matched her breath to it. If only she could halt the seasons, forget the past and present, turn the handle and climb in beside her like old times. But she could not forget. Her secret pulled her away, down the narrow steps that creaked under weight, so she walked on tiptoe, one hand balancing against the wall.

In the kitchen, bundled dough mounds as white and round as babies lined the countertop and filled the space with the smell of milk and honey, and promises of a full tomorrow. She lit a ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. The epigraph pairs two quotes; the first is from Mark Twain. The second is from Robert Frost’s poem “The Trial by Existence.” Why do you think McCoy put these quotes together? Which characters do you believe they reference?
   


2. The concept of baking, sharing and passing on recipes is woven throughout the book. What are a couple of your favorite family recipes? Have you shared those with your children and/or friends? How have recipes played a part in your own childhood and adult life?
   


3. Epistolary storytelling in the form of letter writing is a vital way the characters directly communicate with one another and express many of their innermost feelings. Do you have friends or family members with whom you frequently exchange ...

Please be aware that this discussion guide may contain spoilers!

Here are some of the comments posted about The Baker's Daughter.
You can see the full discussion here.


Can you sympathize with Reba's desire to remember her father differently?
Yes, I can sympathize with Reba, because she did love her father & it traumatized her to learn of his illness & problems because she saw a lot of herself in her father. Today, things would have been done differently. in some ways he was alot like ... - barbarab

Do you have friends or family members with whom you frequently exchange letters, cards, or emails, though you rarely see them in person or talk on the phone?
Davina, You have to order the cards with the printed signature - I didn't phrase that well! I love fountain pens as well. I used to buy disposable ones at Borders, before its demise, which were okay as far as not leaving too many blots. I like ... - lisag

Does Josef’s personal suffering justify his public actions? How does Riki justify his daily work?
I felt for Josef as well. We always believe that put in the same situation we will act differently. But the truth is we are all human and react in the moment. I had a difficult job during a difficult time - rebajane

Have recipes played a part in your own childhood and adult life?
To a certain extent. I have fond memories of certain things my mother and aunt cooked throughout my childhood. Neither were particularly good cooks but some things they made were memorable. I am an okay cook. What frustrates me is the lack of time in... - malindan

How does McCoy depict gender roles? How does the issue of empowerment manifest in Elsie and Reba's stories?
Empowered? That word doesn't fit Elsie & Reba for me. Looked it up & found some interesting background on what word meant before becoming a buzzword - " to invest with authority, authorize ... ". Elsie was challenged because of the war. She had ... - marganna