Book Club Questions

1. What did the title TWISTED LIVES suggest to you? Did the story live up to your title expectations?
2. Sarah and Claire are best friends. What defines that type of relationship for you?
3. Was Sarah’s relationship with Claire healthy? Why or why not?
4. Did you suspect that Claire was complicit? If so, when did it begin? When did it stop?
5. Do you believe in love at first sight? How long do you feel is an appropriate time to know someone before marrying?
6. Is jealousy a sign that you are loved? How about if you are jealous of your partner?
7. Do you understand Sarah’s inability to break away from Rodney? Why or why not?
8. Recognizing abuse is often difficult. Why did Sarah deny that her relationship with Rodney was abusive?
9. The warning signs of abuse don’t always appear overnight and may emerge and intensify as the relationship grows. The one sign shared by most abusive relationships is that the abusive partner tries to establish power and control over their partner. What was the first sign that Rodney was an abuser? What was his one behavior that made you the angriest?
10. How much did the age gap (15 years) between Sarah and Rodney contribute to their problems? What do you consider an ideal difference in the ages of people in a relationship?
11. The nine most common types of abuse in a relationship are physical, emotional, sexual aggression, financial, digital, sexual coercion, reproductive coercion, stalking, and spiritual. How many types of abuse did Sarah suffer?
12. What defines a healthy relationship?
13. Did you recognize the signs that Sarah’s mother, Lydia, was also an abuser? Is her father, Steve, and abuser or a victim of abuse?
14. Judy Hendericks doesn’t believe that Jeremy is missing. Did you believe from the beginning? If not, when did you begin to believe Sarah?
15. Did Sarah’s finding motherhood difficult effect how you felt about her as a person? Did you find her likeable? Is she weak or strong?
16. Everyone in this story drinks alcohol to some extent. Do you believe Sarah has a “drinking problem”?
17. What was the most memorable scene for you?
18. Ajax is a special character in the book. Why did Merrill choose to include him?
19. Last but always fun, if this book were to be made into a movie, who would you like to see in the lead roles? Rodney? Sarah? Claire? Lydia? Judy Hendricks? FBI agent Joe Weller?

Book Club Food  and Fun 

Make Your Book Club Special – A few decorations are fun consider these ideas:

• Make Twisted Trees by placing bare twiggy branches in vases.  Or make wire trees using this DIY YouTube from Paper, Scissors, Glue – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ3r2Xwq8Ro
•  Using poly-batting, or other Christmas snow product, create snow by arranging batting on a table in piles.  Arrange your Twisted Trees in the snow.
• Add a child’s toy dog (Ajax is a German Shepherd) to your scene.
• The Twisted Trees are fun favor, if you make one for each member.
• Add a  sign to your treat table that says:
• Eat and Drink at your own Risk or Beware of Drugged Food and Drink

Twisted Lives does not focus on food. But here are a few ideas of what to serve:

• Wine – anything goes – but the wines mentioned in the book are:
  • Maryhill Zinfandel
  • Gérard Boulay Clos de Beaujeu Sancerre 2019
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Chardonnay
  • Burgundy
• Alcohol mentioned:
  • Johnnie Walker Blue
  • Gin
  • Vodka
• Food mentioned:
  • Papaya – Sarah received only a single slice, but you could add papaya to a salad or cube it on a skewer with cheese and berries. Or make shrimp and papaya skewers.
  • Chocolate Tower – Pudding cake is ideal. Or a Bundt cake made in a castle pan. Or chocolate truffles stacked up. Anything goes because it’s chocolate!
  • Lamb Chops – No ideas here. Not sure I’d serve lamb chops at a book club meeting but let us know if you do.
  • Baked Salmon with Caper and Lemon – Crostini topped with smoked salmon and softened cream cheese you have seasoned with dill and lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with fresh dill sprig and capers.
  • Coq au vin – make the real thing or just buy a bucket of wings.
  • Peanut Butter Sandwich – Teeny, tiny sandwiches. I bet people would love them! Make the sandwich. Cut the crusts off and then cut into bite sized triangles.
  • Cookies – No need to be fancy. Everyone loves cookies!
  • Grilled Cheese sandwich with Tomato Soup – A cup of good tomato soup – although to be traditional use Campbell’s Cream of Tomato – and teeny, tiny grilled cheese sandwich. (See Peanut Butter Sandwich for details).
  • Pot Roast – Check with your Grandma. I haven’t made a pot roast in years. Although, now that I think of it – try a crostini with thin sliced roast beef and dijon horseradish sauce, topped with a piece of shaved  parmesan cheese and maybe a couple of capers.
  • Boeuf Bourguignon – Make an appetizer using small bites of the classic ingredients, like tender pieces of beef braised in red wine, mushrooms, carrots, and pearl onions, served on small crostini, puff pastry squares, or even mini skewers.