BKMT READING GUIDES
Silent In The Grave
by Deanna Raybourn
Mass Market Paperback : 544 pages
0 club reading this now
0 members have read this book
These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private ...
Introduction
"Let the wicked be ashamed, and let them be silent in the grave."
These ominous words, slashed from the pages of a book of Psalms, are the last threat that the darling of London society, Sir Edward Grey, receives from his killer. Before he can show them to Nicholas Brisbane, the private inquiry agent he has retained for his protection, Sir Edward collapses and dies at his London home, in the presence of his wife, Julia, and a roomful of dinner guests.
Prepared to accept that Edward's death was due to a longstanding physical infirmity, Julia is outraged when Brisbane visits and suggests that Sir Edward has been murdered. It is a reaction she comes to regret when she discovers the damning paper for herself, and realizes the truth.
Determined to bring her husband's murderer to justice, Julia engages the enigmatic Brisbane to help her investigate Edward's demise. Dismissing his warnings that the investigation will be difficult, if not impossible, Julia presses forward, following a trail of clues that lead her to even more unpleasant truths, and ever closer to a killer who waits expectantly for her arrival.
Excerpt
THE FIRST CHAPTERLondon, 1886
Other sins only speak; murder shrieks out. —John Webster
The Duchess of Malfi
To say that I met Nicholas Brisbane over my husband’s dead body is not entirely accurate. Edward, it should be noted, was still twitching upon the floor.
I stared at him, not quite taking in the fact that he had just collapsed at my feet. He lay, curled like a question mark, his evening suit ink-black against the white marble of the floor. He was writhing, his fingers knotted. ...
view entire excerpt...
Discussion Questions
1. The book covers a murder investigation, but also a woman’s journey as she discovers her authentic self. Describe the most important ways Julia begins to know herself. Could she have known any of these things while married to Edward?2. At the heart of the book is Julia’s relationship with two archetypal men: Edward and Nicholas. Compare and contrast these relationships. Is there one important thing each man may have given Julia?
3. The happiest relationships in the book are not conventional ones. Discuss characters who seem to have found personal happiness, and why this is so.
4. Death had its own culture in Victorian England. How does this culture differ from modern times? Discuss a few of the customs referred to in the book. Who or what do you think was the genesis of these conventions?
5. Despite the serious nature of the subject, this story is written with a great deal of humour and wit. Describe one scene that you found particularly amusing.
6. Given the drawbacks of living in Victorian England, and the privileges of wealth and good birth, would you like to trade places with Julia?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
This book was my attempt at macabre elegance, a whimsically ghoulish murder mystery set within the conventions of Victorian England. Within it are all the elements I love best in fiction: a historical setting, a female narrator who is sometimes oblivious to her own faults, a simmering whiff of sexual tension, and a twisty, unpredictable unknotting of mysterious circumstances. The specific story itself was suggested when I read a single line in a book about poisons. It gave a brief, tantalizing mention of a murderer whose ingenious method inspired me to play every author's favorite game, "What if..." In tracing the answers, I wrote Silent in the Grave.Book Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 0 of 0 members.
Book Club HQ to over 88,000+ book clubs and ready to welcome yours.
Get free weekly updates on top club picks, book giveaways, author events and more
