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A Circle of Souls

by Preetham Grandhi

Published: 2009-06-15
Paperback : 352 pages

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2 clubs reading this now
3 members have read this book

Recommended to book clubs by 4 of 4 members

No other editions available.

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Introduction

The sleepy town of Newbury, Connecticut, is shocked when a little girl is found brutally murdered. With the murderer on the loose, the police desperately look for any clues to lead to his identy. Meanwhile, a psychiatrist in a nearby hospital is also in a desperate search to find the cause of seven-year-old Naya Hastings s devastating nightmares. Afraid that she might hurt herself in the midst of a torturous episode, Naya s parents have turned to the bright young doctor as their only hope. When these two situations converge, they set off an alarming chain of events. In this stunning psychological thriller, innocence gives way to evil, and trust lies forgotten in a web of deceit, fear, and murder.

Editorial Review

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Excerpt

The slaaf stumbled along the shore of Willow Lake. The ground was soft from the previous night’s rain, and wet leaves made a slippery carpet under his feet. His arms ached from struggling to contain the animal he carried in a coarse gunnysack across his shoulder. The sedative had worn off, and the animal thrashed more and more violently as the slaaf approached the faded red boathouse. Finally, in front of the peeling door, he dropped the squirming sack. The creature inside yelped as the bag hit the ground. The slaaf found the key on his large metal ring, unlocked the padlock, and slipped inside. ...

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Discussion Questions

1. In the prologue you are introduced to the character “slaaf.” What does the word slaaf mean? How does its meaning carry through the whole book?

2. Peter makes an assumption about Naya, the Hastings daughter, during her admission to the hospital. What assumption did he make and what did he discover?

3. Peter is trying to find out all the potential causes for Naya’s sleep walking. Have you or anyone you know experienced such a phenomenon? What would you do if you found your child or family member walking around the house?

4. What is a CARD team? What does Jose discover about Leia’s reasons as to why she joined the FBI? What happened in her last case that still troubles her?

5. The Connecticut police discover the murdered girl’s body. What type of pattern begins to emerge from the way the body parts are found? Is there any significance to it and what insight does it give into the beliefs of the killer?

6. Once the forensic team is on the field Leia begins to learn new facts about the case. How do they determine the time of death? Why do Carroll and Leia become very worried?

7. The process of coming to the hospital is new and terrifying for Naya. How does she deal with the idea of coming to the hospital which is different from other hospitals? What does she discover along her stay? What was her experience interacting with the other children on the unit?

8. Peter learns about the murder at Elephant rock. What is his connection to Elephant rock? Why is he so surprised to see Naya’s drawings of her dream the night before?

9. Do Peter, Leia and the Slaaf have childhood experiences that are similar? How do these experiences shape their lives today?

10. Peter visits Naya’s uncle to talk about Naya’s family. What do you find out about the family? What are the larger connections to himself that he discovers?

11. When Naya meets Janet in her room, she whispers in Naya’s ear, “Because he knows what the big bad man has done.” Why does Janet say this?

12. How do Leia and the police team find the place where the killer carried out the killings? What do they learn about the background of the suspected killer?

13. Peter discovers that there are some “markings.” What is the significance of these markings and how does he use this information?

14. How does Everson lure Naya into leaving the hospital? Why does he do it and what was the outcome of his actions?

15. Peter is puzzled when Mr. Iyengar tells him that “first Naya has to help him before he gets to help her.” What did Mr. Iyengar mean and how does this happen?

16. Mrs. Sanders looks into Peters eyes and makes a conclusion. How does Peter respond to it? How do all the characters connect at the end of the book? What is the overall message at the end of the book?

Weblinks

»	Publisher's Book Info
»	Author's Website

Notes From the Author to the Bookclub

It was a few months post 9/11, and I was looking at the biographies of the people who had lost their lives. I began to wonder if there was a larger meaning to their lives. All of a sudden, a story flashed into my mind, and I quickly wrote it on a piece of paper. I knew then that I needed to write a story that was larger than life. It needed to communicate the essence that there is a bigger purpose and meaning to our passage on earth.

I knew that in order to capture and convey such a message, the book needed to be captivating, interesting, and thrilling. I realized that a story based on the work I do would be the right place to begin. I am a child psychiatrist and had just started a new job. During my fellowship, I worked with children with numerous psychosocial issues and had many life stories to tell. It was at that moment that I decided I could write a book that would capture all these thoughts. That was how A Circle of Souls was born.

This book will keep you on the edge until the very end and will leave you thinking about the larger sense of individual purpose and destiny.

Book Club Recommendations

Recommended to book clubs by 4 of 4 members.

We had dinner with the author at a restaurant.

by zagatiliterati (see profile) 01/22/10

It's quite a different experience at a meeting when the author is present. I would suggest you either have an author present or have a phone conference. It really adds to the texture of the club. The members love it.

Member Reviews

Overall rating:

"A Circle of Souls"by Susan D. (see profile) 01/22/10

The author who is a child psychiatrist has created an engrossing tale from his life experiences and his clever imagination. This simply written book will keep you turning the pages till the ... (read more)

"A Circle of Souls"by Evie O. (see profile) 01/02/10

This book is a very quick and easy read. A word of caution as to the first ten pages; rather graphic detail of a violent crime that could be upsetting to some readers. The author does a very could job... (read more)

"A Circle of Souls by Preetham Grandhi"by jayne C. (see profile) 12/13/09

Our book club really liked this book- it was intelligently written and the characters were endearing. The author was well able to communicate the relationships between the characters early lives and the... (read more)

"A Circle of Souls"by MARY S. (see profile) 09/17/09

I read this in 2 days simply because I forced myself to put it down. It was an incredible read and am recommending it to everyone I talk to. I did not figure out the badguy but I usually don't. You must... (read more)

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