Finding Emma
I would also love to take part of your book club event—whether in person, by Skype chat, or any other way.
- In the beginning of the story, Megan is a tired mother, overwhelmed by the daily tasks of her life and her children. Were you able to relate to her when you first met her?
- After Emma’s disappearance, Megan started up the Walk Home Alone program. What do you think was the underlying reason for Megan starting up this program.
- When you first are introduced to Peter, what is your initial reaction to him? Do you see him as a man trying to be the glue to keeping his family together or does he come across as more selfish?
- Losing a child is every mother’s worst nightmare. Do you think you would react the same way as Megan does or differently? Do you know anyone who has gone through this?
- When Megan first thought she’d seen Emma at the coffee shop drive-thru, what was your first reaction? How would you have reacted if you were in her shoes? What about if you were that child’s mother and a stranger came up to your child like Megan did?
- As the story progressed, how did your attitude towards Megan change? Was she a woman that you felt you could sympathize with? Did you agree with Peter and everyone else in her life who felt she’d been so focused on finding Emma that she’s forgotten about everyone else?
- When you are first introduced to Jack and Emmie, what was your initial reaction? Were you drawn to them as characters?
- Dottie is a strong woman with a conflicted past. It becomes evident early on that Dottie has some memory loss. When did you start to wonder that things weren’t as they seem at the farm house?
- Emmie believed that her mommy was in heaven. How did that make you feel? Do you think that Jack and Dottie handled everything correctly when it came to Emmie wanting to read stories about heaven, drawing images of her and her mom in heaven?
- The scene where Peter showed his journal to Megan was crucial, not only to their storyline as a couple, but at showing how Peter was handling Emma’s disappearance. Did that change the way you looked at Peter at all? Did it affect how you viewed Megan and her thoughts about her marriage and her husband?
- Why do you think that Jack never fought Dottie on the issue of Emmie never leaving the farm? When Jack finds out the truth about Mary, his own daughter, how did you react?
- Hannah carried a lot of guilt on her young shoulders regarding Emma’s disappearance. Why do you think that was? Why do you think she never let go of that guilt?
- When Peter asks Megan to ‘let go’ of Emma, what was your immediate reaction? Was it right of Peter to give Megan the ultimatum of “Emma or me?”
- When the subject of preparing a memorial service was brought up, how did you feel? Do you think you could go through preparing this type of service for a child you believed was still alive? Do you think having a formal way of saying goodbye to Emma was necessary for the family to move on?
- The scene Megan witnessed at the cemetery was instrumental in her decision to say goodbye to Emma. How did you feel at that point?
- A small county fair is always fun to attend. Have you ever been to one? Did you agree with Peter that it was time for the family to finally go? What were your thoughts when Megan sat down on the bench and watched an elderly family with their young child? Did you think that maybe Dottie/Jack and Megan/Peter would run into each other while there?
- When Megan realized that the image she took was her daughter – what were your thoughts? When she brought the photo to Peter – did you agree with his reaction?
- When Jack finally admitted to himself that he’d been ignoring the obvious, what were your thoughts? Do you think he purposefully turned a blind eye? Do you think he knew all along that Emmie really wasn’t his granddaughter, or do you feel that Jack really thought this was his second chance?
- What was your favorite moment of the final scene?
- Now that you are finished with the story – what are your overall thoughts? What was your favorite scene? What character did you resonate with more? What character did you like least? If there was one thing you would change in the story, what would it have been?
Bestseller, Winner of the 2012 National Indie Excellence Award for Fiction
