Catch The DevilBook club questions, food & host guide
A cozy book club night for Catch The Devil by Pamela Colloff. Includes 8 spoiler-free discussion questions, food and drink pairings, a playlist, and a host guide, ready to print and share.
A close-knit club that loves true stories told with heart and wants to talk feelings, not just facts
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A gripping true-crime account from a master of the form, about a con man in Florida and the trail of damage he leaves behind. It reads like sitting close to a friend who has to tell you something hard.
Why it works for clubs
- Nonfiction that unpacks trust, betrayal, and how ordinary people get pulled in
- Colloff's warm, humane reporting keeps the focus on real people rather than sensation
- Raises gentle questions about who we believe and why
- Short enough to finish together, deep enough to linger over
Themes & mood
Warm-up questions
- 1 Settle in with your cup of something warm: when in the reading did you most want to reach out and warn someone in these pages?
- 2 Was there a moment that gave you a comforting sense of relief, a place where someone showed real kindness or good sense? Tell us about it.
Digging in
- 1 This is a book about trust being given and broken. Has there been a time in your own life when trusting felt like the warmest, safest choice, even if it was risky?
- 2 Colloff writes with a lot of tenderness for the people affected. Which person did you find yourself quietly rooting for, and what made you care about them?
- 3 Florida's everyday, sun-worn world sits under this story. Did the ordinary setting make the events feel closer to home for you, and did that comfort or unsettle you?
- 4 How did the author's calm, reporterly voice make the hard parts easier to sit with? Did having a steady narrator feel like a gentle hand on your shoulder?
Going deep
- 1 By the end, what did this book leave you feeling about how much we owe each other in the way of caution versus openness? Share where you landed without giving anything away.
- 2 Reading about real people carrying real losses, what stayed with you most after you closed the book, and did anything about it feel oddly comforting or hopeful?
On the table
To sip
Soft, warm Americana and gentle acoustic songs that feel like a lamp-lit living room
Tap a track to play it. Full songs play when you're signed into Spotify.
Run of show
Host tips
- Keep the lighting low and warm and have blankets or extra pillows out so it feels like a friend's living room.
- Remind everyone up front that there are no wrong answers here, feelings count as much as opinions.
- Prep the biscuits and bars ahead so you can sit and be present rather than fussing in the kitchen.
Come cozy up for a low-key evening with comfort food and Pamela Colloff's Catch The Devil. Bring yourself, your slippers optional but encouraged.
Trivia
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1
Which magazine does author Pamela Colloff write for as a staff writer?Answer: The New York Times Magazine.
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2
Which nonprofit newsroom does Colloff also report for?Answer: ProPublica.
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3
What U.S. state is the setting for the events in this book?Answer: Florida.
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4
What genre does this book belong to?Answer: Narrative nonfiction / true crime.
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5
Colloff is especially known for long-form journalism on what broad subject area?Answer: Crime and the justice system.
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6
What kind of central figure drives the story in Catch The Devil?Answer: A con man.
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7
Before her national magazine work, Colloff spent years writing for which acclaimed regional magazine?Answer: Texas Monthly.
Bookmarks
Rate the book
Print pack
- Question cards
- Printable bookmarks
- Cozy scorecards
- Trivia slips
- Warm-toned drink menu cards
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