What are good book club discussion questions for Getting Away With Murder?

Spoiler-free questions to get the conversation going: The couple adores their brownstone. What's one room, corner, or chair, past or present, that has felt most like home to you, and what made it feel that way?; Where were you (couch, bed, bath, commute) when you couldn't put this book down, and what did you snack on or sip while you read?; How did it feel to watch two ordinary people slowly talk themselves toward a terrible idea? Were there moments you felt uncomfortably close to understanding them?; The brownstone is almost a character in its own right. Have you ever loved a place so much that losing it felt unbearable? How did the book stir up that feeling for you?; Family and money get tangled together in this story. Without naming names, has money ever shifted the warmth between you and someone you love, and did the book bring any of that back?.

What food and drinks should I serve at a Getting Away With Murder book club?

Food: Baked Brownstone Mac and Cheese, Mini Chicken Pot Pies, and Homemade Black-and-White Cookies. Drinks: The Inheritance Hot Toddy, Stoop-Side Mulled Red Wine, and Vanilla Cinnamon Hot Chocolate.

Cozy night

Getting Away With MurderBook club questions, food & host guide

Shari Lapena

A cozy book club night for Getting Away With Murder by Shari Lapena. Includes 8 spoiler-free discussion questions, food and drink pairings, a playlist, and a host guide, ready to print and share.

Friendly clubs who love a juicy thriller but would rather talk about feelings over a warm mug than pick apart clues

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A New York couple so in love with their brownstone that they start wondering about the unthinkable. It's a twisty, bingeable thriller that's perfect for curling up with friends and asking how far any of us would go to keep the home we love.

Why it works for clubs

Everyone has feelings about home, and this story puts those feelings under real pressure
The couple's temptation is easy to understand, which makes for honest and gentle conversation
Family, money, and belonging come up without anyone needing to have read closely
Quick pacing means everyone finishes and arrives ready to chat

Themes & mood

Domestic suspense Home and belonging Family and money Page-turner New York brownstone

Reading level

Easy

Warm-up questions

1 The couple adores their brownstone. What's one room, corner, or chair, past or present, that has felt most like home to you, and what made it feel that way?
2 Where were you (couch, bed, bath, commute) when you couldn't put this book down, and what did you snack on or sip while you read?

Digging in

1 How did it feel to watch two ordinary people slowly talk themselves toward a terrible idea? Were there moments you felt uncomfortably close to understanding them?
2 The brownstone is almost a character in its own right. Have you ever loved a place so much that losing it felt unbearable? How did the book stir up that feeling for you?
3 Family and money get tangled together in this story. Without naming names, has money ever shifted the warmth between you and someone you love, and did the book bring any of that back?
4 Which moments made you want to reach into the pages and give a character a hug, or a firm talking-to? What was it about those moments that moved you?

Going deep

1 By the final pages, did you feel more tenderness or more unease toward the couple? How did your heart change toward them as the story went on, without giving away where it lands?
2 After closing the book, did you look at your own home, your own comforts, or your own family a little differently? What did the story leave you holding onto or letting go of?

On the table

Baked Brownstone Mac and Cheese

A bubbling, golden casserole that tastes like a New York family kitchen on a chilly night. It's pure comfort and easy to make ahead.

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

Individual pies feel nurturing and a little indulgent, like dinner at a relative's house where everyone is polite and something is simmering under the surface.

Homemade Black-and-White Cookies

A classic New York bakery treat. The two-tone icing is a sweet nod to the story's moral gray areas, and they're simple to bake the day before.

To sip

The Inheritance Hot Toddy

Bourbon, honey, lemon, and a cinnamon stick. It's warm and soothing, with a bit of richness, fitting for a story about wealth in the family.

Stoop-Side Mulled Red Wine

A slow cooker of spiced wine that fills the room with a cozy brownstone-in-autumn smell and lets guests serve themselves.

Vanilla Cinnamon Hot Chocolate No alcohol

A creamy, alcohol-free mug with whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon, for anyone who wants to stay snug and clear-headed.

Soft New York jazz and warm, homey classics, like lamplight in a brownstone parlor with a little mischief in the air

Tap a track to play it. Full songs play when you're signed into Spotify.

You're invited

Come Home to the Brownstone

Grab your coziest sweater and join us for warm mugs, comfort food, and a gentle chat about Shari Lapena's Getting Away With Murder. Slippers are encouraged, and suspicion is optional.

Trivia

1

Which country is Shari Lapena from?

Answer: Canada (she lives in Toronto)
2

What two careers did Shari Lapena have before becoming a novelist?

Answer: Lawyer and English teacher
3

What was Lapena's breakout debut thriller, published in 2016?

Answer: The Couple Next Door
4

Which Lapena thriller takes place at a snowbound country inn?

Answer: An Unwanted Guest
5

In which city is Getting Away With Murder set?

Answer: New York
6

A brownstone is a rowhouse faced with what material?

Answer: Reddish-brown sandstone
7

What genre label is most often used for Lapena's novels?

Answer: Domestic thriller (psychological suspense)