1. Consider the unspoken accommodations made in Jamie's marriage as well as that of the Ryans. How important is emotional honesty in a relationship? When is it acceptable to hold back from one's partner, if at all?
2. Jamie is obsessed with the idea of Michael's guilt, consumed with the need for answers, but she herself made decisions the morning of the accident that contributed to Sam's death. Is one more responsible than the other? Why?
3. Though she initially fixates on Michael's two-year-old son Matthew, Jamie finds herself drawn to Meghan—a relationship that ultimately disarms her. Despite this, she willingly uses the girl as a pawn in her plans for revenge. What does that say about her? Is morality absolute or is it a fluid thing, dependent on circumstance?
4. Discuss Michael's physical aggression the night he forces himself on Jamie. Was this sexual assault or does her response and its complicated implications make it something else?
5. Michael's interest in Jamie seems to intensify once he learns her true identity, as if he's increasingly drawn by the risk she poses. Discuss this from the standpoint of addiction.
6. Consider the role of Orion's myth in the novel, the ways in which the paranormal intervenes in the course of events. Have you ever experienced this kind of divine or otherworldly intervention?