The Deadly Spark by Roxie Key

Please find the discussion questions for our July 2024 pick, The Deadly Spark by Roxie Key below! I’d love to hear what you thought of the book.

• You can the ongoing book club discussions in the Facebook group here.
• You can order your copy of the book here.

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 1 

Prologues: love them or hate them, they’re everywhere. Do you like prologues in

general? Did you like the prologue for The Deadly Spark, or do you think the novel would have been improved without it, and why?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 2

What do the settings of Brighton and Plockton, and the distance between them, bring to the story? Do you feel the story would be a different experience if it was set elsewhere?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 3

The Deadly Spark uses a lot of flashbacks, as well as a dual narrative. How did you find it to follow, and did you enjoy it?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 4

Both Eve and Anya struggle with strong feelings of guilt: Eve for Frankie, and Anya for Sylvie and Lisette. Do you feel their guilt is justified or not, and why? Do you empathise with both of these characters, or one more than the other?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 5

Do you think Eve Starling makes a good detective? Could you see her rising through the ranks and taking over Gillian’s job one day? If not, who in the team do you think is the strongest candidate?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 6

Did you guess Jason’s true colours before they were revealed, or was it a gasp out loud moment for you? If you guessed it, what gave the game away? If you didn’t, who did you think it was and why?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 7

How do you feel about the final twist? Did you suspect them all along or was it a surprise? Does it affect how much you liked or disliked them as a person?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 8

How do you think the lives of Eve and Anya panned out after the story finished?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 9

The Deadly Spark features strong female leads and a diverse cast of characters in terms of race, sexuality and multiple regional accents. How important do you think this is in modern crime fiction, and do you think the author achieved this successfully?

THE DEADLY SPARK: QUESTION 10

The Deadly Spark is a blend of police procedural and psychological suspense. How do you feel about this blending of genres? Do you think one genre within the book worked better than the other, or do you think there was a good balance?