Thriller Book Club Questions

Is your book club reading a thriller?

If so, in addition to a great page-turner and a few bottles of wine, you’ll need some thought-provoking questions to ignite the conversation. A successful book club elevates the friendly small talk into an insightful discussion about the book the group agreed to read, and that can be challenging.

We’ve put together a of list questions for your book club to generate a fervent discussion about your thriller.

1. The reader should immediately connect to the main character and be able to identify with him or her. Did you immediately connect to the protagonist? Why or why not?

2. An exhilarating opening chapter sets the pace for the rest of the thriller. Did the opening grab you?

3. How did the setting impact the story? Did you learn anything and would you want to read more books in that setting?

4. Thrillers tend to end chapters with a shocking reveal, confession, or unexpected twist to keep the reader turning the pages. Which cliffhanger or twist surprised you the most?

5. Did the main character make any decisions that you didn’t agree with?

6. Thrillers generally have a race-against-time pace that ups the stakes and feeds the reader’s adrenaline rush. What was the ticking clock in this book and what would’ve happened if the protagonist failed?

7. A good villain is a multi-dimensional character with understandable motives, even if they’re not justifiable. What are your thoughts about this book’s antagonist? Did you feel any sympathy for his or her motives? 

8. How long did it take you to read the book? Was there a point where you just couldn’t put it down?

9. Are there any plot points that weren’t resolved or addressed in the end?

10. A great thriller delivers an epic ending—one that sticks with you for days, if not weeks. Did the conclusion of this book shock or surprise you? Did you feel the book’s theme or statement changed after reading the ending?