The Concealers (34 page)
Authors: James J. Kaufman
Tags: #Fiction, #Women journalists, #Fathers and daughters, #Bank fraud
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GENERAL BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
FOR
THE CONCEALERS
By: James J Kaufman
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 1. The novel begins with reference to Morton's Fork. What is the relationship between this reference and the characters and situations in which they find themselves?
 2 What were your thoughts when you first read Mark Twain's quote, and did they change after you finished reading the novel? If so, how and why did they change?
 3. The prologue, through a critical scene, makes a connection with
The Collectibles,
Book One in The Collectibles Trilogy, and gives a glimpse of several significant scenes later in the book. Did this act as a spoiler or whet your appetite for the story? Why do you suppose the author included the scenes in the prologue?
 4. Why the title
The Concealers
? Who are the Concealers in this story?
 5. Given the circumstances, do you feel that Beth was justified in not telling Katherine the truth earlier about her relationship with Larry Manning and the identity of her real father? Should she have told Katherine, and if so, whenâin point of time and circumstance?
 6. Susan tells Katherine that everyone lies. Is that true? Is it ever right or acceptable to lie? If so, under what circumstances? Is withholding the truth the same as a lie?
 7. Has Preston fulfilled the commitment that he made to Joe Hart? If so, when and how? Has Preston's commitment to Joe been altered by Joe's death? Preston's frustration about his commitment was expressed in a question he asked himself, “How deep is the duty to the dead?” Can you name any instances in which anyone you know has made a commitment to a living person, and then failed to follow through after the person died? How do you assess this duty?
 8. Should Katherine have done more to help her friend in connection with Susan's alcoholism? If so, what should she have done and when? Was Susan a “Collectible” of Katherine's?
 9. Should Katherine have discussed with Preston his failure in Marcia's eyes to do more for P.J.? For the Collectibles?
10. In Chapter Two, the reader is introduced to the difficulties of hearing impairment in a young child, and in subsequent chapters, the readers learn how Preston and his wife each deal with these difficulties. How would you characterize Preston's understanding of the difficulty? How would you characterize his response? How would you characterize Marcia's understanding and response? Which approach would you have taken? Could you understand the alternative approach? How serious did you find these issues?
11. In Chapter Twenty-Eight, Katherine rides with her grandfather in his pickup truck, and she discusses Adrian's visit the preceding day to a Catholic church to light a candle. What impressions and feelings did you have from their discussion?
12. In Chapter Thirty-Eight, did you find that Tommy was annoyed with Preston? How would you characterize Tommy's attitude toward Preston and what do you think drove that attitude?
13. Did Carol Martin breach any ethical responsibilities with respect to telling Katherine about the results of her investigation?
14. Should Katherine have disclosed her relationship with her father in her first story involving the arrest of Austin Disley?
15. Should Sean have responded more to Katherine's outreach with her desire to run the facts by him in connection with her bank fraud story?
16. Did Katherine make the right decision in turning the story in? Why or why not?
17. Assuming
The Concealers
is the second act in a three-act play, and now that Katherine has made the decision to go with the story, what is your expectation in Book Three of the Trilogy? What do you think will happen to Preston and his company? What will happen to
The Collectibles
?
GENERAL BOOK CLUB QUESTIONS
FOR
THE CONCEALERS
By: James J Kaufman
Â
 1. The novel begins with reference to Morton's Fork. What is the relationship between this reference and the characters and situations in which they find themselves?
 2 What were your thoughts when you first read Mark Twain's quote, and did they change after you finished reading the novel? If so, how and why did they change?
 3. The prologue, through a critical scene, makes a connection with
The Collectibles,
Book One in The Collectibles Trilogy, and gives a glimpse of several significant scenes later in the book. Did this act as a spoiler or whet your appetite for the story? Why do you suppose the author included the scenes in the prologue?
 4. Why the title
The Concealers
? Who are the Concealers in this story?
 5. Given the circumstances, do you feel that Beth was justified in not telling Katherine the truth earlier about her relationship with Larry Manning and the identity of her real father? Should she have told Katherine, and if so, whenâin point of time and circumstance?
 6. Susan tells Katherine that everyone lies. Is that true? Is it ever right or acceptable to lie? If so, under what circumstances? Is withholding the truth the same as a lie?
 7. Has Preston fulfilled the commitment that he made to Joe Hart? If so, when and how? Has Preston's commitment to Joe been altered by Joe's death? Preston's frustration about his commitment was expressed in a question he asked himself, “How deep is the duty to the dead?” Can you name any instances in which anyone you know has made a commitment to a living person, and then failed to follow through after the person died? How do you assess this duty?
 8. Should Katherine have done more to help her friend in connection with Susan's alcoholism? If so, what should she have done and when? Was Susan a “Collectible” of Katherine's?
 9. Should Katherine have discussed with Preston his failure in Marcia's eyes to do more for P.J.? For the Collectibles?
10. In Chapter Two, the reader is introduced to the difficulties of hearing impairment in a young child, and in subsequent chapters, the readers learn how Preston and his wife each deal with these difficulties. How would you characterize Preston's understanding of the difficulty? How would you characterize his response? How would you characterize Marcia's understanding and response? Which approach would you have taken? Could you understand the alternative approach? How serious did you find these issues?
11. In Chapter Twenty-Eight, Katherine rides with her grandfather in his pickup truck, and she discusses Adrian's visit the preceding day to a Catholic church to light a candle. What impressions and feelings did you have from their discussion?
12. In Chapter Thirty-Eight, did you find that Tommy was annoyed with Preston? How would you characterize Tommy's attitude toward Preston and what do you think drove that attitude?
13. Did Carol Martin breach any ethical responsibilities with respect to telling Katherine about the results of her investigation?
14. Should Katherine have disclosed her relationship with her father in her first story involving the arrest of Austin Disley?
15. Should Sean have responded more to Katherine's outreach with her desire to run the facts by him in connection with her bank fraud story?
16. Did Katherine make the right decision in turning the story in? Why or why not?
17. Assuming
The Concealers
is the second act in a three-act play, and now that Katherine has made the decision to go with the story, what is your expectation in Book Three of the Trilogy? What do you think will happen to Preston and his company? What will happen to
The Collectibles
?
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