BKMT READING GUIDES
Little Black Lies
by Sandra Block
Paperback : 352 pages
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In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her ...
Introduction
She helps people conquer their demons. But she has a few of her own...
In the halls of the psychiatric ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is a resident in training, dedicated to helping troubled patients. However, she has plenty of baggage of her own. When Zoe becomes obsessed with questions about her own mother's death, the truth remains tauntingly out of reach, locked away within her nightmares of an uncontrollable fire. And as her adoptive mother loses her memory to dementia, the time to find the answers is running out.
As Zoe digs deeper, she realizes that the danger is not just in her dreams but is now close at hand. And she has no choice but to face what terrifies her the most. Because what she can't remember just might kill her.
Little Black Lies is about madness and memory - and the dangerous, little lies we tell ourselves just to survive.
Excerpt
Chapter OneShe picks an invisible bug off her face.
A pink sore swells up, adding to the constellation of scabs dotting her skin, remnants of previous invisible bugs. Tiffany is a “frequent flyer” as they say, in and out of the psychiatric ward. She’s been my patient twice already, both times delusional and coming off crystal meth. She does the usual circuit: emergency room, psych ward, rehab, streets, and repeat. A cycle destined to continue until interrupted by jail, death, or less likely, sobriety. Tiffany sits on her hospital bed staring off into space, the skimpy blue blanket over her knees. She is emaciated, her spine jutting out of the back of her hospital gown. A penny-sized patch of scalp gleams through her bleach-blonde, stringy roots, due to her penchant for yanking out clumps of hair (otherwise known as trichotillomania, in case Dr. Grant asks me, which he will.) ... view entire excerpt...
Discussion Questions
1. Do you have any friends or relatives with ADHD? Do you feel reading this book helped you understand them better?2. Zoe often seems uncomfortable in her own skin. Why do you think that is? Her height? Her ADHD? Her age? Do you recall feeling that way in your life?
3. During her residency, Zoe and her resident friends (Jason and Dr. A, for instance) are in constant contact with a stream of patients. Did their attitudes surprise you at all? Did this behind-the-scenes look at Zoe’s residency interest you?
Notes From the Author to the Bookclub
"A psychological suspense story smartly narrated... Zoe has a quick wit that emerges in wickedly unexpected ways."—New York Times Book Review "The suspense keeps building throughout until the shocking ending. This is a riveting debut from a promising new author."—Booklist "Little Black Lies is a darkly intriguing mystery with a feisty young doctor as its protagonist. Sandra Block pulls you in deep and doesn't let go."—Meg Gardiner, Edgar Award-winning author "Little Black Lies is a daring, original debut that explores the dark side of memory. In Zoe, Block has created a character who is complicated, smart, and sympathetic. I can't wait to see what Block has in store for Zoe next."—Heather Gudenkauf, New York Times bestselling authorBook Club Recommendations
Recommended to book clubs by 1 of 1 members.
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