Readers unfamiliar with the Spenser series may want to discuss Spenser's character, his code of values, and his relationships with Spenser, Hawk, Martin Quirk, and others. In particular, Spenser's relationship with Susan, which is clouded by Susan's interest in adopting a child, may be an opening for exploring the novel.

Other areas of approach might concern the Stapletons' cover-up of the crime and the nature of Clint Stapleton's crime itself. Readers may wish to consider the extent to which wealth and power in the novel seem to be effective in influencing the criminal justice system, and to offer their views as to whether such forces actually do influence the criminal justice system in reality. Another area of interest is the question of whether the very wealthy can actually hire assassins like Rugar to execute troublesome antagonists.

1. In view of the current social ridicule of lawyers, what...