"Companion" novels are relatively rare. What advantages does Higgins claim by producing two short narratives that play off one another in the fashion of Trust and Victories? What would have been the difference if he melded the two narratives into a single, large volume?

1. Discuss the meanings of the two titles. Who "trusts" whom in Trust (And what are the consequences of trust?) Who achieves "victory" in Victories? (And what does "victory" mean?)

2. Which is the more successful novel? Why?

3. Robert B. Parker's Playmates (1989) deals with a situation similar to that which Higgins explores in Trust. Compare the two treatments.

4. Sports and politics are activities that often seem to share common qualities and even common metaphors.

Henry Briggs is a ball player turned politician. What connections does Higgins imply between these two arenas of competition?

5. What is the importance of the date of the two novels...