11. Brynn makes a comparison between the pack mentality of dogs and that of humans. Collectively, humans can do so much good, but with a bad leader, that same collection of people so often descends to its lowest common denominator. Can you cite recent examples from the media of the concept of pack mentality? What group dynamics lead to the rise of a bad pack leader?
12. Despite their shared intimacy, Kevin Doogan has left Bone Gap and Brynn. Later, Brynn discovers the reason for this abandonment. What role has abandonment played in Brynn’s life, and how has it defined her personality?
13. When she was young, Brynn discovered her friend was being abused by her mother and instead of feeling horrified at the abuse, she feels jealous. Brynn thinks, I would have done anything for a mother, even let her hurt me. Is an abusive mother better than no mother at all? What would be worse, abandonment or abuse? Why?
14. When Brynn meets with her friends, old roles come to the surface and are relived in the social circle. Brynn finds that she easily slips back into the old role she occupied in her high-school peer group. What personality factors play into the role a person plays in their peer group? Are these roles unavoidable?
15. Several parenting styles are called into play in Fractured Truth. For instance, Hatch’s parents cover for his every mistake; Addy Barton’s parents, though supportive, appear unaware of what their child is actually doing; Ona Keene loves her son, even in the face of cultural prejudice; whereas Kitty Meath turns her back on her son for the same reason. What is your opinion of these parenting styles? How is each style attempting to show love—and why might each cause harm instead?
16. Fractured Truth introduces Agent Grabowski, an FBI agent specializing in criminal psychology. He takes an interest in Brynn’s culture. In the end, did he understand the Traveller community, or did he fall into the same prejudices held by most toward the Pavee subculture?
17. Do you see a shift in Brynn’s relationship with Colm in this book? Are Brynn’s feelings for Colm purely romantic, or is there another reason she’s drawn to him? Is there a pattern in her relationships with men? If so, do you see this pattern as coincidental, or is there something in Brynn’s personality that leads her to these unrequited-love relationships?
18. Brynn fails a drug test and her job is in jeopardy. How does she react? Is she still in denial? What motivates her in the end to finally face her addictions?
19. Brynn does something illegal to protect her beloved grandmother. Do you feel that family loyalty is more important than ethics? Would you do something illegal to protect your own family?
20. Sheriff Pusser believes the loss of his daughter was at the hands of a Pavee man. How has Pusser dealt with this loss and with that connection to the Travellers? How can people overcome a bias after facing personal tragedy that seems related to a certain group or culture?
21. Why do you think Sheriff Pusser is so willing to give Brynn a second chance? How do you perceive the relationship between Pusser and Brynn?
22. Several times, Brynn’s love for Wilco saved her from her own death, by suicide or accidental overdose. Does Brynn rely too heavily on her dog? What do you think would happen to Brynn if Wilco died? Do you think Brynn could make it on her own, without Wilco?
Photo Credit: Jon Dessen, Illini Studio
About the Author
Susan Furlong launched her Bone Gap Travellers mystery series with the acclaimed novel Splintered Silence, named one of the best books of the year by Strand Magazine. She is the author of several mysteries and a contributor to the New York Times bestselling Novel Idea Mysteries, under the pen name Lucy Arlington. Raised in North Dakota, she graduated from Montana State University. She and her family live in central Illinois. Visit her on Facebook or at www.susanfurlong.com.
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