1. Why do you think Janeen stayed in her bad marriage for so long? Was it wrong for her to fantasize about another man? Do you think she should have handled Rollin any differently?

2. Rollin was in a tough position, having to ignore his emotions in favor of his work. Did you empathize with him, or were you angry at him for not protecting Janeen better?

3. Sissy is an impulsive and not always thoughtful person. Did you like her? Did your feelings toward her change over time? Was she either right or smart to keep Ray's secrets and help him in his schemes? Does she bear any responsibility for Mrs. May Lee's death?

4. Why did Sissy work so hard to act cool around Cooper, even when she was startled by his sudden reappearance? What did you think of her decision to resume her relationship with him?

5. Janeen has started two successful businesses of her own—the real-estate company and Magnolia's. Why, then, do you think her job and the respect of the Old Man are so important to her? Do you think she has her priorities straight?

6. Janeen offers Val a subsidized education and a business to manage at the end of it. In what ways will her generosity pay off?

7. The book club is an important gathering place for the women in this novel, and discussing The Women of Newberry was a life-changing event for some of them. In what ways can identifying with characters be helpful or hurtful? What does discussing a book with friends add to the experience of reading it?

8. Joyce's feelings of shame kept her from church, and kept her from having a completely open relationship with her sisters. How else did keeping secrets come between relationships in this novel? Were any of them better never discovered?

9. At the heart of this novel are the relationships between sisters. How do you think Joyce, Janeen, and Sissy will treat each other now that all the secrets are out in the open? Will their relationships change or will they stay essentially the same?

10. Who would you cast in a movie of this novel to play the major characters?