Ask for Andrea

Why is it significant that James is a husband and father? How does this characterization add complexity to the plot? Would the significance have been the same if he had young sons rather than daughters?

How does April’s characterization change over the course of the novel, and how do the other women initially view her? What does this say about assumptions and judgments regarding women, even if this is dealt from other women?

Ihli uses the concept of an afterlife to drive the narrative but also to give the three protagonists a (relatively) positive ending. How does the real-life possibility of either no afterlife or a different sort of afterlife underscore the urgency of the discussion surrounding Agency and Victims of Violence?

As ghosts, all three of the women are frustrated by their inability to communicate with the living. How does this aspect of their experience relate to a broader vulnerability that women might experience?

Why does it take April so long to realize that her husband has violent tendencies, and how does this delayed response speak to Agency and the Victims of Violence?

What makes James so appealing to the various women he meets through the dating app, and how does Ihli comment on the danger of digital communication?

After James is arrested and charged, he is imprisoned, and his family is free of his violence and control. How does the novel consider the obstacles—legal, financial, and otherwise—that April might face as she attempts to protect her family?

To what extent has justice been served at the end of the novel? Why was it important that James be charged with all three of the murders?