Elizabeth is Missing Book Club Discussion Questions

*If you are new here, WELCOME! For Elizabeth is Missing, I provide your book club with a brief summary and discussion questions in that order!

If you haven’t checked out the previous post in the series where I share my thoughts on Elizabeth is Missing and a fun activity idea for your book club, check out that post HERE.

You can also check out the second post in the series where I share several great food ideas for your book club based on the book HERE.

In this post, I’ll review the premise of Elizabeth is Missing and share book club discussion questions that are sure to get your book club talking!

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Looking for your next great read? Check out these similar books…

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Here’s a brief summary of Elizabeth is Missing:

In present day England, Maud is slowly losing her memory and her independence, but she won’t let it stop her from finding out exactly where her best friend, Elizabeth, has gone. Certain that Elizabeth is in grave danger, she resolves to find her despite the fact that no one–not her daughter or son, not the police, nor Elizabeth’s son–will listen to her.

Armed with notes to jog her memory, Maud delves deeper into the mystery of Elizabeth’s whereabouts, but the clues seem to lead her further and further into the past, to the disappearance of her sister, Sukey, shortly after WWII.

As Maud’s memories from over fifty years before come back with renewed clarity, Sukey’s disappearance and Elizabeth’s intersect in unexpected ways.

Elizabeth is Missing Book Club Discussion Questions:

*WARNING: May contain spoilers!

1. As Maud slips further and further into her Alzheimer’s disease, what did you learn about the illness? Was reading her side of things illuminating to you? How?
2. What did you think about Helen? Did you sympathize with her or were you frustrated as Maud often felt? If you’ve ever been a caregiver how did you relate to Helen’s struggles?
3. At the end of the book, Maud comes to a conclusion about what happened to Sukey based on what they unearth. Do you agree with her conjecture or do you think something else happened?
4. Why do you think Frank pursued Maud after Sukey’s disappearance? Why do you think Maud played along for the most part? If Frank was a killer, why did he stay so close, showing up often near his victim’s house?
5. What did you think about Douglas? Did you think he was just an innocent lodger with a crush or something more?
6. Do you believe the Mad Woman was actually “mad”? Why or why not? Society’s opinions have changed for the better for people struggling with mental illnesses. Why do you think people, especially after the horrific losses of WWII, still struggled to understand how grief might play apart in a person’s mental state?
7. Discuss the “unreliable narrator” in Maud. Did you enjoy reading a mystery from this unique character? Why or why not? What are other similar mystery books with unique narrators that you’ve read and enjoyed?
8. Maud knows and is frustrated when those around her patronize her even if she doesn’t fully understand why. Did this convict you of your own interactions with elderly people in your life? How did it help you see those struggling with end-of-life difficulties with more compassion?
9. While we finally learn the truth about Elizabeth’s whereabouts, Maud’s confusion continues. Elizabeth’s disappearance is mostly a vehicle through which Maud begins to relive Sukey’s disappearance. Discuss Maud’s confusion and the author’s use of the past and the present to intersect the two stories. Did you want to know more about Elizabeth?
10. Elizabeth is Missing has been adapted to film. Have you watched it? What did you think about the film verses the book? Have you ready any other novels where a character is struggling with Alzheimer’s that you would like to share with the group?

Don’t forget to check out the other posts in this series for Elizabeth is Missing! You can find fun book club ideas HERE and delicious food ideas HERE.

Have you read Elizabeth is Missing? What did you think? Did it satisfy you or were you left wishing for more? What are some similar books you’ve read?

Until next time, Happy Reading!

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