Look Closer

1. General Impressions

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

• What were your overall impressions of Look Closer? Discuss what you liked most and least about the novel.
• Compare this book to other crime thrillers by David Ellis and/or by other authors. (For more information about the genre, refer to the Background section of this guide.)

2. Personal Reflection and Connection

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

• Look Closer examines the darker aspects of human nature. These characters, despite their apparent status in life, act with callous disregard for others, and greed motivates them to commit heinous crimes and perpetrate deception. Reflect on any part of the story that evoked a particularly strong emotional response.
• One of the book’s themes is The Deceptive Nature of Appearances. Discuss how this theme relates to your personal views or experiences.
• Explore connections between your life and the experiences of the characters. Did any of their experiences resonate with you?
• The perpetrators of many scams today have no previous relationship with their targets. However, in the novel, characters within the same social circles (who, as the novel gradually reveals, are aware of one another’s nefarious backgrounds and plans) engage in scamming one another, despite their status and wealth. Have you experienced or observed this type of scamming?

3. Societal and Cultural Context

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

• Analyze how Look Closer reflects or comments on current societal issues regarding personal values, wealth, and the prevalence of scams.
• Discuss how the novel’s setting in an upper-class Chicago suburb (and among characters who are wealthy) influences the story. How might the story differ if it were set in a less affluent neighborhood (and among characters who were economically disadvantaged)?

4. Literary Analysis

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

• Look Closer uses a complex narrative structure in which one timeline leads up to the murder on Halloween night, while another is after the murder, and the two timelines converge in the climax. Is this an effective approach? Why or why not?
• The novel alternates among the first-person perspectives of Simon, Vicky, Jane, and Christian; interspersed with their accounts are entries from Simon’s diary from the several months before the murder. However, the novel gradually reveals that all the narrators are unreliable and that Simon’s diary entries are fake. What impact does this misdirection have on the story?
• Discuss the novel’s use of literary devices. For instance, which character(s) are a foil to one another? Does foreshadowing or irony come into play? If so, how?
• Explore the significance of the Chicago suburban setting and its contribution to the book’s tone.
• Discuss the novel’s major themes (The Deceptive Nature of Appearances, The Dispensation of Justice, The Traumatic Effects of Suicide on Survivors, and any others you identified). How do they contribute to the novel’s impact?
• Examine how the novel’s symbols and motifs (Simon’s Journal, Champagne and Glasses, The Chicago Title & Trust Building, and any others you identified) are relevant to the story. Do they relate to specific themes, characters, or plot developments?

5. Creative Engagement

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

• If you were charged with adapting Look Closer into a movie, series, or play, which would you choose and why? Who would you cast in the lead roles? How might you approach scripting, set or production design, scoring, directing, and other aspects of the project?
• Create a playlist that captures the novel’s mood or themes. Alternatively, assemble a playlist from selections that capture the novel’s various characters.
• Imagine a sequel or continuation of the story. Where do you think the characters would go next? How might their experiences in this story affect their subsequent trajectories? Have they learned any lessons that make them better people?

Need more inspiration for your next meeting? Browse all of our Book Club Resources.