As the story unfolds, the reader begins to understand that not only is our protagonist trapped, but there are two other women living down in the cellar where she is sent to hide. And they are both called Judith.

Come a Little Closer is a story about making poor judgements and not knowing who to trust – yourself, or those who are telling you what to do and who you are.

Discussion points

1.At the start of the book, Callie (at that point unnamed) meets Thea and the doctor. Are there any warning signs that they are not the mild-mannered elderly couple they seem to be?

2.When Callie returns from her holiday and finds that Ian is refusing to move out, what options might she consider at that point, given that he is declaring a beneficial interest in her home? How might you have reacted?

3.When Tom Douglas discovers the body at Pennington Flash, what did you believe had happened to the girl? When you learned how she died, how did you feel about it?

4.When did you first start to be alarmed about Callie living in the house with Thea and Garrick?

5.After Callie returns to see Ian and throws his clothes out of the window, we realise that she has been given a drug designed to make her aggressive. What did you think about her reaction to Ian during that visit?

6.When Callie wakes up in the bath with Thea washing blood from her body, what did you think had happened?

7.Callie finds herself in the cellar with two other women who are both called Judith. What did you think was happening at that point? Why did you think they were they there?

8.Garrick says that trust is important in any relationship, and this is a theme throughout the book. Discuss the trust issues that arise between the various characters and how they might have been resolved.

9.How convinced were you that Callie killed Ian? If you thought that maybe she didn’t, what did you think when she saw the crime scene tape?

10.Tom’s brother, Jack, makes another appearance in this book. Discuss the dilemma that Tom always seems to find himself in when his brother turns up.

11.When Thea and Garrick stop visiting the women in the cellar what did you think might have happened? Were you surprised at the outcome?

12.Callie returns home, believing that Ian will be safely behind bars until she can get the locks changed, but Garrick gets inside her head, and she raises a cleaver above Ian’s head. Until this point how were you expecting the book to end?

13.What feelings did the book leave you with?

14.If you had the opportunity to ask the author a question about the book, what would it be?