Daughter of Deceit is in some ways identifiable as a representative of the gothic romance genre, but not in others. Readers may be interested in discussing how the novel fulfills their expectations of the genre, how it does not, and how that influences their response to the book and its characters.

The concentration purely on the female characters and de-emphasis of romantic fulfillment is unusual among Holt's novels. The character of Noelle, specifically, is likely to spark discussion as she is neither a typical gothic romance heroine, nor typical of Holt's heroines.

1. How would you describe Noelle Tremaston's personality and her role in the novel? Can you compare her to female protagonists of any other novels by Holt?

2. The notion that "the sins of the father are visited on the son" is offered in several contexts in Daughter of Deceit.

Do the events of the novel...