Lehane has often said that he is fascinated by mortal acts, not by the pursuit of the criminal who committed those acts. In this novel, the murder of Katie Marcus and its effects on the family and the neighborhood are explored in as much depth as is the question of who killed her. A group discussion could begin by analyzing the circumstances surrounding the nineteenyear-old's death and the scenes in which Jimmy reflects on her last hours, scenes in which he gains total reader sympathy. Discussing how Lehane shows both the strengths and the weaknesses of his main characters can also be insightful.

1. Why were Dave, Sean, and Jimmy thrown together as children? How was their childhood status affected by their fathers' work?

2. How did each boy's family situation affect his choices as he grew older?

3. How is each man changed by the woman he chooses...