Reading Group Questions

1. In many Jonathan Kellerman novels, the city of L.A. is integral to the plot. How does the unnamed setting in The Conspiracy Club add to its atmosphere? Do you feel you know this place?

2. Dr. Jeremy Carrier is devastated by the brutal murder of his girlfriend, Jocelyn Banks. If you were in similarly frustrated and disturbed state, what lengths might you go to resolve this unsettled situation?

3. At times, Jeremy feels he is being manipulated. Do you feel he makes the right choices, given his options?

4. His work as a hospital staff psychologist does not suffer because of Jeremy's detached, depressed state. Why do you suppose that is?

5. Are there times when it may be justified for one to take the law in to one's own hands? Can you think of a situation where the ends may justify the means?

6. We gradually learn more about the past of the enigmatic, fascinating Dr. Arthur Chess. Do you understand and respect the choices he's made?

7. Dirgrove and his brother Graves are medical doctors drunk with their power. Does a vocation where one is entrusted with life and death decisions lead to this sort of egotism, and perhaps even abuse? What other positions might engender such abuse of power?

8. As a psychologist, Jeremy has a wealth of clinical experience to draw upon in understanding human behavior. Yet when it comes to his own behavior, he doesn't always seem in control. What is this personality flaw, and how does it surface in his personal and professional life?