1. What is the significance of the movie Hot Blood on page 12?
2. How do you feel about Loris? Do you feel sympathy for her or anger toward her? Do you think the role of women in the 1950’s and 1960’s affected Loris’s life? How might it have been different if she had come of age in the 1970’s or 1980’s?
3. Do you think Loris’s lawyer, Bubby King, negotiated a fair settlement for her? (Chapter 5)
4. Loris and Phillip’s marriage is described as a “business agreement” on page 67. How would you describe their marriage? Did they trust each other?
5. Audrey is a highly respected and competent detective. Does that square with her incompetent driving skills?
6. In Chapter 15 Audrey tries to rescue a loon which has been soaked in oil. What do you think is the purpose of this story? Metaphorically, who does the beach walker represent? Who does the ocean represent? And, who does the loon represent?
7. On page 107 Audrey refers to the nursing home patients as “inmates.” What do you think the significance of that exchange between her and Billy was?
8. Do you think Attorney Coleman, representing Loris, violated legal or ethical standards? Or, was he simply looking out for the best interest of his client?
9. In Chapter 18, Audrey encounters teenagers who are feeding the alligators. What do you think is the significance? Who in the Campbell case was guilty of “skirting the law?”
10. What do you think is the significance of Loris’s neighbor, Mrs. Schaeffer? What does she reveal that is important to the resolution of the murder?
11. Mr. Campbell was committed to a nursing home on the recommendation of two resident physicians who only had contact with Mr. Campbell during his hospital stay. Do you think that this is appropriate or should there be more safeguards? Why do you think that it is so easy to commit an elderly person while it is so difficult to commit a younger person who suffers from schizophrenia and may pose a danger to society?
12. Eight different medications were prescribed to Phillip Campbell. Did you think that is unusual? Do you think that over-medication is a problem among the elderly?
13. The title of the book was chosen from the William Pitt quote, Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins. Do you think that the law failed Phillip Campbell? What was the tyranny?
14. Were you shocked by Attorney Jonathan Hampton’s statement that wives are not required to support husbands? Do you think in South Carolina law that is true? If not, were you surprised that there was no reaction from the judge? Why do you think Hampton took this position?
15. Audrey thought that the Confederate flag waving on the grounds of the State House held historical significance to the Campbell case. What do you think that was?
16. The Lawyer’s Ethics Commission investigates complaints but does not allow the complaining party to be a part of the action. Do you think this is fair? How should ethics complaints be handled?
17. Audrey is fascinated by history. Do you think that people can learn from history and apply that knowledge to current day events? Do you think that our legal system is better today than in the past? You often hear people say that the “world is going to hell in a hand basket.” Do you think that society is worse off today than in the past?
18. What do you think is the message of the book?
2. How do you feel about Loris? Do you feel sympathy for her or anger toward her? Do you think the role of women in the 1950’s and 1960’s affected Loris’s life? How might it have been different if she had come of age in the 1970’s or 1980’s?
3. Do you think Loris’s lawyer, Bubby King, negotiated a fair settlement for her? (Chapter 5)
4. Loris and Phillip’s marriage is described as a “business agreement” on page 67. How would you describe their marriage? Did they trust each other?
5. Audrey is a highly respected and competent detective. Does that square with her incompetent driving skills?
6. In Chapter 15 Audrey tries to rescue a loon which has been soaked in oil. What do you think is the purpose of this story? Metaphorically, who does the beach walker represent? Who does the ocean represent? And, who does the loon represent?
7. On page 107 Audrey refers to the nursing home patients as “inmates.” What do you think the significance of that exchange between her and Billy was?
8. Do you think Attorney Coleman, representing Loris, violated legal or ethical standards? Or, was he simply looking out for the best interest of his client?
9. In Chapter 18, Audrey encounters teenagers who are feeding the alligators. What do you think is the significance? Who in the Campbell case was guilty of “skirting the law?”
10. What do you think is the significance of Loris’s neighbor, Mrs. Schaeffer? What does she reveal that is important to the resolution of the murder?
11. Mr. Campbell was committed to a nursing home on the recommendation of two resident physicians who only had contact with Mr. Campbell during his hospital stay. Do you think that this is appropriate or should there be more safeguards? Why do you think that it is so easy to commit an elderly person while it is so difficult to commit a younger person who suffers from schizophrenia and may pose a danger to society?
12. Eight different medications were prescribed to Phillip Campbell. Did you think that is unusual? Do you think that over-medication is a problem among the elderly?
13. The title of the book was chosen from the William Pitt quote, Where Law Ends, Tyranny Begins. Do you think that the law failed Phillip Campbell? What was the tyranny?
14. Were you shocked by Attorney Jonathan Hampton’s statement that wives are not required to support husbands? Do you think in South Carolina law that is true? If not, were you surprised that there was no reaction from the judge? Why do you think Hampton took this position?
15. Audrey thought that the Confederate flag waving on the grounds of the State House held historical significance to the Campbell case. What do you think that was?
16. The Lawyer’s Ethics Commission investigates complaints but does not allow the complaining party to be a part of the action. Do you think this is fair? How should ethics complaints be handled?
17. Audrey is fascinated by history. Do you think that people can learn from history and apply that knowledge to current day events? Do you think that our legal system is better today than in the past? You often hear people say that the “world is going to hell in a hand basket.” Do you think that society is worse off today than in the past?
18. What do you think is the message of the book?
