Book Club Questions

  • How does Ruby’s upbringing affect her work as a journalist?
  • Why do you think the Blitz, and stories associated with the sacrifices and heroism of that time, still resonate with us today?
  • The character of Nigel is a fairly antediluvian one, even in a 1940s setting. How typical do you think he is of men in male-dominated professions at that time?
  • At the end of Chapter 12, Ruby tells herself that the warm welcome from the Tremaine family is nothing more than a “fairy tale” that is destined to end. At what point do you think she finally is able to believe in the fairy tale? Or at least have confidence that she does belong with them?
  • What do you think Simon the cat represents to Ruby?
  • If you were Ruby, would you have tried harder to get to the bottom of Bennett’s mysterious work? Was she right to decide not to investigate? Or do you think she ought to have persevered?
  • When Ruby tells Dan Mazur that wartime controls over the press, such as censorship, are a necessary evil, and that he should “just get on with it,” is she right? Can such controls ever be justified, even at a time of total war?
  • If Mary had survived the war, do you think she would have eventually acknowledged her relationship with Kaz? Or would it have been reasonable for her to continue to believe that ambition was irreconcilable with marriage and motherhood?
  • When Ruby explains the reasons for her deceptions about her past, do you sympathize with her? Or do her actions anger you?
  • In the days and weeks following D-Day, do you think Ruby should have been more intrepid? Should she have tried harder to get to France, even if it meant breaking the rules?
  • Three characters from the author’s previous books make cameo appearances in Goodnight from London. Do you like this reminder of previous stories or is it something you can do without?
  • How do you think Ruby and Bennett will make the adjustment to postwar life? Do you see Bennett making a return to life as a barrister? And how far do you think Ruby’s ambition will take her?