The inciting incident of The Lemon Twist occurs when Iris receives the Nova Bay postcard, though she does not yet know it is from Sam and Sierra. How did you respond to Iris’s decision to search it for clues and track down the sender rather than ignore it? If you had received the postcard, do you think you would have answered it or set it aside?

Do you think Sam is justified in keeping Iris in the dark for a week and in deceiving her on the cassette tapes? Why or why not?

What are your thoughts on the “service” that Sam and Sierra provide to their clients, and on the idea of desperate people restarting their lives in such an extreme way? If you were in a similarly dire situation and Sierra made you the offer, how do you think you would respond?

Is there any moral gray area in Sam’s decision to use Sierra’s real illness as inspiration for the scheme? How did this choice affect your view of each of them?

Do you agree with Sam’s need to get away from home even though she leaves her underage sister behind in a volatile situation? How do you judge her choice as the novel unfolds?

What do you think drives Tony to expose the conspiracy surrounding the Center?

Do you think Tony should have written his initial true-crime book exposing the truth about the Roderick Center, or the mystery novel that preserves the secret? Which choice seems more ethical to you, and why?

Are you satisfied that Iris and Tony end up together? Would you have preferred an alternate ending in which Judd takes Iris back and Iris repairs her past instead of altering her future?

Sam and Sierra’s answer to the proverb “When life gives you lemons…” is “steal a glass of champagne.” How do you feel about their stance? Would you answer the proverb differently?

Did you come away from the novel with a sense of optimism, skepticism, or something else? What moments most shaped that feeling for you?

Did you anticipate any of the twists in this novel? Which ones surprised you the most, and why?