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Hotel Paradise by Martha Grimes

Summary

A neglected lake, covered with water lilies and rimmed by blowing grass. A once fashionable, now fading resort hotel. A derelict house full of secrets and dusty furnishings, uninhabited for almost half a century. The death-by-drowning of a twelve-year-old girl forty years in the past. And another twelve-year-old girl who grows increasingly obsessed with this death. With her knack for encouraging adults to reminisce, she begins to put together the pieces of a past and present puzzle.

248 pages, 7th grade and up

Discussion questions

Warning! Some of the questions contain key elements of the plot. Do not read if you don't want to know what happens!

  1. Describe Emma. What is she like? What are her strengths? What are her faults?
  2. What is Emma's role at the Hotel Paradise? How has the hotel changed over the years?
  3. Describe Great Aunt Aurora Paradise.
  4. Emma has many friendships with adults around Spirit Lake, but few with kids her own age. Why is this?
  5. How do those adult friendships come in handy with her investigations?
  6. Who was your favorite character, besides Emma, and why?
  7. What is Ree-Jane like? Would you want her as your housemate?
  8. Emma says, "The county sheriff is the real bright spot in my life." (11). What is Emma's relationship with the sheriff? What does the sheriff appreciate about Emma?
  9. Is Emma lonely?
  10. How do Ulub and Ubub help Emma with her investigation?
  11. How did Mary Evelyn die?
  12. Who is Fern and how did she die?
  13. There is lot of humor as well as mystery in this novel. Find a part you found funny and share with the group.
  14. Are you satisfied with the ending of this book? Why or why not?

Snacks: Emma thinks her mom is the greatest cook in the whole world. If you are meeting over lunch or dinner time, bring salad fixings for discussion participants to make salads a la Emma. Consider serving chili like Emma eats with the sheriff in the diner.

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