When “happily ever after” begins to unravel... Happy Wife

In Happy Wife, Meredith Lavender and Kendall Shores deliver a twisty, glamorous thriller that peels back the polished surface of southern-luxury life to reveal secrets, suspicion, and shattered illusions.

Book Club Discussion Questions

Here are some questions to spark your discussion:

1. What was your first impression of Nora Davies? Did it change over the course of the book? If so, how and why?

2. How did the age gap and class difference between Nora and Will impact your perception of their marriage?

3. The setting of Winter Park plays a big role in the story. How did the social environment (country clubs, elite circles, neighbors watching) shape the events of the book?

4. The novel uses alternating timelines (before/romance and after/disappearance). How did that structure affect your reading experience?

5. Which supporting character did you find most compelling (for example: Este, Constance the ex-wife, Will’s daughter, any of the wives)? Why?

6. The theme of appearance vs reality is strong here. Identify a few moments where the “perfect life” facade cracked.

7. If you were Nora, what would you have done differently (or the same) after Will’s disappearance? Do you think she made good decisions?

8. What did you think about the ending?

9. If you were to pick a soundtrack or setting to match this novel’s mood (glamorous, suspenseful, secluded wealthy community), what would you choose?