A Quiet Storm: A Novel [Paperback]

In this vividly written, suspense-driven novel, the secrets shared between two sisters erupt in tragedy.
Rikki Moore was always the star of the family, easily outshining her younger sister, Stacy, at every turn. Smart, kind, and beautiful, it was no surprise when Rikki met and married the perfect man -- pediatrician Matt Dresden. Her students at 59th Street Elementary School adored her, the church matrons solicited her help on every committee, and everyone wanted the golden couple to put in an appearance at their parties. Stacy? She was just the overweight little sister who couldn't get her love life together.
But the world didn't know about the storms that rippled just beneath the surface of Rikki's image of perfection. Ever since she was a teenager there were emotional breakdowns and obsessive behaviors -- secrets that Stacy was left to bear alone. Folks whispered, but they didn't know. When Rikki's husband, Matt, mysteriously disappears, however, the Moore family's carefully constructed image comes crashing down.Rachel Howzell Hall lives in Los Angeles.Reading Group Guide forA Quiet Storm

DISCUSSION POINTS
1. Religion is a persistent theme throughoutA Quiet Stormand Seventh-Day Adventism is the cultural backdrop for the book. Is religion, as it is seen in the Moore family, a burden or a blessing? What do the biblical excerpts from Rikki's journal mean in the context of the unfolding story? In reference to the characters' developments?
2. In chapter 5, look at Jacques's shocked reaction to the disparity in how the sisters are treated. Similarly, look at the paragraph in chapter 6 that begins I told Mommy about my conversation..., especially the paragraph's last four lines. Explore the concept of favorite or spoiled children and why you think Rikki gets such special treatment from her mother and father. Why is Stacy considered last, if she is considered at all? Explain whether or not you think Stacy'slƒ-