The Writing Class A Novel [Paperback]

Amy Gallup was a promising writer once--published and highly praised at twenty-two. It was all downhill from there, and now, year in and year out, she teaches a writing workshop at the local university extension. And this semester begins just the same as the others. But then there's a threatening phone call, followed by obscene threats worked into the student's peer evaluations. Then a murder--and every one of the students is a suspect. The clues are hidden in their writing, and she (and we) can solve the murder only by looking more closely at each writer's attempts at fiction. Hilarious, vicious, and elegantly written,The Writing Classexamines the desperation, perversion, and mania of the writing life through an unforgettable mystery story.

Warning: This guide contains key plot points and spoilers. Enter at your own risk.

1. This novel incorporates many voices--student writing, the Sniper's notes, emails, traditional narration--to tell its story. Why do you think the author chose to reproduce the actual documents, rather than just describing them? What is the effect on the story?
2. What motivated Edna to torment and murder her classmates? Were there any clues in her fiction that she had the capacity to be a killer?
3. Is Amy a good teacher? How does her private life contribute to the way she teaches her class?
4. What compels the students to keep attending class, even when they know the Sniper is among them? Does their interest in writing and storytelling have anything to do with it?
5. How do you interpret the novel's last lines? What is Amy thanking them for, and why do you think the author ends the story on this note?
6. How would you describe Amy and Carla's relationship? Are they friends? What does each get from the other?
7. How does Amy cope with the presence of the Sniper? As the Sniper became more menacing, did she react differently to the threat than you would have?
8. Were you surprised to learn who the lS!