The Spy's Wife book club notes

From the windswept moors of the Yorkshire dales to the noisy beer halls of Munich and grand country estates in the picture-book Bavarian mountains, this is a lively and high-stakes thriller that will keep you second-guessing until the very end.

Settle in with a cuppa and a sweet treat, then use the questions below to get the conversation started at your next book club meeting.

Discussion points and questions:

• Evie is a stationmaster’s daughter but what attributes does she possess that can be leveraged to make her a spy?
• Evie makes a number of very bold moves throughout the course of this story. Which act in particular did you think was the boldest of all?
• Did you think Evie was a brave character or a foolhardy one?
• Evie tells Max, ‘Everything about you is a secret.’ Were there any aspects of his life about which he was being true?
• ‘Now that I’m in love, I don’t know how to be out of love with you.’ Can you appreciate Evie’s predicament, or should rational thought override emotion in such a scenario?
• Evie describes her love for Max as intense and frightening. Is this ever a good thing?
• Do you think Evie is convincing in her role as the good wife of the German engineer?
• Evie learns the first lesson in spying: ‘Don’t share information when you don’t have to.’ What other important lessons does she learn about espionage in a time of war?
• Evie and Max are told that ‘no problem’s too great when there is love’. Do you agree?
• Did you sympathise with Max’s motives in becoming a spy for the Germans? Is there anything you would not do for your own child?
• Evie believed that Max withheld the truth from her for all the right reasons. Is there ever a good reason to do so?
• The novel features some stunning picturesque locations. Which have been your favourite settings in this book and other novels by Fiona McIntosh?