READERS GUIDE

Reader’s Guide
Stone Cold Fox by Rachel Koller Croft
Discussion Questions:


1. Were you rooting for Bea? Did you like her? Dislike her? In your opinion, is hers a happy ending or a cautionary tale?

2. A complicated mother-daughter relationship is at the center of Stone Cold Fox. How do you think it affected Bea as an adult and do you think she accomplished her goal of being different from Mother? Were there any moments that made you think of your relationship with your own mother, for better or for worse?

3. Did you ever relate to Bea’s strong point-of-view as the narrator? What did you find truthful? What did you find upsetting? Or did you relate more to a different character’s experience?

4. Syl brings out a warmth in Bea that she never really displayed before, especially in the company of other women. Why do you think Syl had that ability? Are there people in your life that naturally bring out the best in others? Are you one of those people?

5. The men in Stone Cold Fox are largely in the background—Collin Case, Hayes Case, Dave Bradford, Mother’s husbands. Still, they play a huge role in Bea’s life, whether she recognizes that or not. How do you think Bea feels about men in general, and is her position warranted?

6. The cat-and-mouse game between Bea and Gale creates much of the conflict in Stone Cold Fox. Did you ever find yourself rooting for Gale? If so, why? And why do you think Gale participates at all?

7. Collin and his family are firmly in the so-called upper echelon of society and the setting of Stone Cold Fox reflects that. Did you find the Case family’s lifestyle aspirational or repugnant—or somewhere in between? Did you find Bea’s musings on money and wealth to be true or misguided? Do you think the Cases will ever truly accept Bea?

8. The flashbacks to Bea’s childhood offer a glimpse into how Bea grew into the woman she is today. Did you find these scenes helpful when reading, or a hindrance? Which one made the most impact on your estimation of Bea as a character?

9. What do you make of Bea’s impressions of what a family is and is not? What do you think Bea wants from a true family dynamic of her own? Did you find any family dynamics in Stone Cold Fox similar to your own?

10. What did you think of the ending? Especially of the gift for Bea at the end?