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Book club questions for Holly by Stephen King explore the themes of mystery, resilience, personal transformation, and the dark secrets that can lurk beneath seemingly ordinary lives. There will be spoilers so for more context about the novel, check out my spoiler-free review first.
I loved the story, and you don’t need to have read any other Holly books to enjoy it. I think everyone should give it a try, even if you haven’t read King before. I really hope there will be more Holly books in the future.
What were your impressions of this novel? ✨
Holly by Stephen King
I hope you will enjoy the thoughtfully crafted book club questions tailored for Holly in this blog post. Further below you will also find a downloadable PDF version I’ve prepared for your book clubs (available at the bottom of the post), along with supplementary suggestions for books that share similar themes and narratives.
Let me know if you find these book club questions useful. I’m excited to hear your unique perspectives during your book club discussions!
Book Club Questions | Additional Recommendations | Printable List
About the Story
Stephen King’s latest book, “Holly,” introduces us to the smart and resourceful character Holly Gibney. In this thrilling novel, Holly takes on a challenging case to uncover the truth behind several disappearances in a Midwestern town.
Even though Holly is facing personal challenges and is meant to be on leave, she can’t resist helping when Penny Dahl desperately asks for assistance in finding her missing daughter.
The investigation leads Holly to Professors Rodney and Emily Harris, seemingly respectable but harboring a dark secret related to the disappearances.
About the Author
Stephen King, born in 1947 in Portland, Maine, is a famous writer known for his spooky and thrilling stories. He grew up with his mom after his parents split up when he was young, moving around quite a bit.
After going to the University of Maine, he started writing stories for magazines. His big break came in 1973 when his novel “Carrie” was accepted for publication. That’s when he decided to be a full-time writer instead of a teacher.
Over the years, Stephen and his wife Tabitha have made significant contributions to literature, scholarship programs, and charitable causes. With numerous accolades and an enduring legacy, Stephen King remains an influential figure in contemporary American literature.
Book Club Questions for Holly
- In the book “Holly,” Stephen King introduces us to the character Holly Gibney. How does Holly’s character evolve from her earlier appearances in Stephen King’s works, such as “Mr. Mercedes” and “The Outsider”? Did you find her character development convincing?
- How do you think the absence of supernatural elements affected the story? Did you miss these elements, or did you appreciate the change in focus?
- Did you find the political themes distracting or integral to the story? How do you think the incorporation of political elements impacted the overall narrative?
- How did you feel about Holly’s decision to take on Penny Dahl’s case despite her personal challenges and her leave of absence? What motivated her to get involved, and did you find her actions justified?
- The Harris couple is depicted as complex characters with a hidden, dark side. Discuss the tension between their public personas and their secret activities. How did their characters contribute to the overall sense of dread in the story?
- Holly’s profession as a private investigator requires her to confront disturbing cases. How does her dedication to seeking the truth impact her personally, and how does she cope with the darkness she encounters?
- Despite the absence of supernatural elements, “Holly” is described as a gripping story. What aspects of the storytelling kept you engaged and eager to read more? Were there any specific scenes or plot developments that stood out to you?
- The novel opens with a disturbing scene involving Jorge Castro and the Harris couple. How did this scene set the tone for the rest of the book, and what were your initial impressions of the Harris couple based on this encounter?
- Holly Gibney is a unique character, described as having autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and sensory processing disorder. How did King’s portrayal of Holly’s character resonate with you, and how did her personal challenges influence her actions and decisions throughout the story?
- Stephen King’s books often feature interconnected characters and references to his other works. Were there any connections or references in “Holly” that you noticed or found intriguing? How do these connections enhance your reading experience?
- The book touches on contemporary issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic, Black Lives Matter, Trump, and the January 6 insurrection. How did these real-world events shape the story and contribute to its themes?
- The book explores the theme of hidden secrets and darkness beneath seemingly ordinary lives. Discuss the portrayal of Professors Rodney and Emily Harris and their secret in the basement. How did their characters contribute to the suspense and tension in the story?
- King often blends horror with human kindness in his storytelling. How did the author’s portrayal of characters’ inner landscapes and their goodness contrast with the disturbing acts of violence in the book? What effect did this have on your reading experience?
- Holly reflects on the idea of providence and a force in the affairs of people standing against evil. How did this theme of good versus evil play out in the novel, and what are your thoughts on Holly’s perspective?
- The novel introduces a wide cast of characters, each with their own stories and connections to the central mystery. Which character or subplot stood out to you the most, and why?
- How would you compare “Holly” to other works by Stephen King that you’ve read? Do you think it ranks among his best works, or does it have its own unique appeal?
Additional Recommendations
Hope you enjoyed the book club discussion questions and reading guide for Holly by Stephen King!
Here are some more of my book club recommendations related to this book:
Fairy Tale by Stephen King
Legendary storyteller Stephen King goes into the deepest well of his imagination in this spellbinding novel about a seventeen-year-old boy who inherits the keys to a parallel world where good and evil are at war, and the stakes could not be higher—for that world or ours.
Charlie Reade looks like a regular high school kid, great at baseball and football, a decent student. But he carries a heavy load. His mom was killed in a hit-and-run accident when he was seven, and grief drove his dad to drink. Charlie learned how to take care of himself—and his dad. When Charlie is seventeen, he meets a dog named Radar and her aging master, Howard Bowditch, a recluse in a big house at the top of a big hill, with a locked shed in the backyard. Sometimes strange sounds emerge from it.
Charlie starts doing jobs for Mr. Bowditch and loses his heart to Radar. Then, when Bowditch dies, he leaves Charlie a cassette tape telling a story no one would believe. What Bowditch knows, and has kept secret all his long life, is that inside the shed is a portal to another world.
King’s storytelling in Fairy Tale soars. This is a magnificent and terrifying tale in which good is pitted against overwhelming evil, and a heroic boy—and his dog—must lead the battle.
Early in the Pandemic, King asked himself: “What could you write that would make you happy?”
“As if my imagination had been waiting for the question to be asked, I saw a vast deserted city—deserted but alive. I saw the empty streets, the haunted buildings, a gargoyle head lying overturned in the street. I saw smashed statues (of what I didn’t know, but I eventually found out). I saw a huge, sprawling palace with glass towers so high their tips pierced the clouds. Those images released the story I wanted to tell.”
The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager
Be careful what you watch for . . .
Casey Fletcher, a recently widowed actress trying to escape a streak of bad press, has retreated to the peace and quiet of her family’s lake house in Vermont. Armed with a pair of binoculars and several bottles of bourbon, she passes the time watching Tom and Katherine Royce, the glamorous couple living in the house across the lake. They make for good viewing—a tech innovator, Tom is powerful; and a former model, Katherine is gorgeous.
One day on the lake, Casey saves Katherine from drowning, and the two strike up a budding friendship. But the more they get to know each other—and the longer Casey watches—it becomes clear that Katherine and Tom’s marriage isn’t as perfect as it appears. When Katherine suddenly vanishes, Casey immediately suspects Tom of foul play. What she doesn’t realize is that there’s more to the story than meets the eye—and that shocking secrets can lurk beneath the most placid of surfaces.
Packed with sharp characters, psychological suspense, and gasp-worthy plot twists, Riley Sager’s The House Across the Lake is the ultimate escapist read . . . no lake house required.
The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches by Sangu Mandanna
A warm and uplifting novel about an isolated witch whose opportunity to embrace a quirky new family—and a new love—changes the course of her life.
As one of the few witches in Britain, Mika Moon knows she has to hide her magic, keep her head down, and stay away from other witches so their powers don’t mingle and draw attention. And as an orphan who lost her parents at a young age and was raised by strangers, she’s used to being alone and she follows the rules…with one exception: an online account, where she posts videos “pretending” to be a witch. She thinks no one will take it seriously.
But someone does. An unexpected message arrives, begging her to travel to the remote and mysterious Nowhere House to teach three young witches how to control their magic. It breaks all of the rules, but Mika goes anyway, and is immediately tangled up in the lives and secrets of not only her three charges, but also an absent archaeologist, a retired actor, two long-suffering caretakers, and…Jamie. The handsome and prickly librarian of Nowhere House would do anything to protect the children, and as far as he’s concerned, a stranger like Mika is a threat. An irritatingly appealing threat.
As Mika begins to find her place at Nowhere House, the thought of belonging somewhere begins to feel like a real possibility. But magic isn’t the only danger in the world, and when peril comes knocking at their door, Mika will need to decide whether to risk everything to protect a found family she didn’t know she was looking for….
Printable PDF
Feel free to distribute these discussion questions to your book club members before your meeting. Simply click the link below to download and print the PDF file.
Happy reading! ❤️