Book Club Questions for With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson

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Book club questions for With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson explore the complex themes of obsession, fear, and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones.

This suspenseful novel tells the story of actress Meribel Mills, who finds herself the target of a disturbing stalker with a penchant for fruit-scented letters. As the situation escalates, Meribel must navigate a web of potential suspects, including her ex-husband, a former lover, and even her new neighbor.

With its gripping plot and nuanced characters, With My Little Eye is one of the more interesting books I’ve read this year.

In this reading guide, we’ll explore some thought-provoking discussion questions to help you delve deeper into the themes and ideas presented in this thrilling novel.

I hope you will enjoy the following book club questions and reading guide for With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson!✨

The Synopsis

HIS GAME.

HIS RULES.

HER LIFE.

It started with the letters…

For actress Meribel Mills, disturbing fan mail is part of the price of fame. So when she starts getting creepy letters written in fruit-scented marker she is mostly unphased and diligently files them along with her other messages from unhinged fans. After all, she’s a single mom approaching forty, not the kind of hot young celeb who sparks dangerous obsessions. But there’s something different about Marker Man…

He’s been in her home…

Meribel’s sheets smell of unfamiliar cologne, and objects have gone missing around the house. Plus, the letters have become more perverse, with drawings of a naked Meribel tied up or chopped into pieces. While the police insist that stalkers hardly ever escalate to violence, Meribel has played the dead girl one too many times on TV to risk becoming her in real life. She and her daughter move from Los Angeles to Atlanta for a fresh start—but no distance is great enough.

He’s watching her…

Years of being in front of a camera have given Meribel a superpower—she can feel eyes on her, a creeping sensation like bees inside her skin. And someone definitely has her in their sights. Could Marker Man have followed her all the way across the country?

Who else might be watching—her ex-husband? The lover she left behind in LA? Her new neighbor? Suddenly, every man in her life is a suspect, but she can’t keep herself and her daughter safe from a monster she can’t identify. When the paths of all of these men collide, Meribel will find herself alone in the fight of her life, desperate to protect those she loves as danger closes in from all sides.

If he can’t have her, no one can.

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About the Author

Joshilyn Jackson is a the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 11 novels. Born on February 27, 1968, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, she graduated from Georgia State University with a BA in English literature and received an MA in creative writing from the University of Illinois at Chicago in 1997.

Jackson has authored eight novels, including “Gods in Alabama” and “Never Have I Ever,” as well as a novella titled “My Own Miraculous.”

In addition to her literary pursuits, Jackson is a board member of Reforming Arts, a nonprofit organization that provides liberal arts classes to incarcerated women in Georgia. She also teaches creative writing classes inside Lee Arrendale State Prison.

Book Club Questions for With My Little Eye

I hope you and your book club will enjoy my discussion reading guide for With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson✨

The opening line of With My Little Eye has Meribel admitting that she never thought she was “famous enough to get murdered.” As you read on, did your interpretation of this statement shift? How does the novel explore themes of privacy and consent in a world driven by social media? In what ways do these issues connect with Meribel’s experience?
Meribel’s stalker uses scented markers to write his letters. How did this detail affect your perception of him? Did it make him seem more or less creepy? What other clues did the author provide to keep you guessing about the identity of Marker Man?
Meribel’s identity is complex, and she struggles to balance her roles as a parent, a professional, an ex-wife, and a girlfriend. If she had to choose one identity as her primary focus, which do you think she would select, and how would that choice impact her other identities? Is this a challenge unique to women, or is it a universal human experience?
Honor Mills, an adolescent on the autism spectrum, offers a unique perspective on the events in the book. How does her experience of sensory input and coping strategies differ from those of the neurotypical narrators? What does her inclusion in the story reveal about the experience of people with autism, and how does it impact our understanding of the events in the novel?
Modern parenting is rife with challenges, from managing screen time and food to navigating social relationships and school. When faced with these difficulties, what should take priority: fostering freedom and confidence or creating and preserving safety? How do Meribel’s choices in the book reflect the balance between these two priorities, and how can parents strike the right balance in real life?
Meribel and her neighbor, Addie, are both women who feel pressure to maintain a youthful, attractive appearance, even though they work in different fields. Are these unreasonable beauty standards a function of biology or culture, and how do they impact women’s lives? How do these standards affect adolescent girls, and what can be done to challenge or change them?
With My Little Eye explores the fine line between love and obsession. What distinguishes these two emotions, and why is obsession often seen as dangerous or unhealthy? Can love and obsession coexist, or are they fundamentally incompatible?
The book starts with the letters that Meribel receives from her stalker. What did you think of these letters and the way they were written? Did they evoke the intended feelings?
Meribel is a single mother to her adopted daughter Honor, who is on the autism spectrum. What did you think of the portrayal of autism in the book? How did you feel about the way Meribel handles Honor’s needs?
Throughout the book, there are many men in Meribel’s life who could potentially be the stalker. Did you have a particular suspect in mind? What made you think they were the stalker?
Marker Man, the stalker, is depicted as someone who is mentally ill. What did you think of the portrayal of mental illness in the book?
The book is set in both Los Angeles and Atlanta. Did you find the settings to be well-drawn? Which setting did you prefer?
The book is told from Meribel’s perspective, with occasional chapters from the stalker’s point of view. Did you think this was an effective way to tell the story? Why or why not?
The book has a lot of characters, including Meribel’s ex-husband, her new boyfriend, and her neighbor. Did you have a favorite character? Why did you like them?
The book takes place in the fall of 2017, just before the #metoo movement gained momentum. Why do you think the author chose this time period, and how does the novel reflect the experiences of women in the workplace? Has #metoo had a significant impact on the problems Meribel faces, or is there more work to be done to create a safer, more equitable workplace for women?
Meribel is forced to return to Georgia, a place she fled after a personal tragedy. Are there any places you would avoid revisiting at all costs? What kind of situation would compel you to go back? How does the novel use setting to create tension and suspense?
Throughout the book, Meribel suspects various men of being her stalker. Did you find yourself suspicious of any of these characters? How did your opinions of them change as the story unfolded? What kind of impact did these suspicions have on Meribel’s relationships with these men?
Meribel is a victim of stalking, but she also spends time looking at James’ wife’s Instagram. Where is the line between curiosity and stalking? In what ways does the novel explore the blurred boundaries between public and private life in the age of social media?
Social media has made it easier to reconnect with people from our past, but it also raises questions about privacy and boundaries. Have you ever found yourself scrolling through someone’s social media account and felt like you were crossing a line? How do the characters in the novel navigate these issues, and what does their experience say about our relationship with social media?
There are several subplots in the book, including the story of the homeless girl and her mother. What did you think of these subplots? Did they add to the story or detract from it?
The book ends somewhat abruptly, without a traditional resolution. Did you find the ending satisfying? If not, what would you have liked to see happen?

Selected Reviews for With My Little Eye

“Clever, propulsive, and full of surprises, WITH MY LITTLE EYE is top flight psychological suspense. Joshilyn Jackson is a deft and intelligent writer who dives deep into character while masterfully ratcheting up the suspense and tension with every scene. You’ll feel the suffocating fear of being watched and followed, and know a mother’s desperation to protect the ones she loves, as you tear through this breathless, enthralling read.” — Lisa Unger

“Joshilyn Jackson’s latest riveting thriller starts with a bang and doesn’t let up, asking how well you truly know the people around you—and how far you’re willing to go for the ones you love. A true page-turner that will stick with me for a long time.” — Megan Miranda

“Psychologically damaged but charismatic characters, a riveting plot, and taut suspense make this a fine pick for suspense fans.” — Booklist

“Jackson, a former actor herself, wryly describes the actor’s life while providing just enough twists… Those looking for escapist fun will be rewarded.” — Publishers Weekly

Additional Recommendations

Hope you enjoyed my book club discussion questions and reading guide for With My Little Eye by Joshilyn Jackson!

Here are some more of my book club recommendations:

Mystic River by Dennis Lehane

This New York Times bestseller from Dennis Lehane is a gripping, unnerving psychological thriller about the effects of a savage killing on three former friends in a tightly knit, blue-collar Boston neighborhood.

When they were children, Sean Devine, Jimmy Marcus, and Dave Boyle were friends. But then a strange car pulled up to their street. One boy got into the car, two did not, and something terrible happened—something that ended their friendship and changed all three boys forever.

Twenty-five years later, Sean is a homicide detective. Jimmy is an ex-con who owns a corner store. And Dave is trying to hold his marriage together and keep his demons at bay —demons that urge him to do terrible things. When Jimmy’s daughter is found murdered, Sean is assigned to the case. His investigation brings him into conflict with Jimmy, who finds his old criminal impulses tempt him to solve the crime with brutal justice. And then there is Dave, who came home the night Jimmy’s daughter died covered in someone else’s blood.

A tense and unnerving psychological thriller, Mystic River is also an epic novel of love and loyalty, faith and family, in which people irrevocably marked by the past find themselves on a collision course with the darkest truths of their own hidden selves.

Happy Place by Emily Henry

A couple who broke up months ago pretend to still be together for their annual weeklong vacation with their best friends in this glittering and wise new novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Emily Henry.

Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.

They broke up five months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends.

Which is how they find themselves sharing a bedroom at the Maine cottage that has been their friend group’s yearly getaway for the last decade. Their annual respite from the world, where for one vibrant, blissful week they leave behind their daily lives; have copious amounts of cheese, wine, and seafood; and soak up the salty coastal air with the people who understand them most.

Only this year, Harriet and Wyn are lying through their teeth while trying not to notice how desperately they still want each other. Because the cottage is for sale and this is the last week they’ll all have together in this place. They can’t stand to break their friends’ hearts, and so they’ll play their parts. Harriet will be the driven surgical resident who never starts a fight, and Wyn will be the laid-back charmer who never lets the cracks show. It’s a flawless plan (if you look at it from a great distance and through a pair of sunscreen-smeared sunglasses). After years of being in love, how hard can it be to fake it for one week…in front of those who know you best?

The Only Survivors by Pamela M. Kelley

Seven hours in the past. Seven days in the present. Seven survivors remaining. Who would you save?

A decade ago, two vans filled with high school seniors on a school service trip crashed into a Tennessee ravine—a tragedy that claimed the lives of multiple classmates and teachers. The nine students who managed to escape the river that night were irrevocably changed. A year later, after one of the survivors dies by suicide on the anniversary of the crash, the rest of them make a pact: to come together each year to commemorate that terrible night.

To keep one another safe.
To hold one another accountable.
Or both.

Their annual meeting place, a house on the Outer Banks, has long been a refuge. But by the tenth anniversary, Cassidy Bent has worked to distance herself from the tragedy, and from the other survivors. She’s changed her mobile number. She’s blocked the others’ email addresses. This year, she is determined to finally break ties once and for all. But on the day of the reunion, she receives a text with an obituary attached: another survivor is gone. Now they are seven—and Cassidy finds herself hurling back toward the group, wild with grief—and suspicion.

Almost immediately, something feels off this year. Cassidy is the first to notice when Amaya, annual organizer, slips away, overwhelmed. This wouldn’t raise alarm except for the impending storm. Suddenly, they’re facing the threat of closed roads and surging waters…again. Then Amaya stops responding to her phone. After all they’ve been through, she wouldn’t willfully make them worry. Would she?

And—as they promised long ago—each survivor will do whatever he or she can do to save one another. Won’t they?

A propulsive and chilling locked-box mystery filled with the dazzling hairpin twists that are the author’s signature, The Only Survivors is New York Times bestselling author Megan Miranda’s best novel yet.

Thank you for reading my book club discussion questions and as always, happy reading! ❤️