At the start of the novel, how do Gamache’s and Jean-Guy’s attitudes toward Sam Arsenault differ? How does each man’s first meeting with Sam influence his view of him thereafter? What do these perceptions reveal about Gamache and Jean-Guy?

How has the Montreal Massacre affected Gamache’s life and career? Does his behavior in the primary plot reflect any lessons he may have learned on the day of the shooting? How does the shooting connect thematically to other events in the novel, such as Fleming’s quest for revenge against Gamache?

The discovery of the painting in the hidden room is a major inciting incident in the plot. Why does the discovery of the painting provoke so much curiosity and unease? What is the significance of using a painting rather than some other type of object, especially in a community where many individuals are creative? (Clara is a famous painter, and Ruth is a well-known poet.)