1. At the outset of the story, a budding friendship forms between Nick and Joseph. How does Joseph stack up against Nick's experiences with Livingstone and Parker?

2. The ominous and restless Marsh haunts Nick's thoughts from the novel's inception (Chapters 1 and 2, for instance). What imagery is conjured in describing the Marsh, and how do these vivid portrayals deepen the novel's underlying themes?

3. What kind of person is Ruth? What motivates her to allow Nick to engage in her game with Joseph?

4. What shatters Nick's expectations when he uncovers the true nature of Zephaniah in Chapter 6?

5. How does Terry's message manipulate Nick into probing the Fishers for The Company in Chapter 6, and what does this reveal about Nick's maturity at this juncture?

6. In Chapter 8, Nick plays a strategic game with young Thomas to unearth clandestine intelligence for The Company. How does Nick rationalize his actions, and do you find his reasoning compelling?

7. In Jezebel's game (Chapter 9), Nick opts for slingshots and places his trust in the Nightwalker. Why are these decisions justified, and what impact do they have on his bond with Joseph?

8. "I can't stand boredom. Real danger is where you truly know where you are," Donna exclaims, "especially when you face it with friends" (Chapter 11). Bill concurs, "That's when genuine closeness happens." Why does Nick's heart stir with envy? Do Donna and Bill's sentiments resonate?

9. An exchange about the Nightwalker prompts Nick to challenge Joseph on moral grounds, leading Joseph to sketch a map (Chapter 12). How does the depiction of a map serve to underscore the novel's thematic elements?

10. When young Thomas fibs about the shop keys, how does Mr. Fisher react, and why does he insist on Nick's departure (Chapter 13)? After Joseph elaborates on Mr. Fisher's rationale, why does Nick become distressed (Chapter 14)? Do you align with Nick or with Joseph and Mr. Fisher?

11. The Fishers' reluctance to rectify the glaring faults in their perilous property leads Nick to assert they bear the burden of their misfortunes, deeming them "too holy to live" (Chapter 15). Is Nick's assertion justified?

12. What drives Nick to reveal Livingstone's incriminating pictures to Joseph following the shop blaze (Chapter 18)? Despite his ongoing disputes with Joseph over morality, why does Nick now feel disillusioned?

13. How does Joseph account for his ethical failure in flinging matches at the kerosene (Chapters 21, 22)? What compels him to come clean?

14. Who truly bears the blame for the conflagration at the shop?