All the Little Houses

"May Cobb's most explosive book yet. And trust me, that's saying a lot." -- Jeneva Rose

"Nobody does explosive and twisted like May Cobb does it." --Lisa Jewell

Adults can behave badly too...

It's the mid-1980s in the tiny town of Longview, Texas. Nellie Anderson, the beautiful daughter of the Anderson family dynasty, has burst onto the scene. She always gets what she wants. What she can't get for herself... well, that's what her mother is for. Because Charleigh Andersen, blond, beautiful, and ruthlessly cunning, remembers all too well having to claw her way to the top. When she was coming of age on the poor side of East Texas, she was a loser, an outcast, humiliated, and shunned by the in-crowd, whose approval she'd so desperately thirsted for. When a prairie-kissed family moves to town, all trad wife, woodworking dad, wholesome daughter vibes, Charleigh's entire self-made social empire threatens to crumble.

Who will be left standing when the dust settles?

From the author of The Hunting Wives comes a deliciously wicked new thriller about mean girls, mean moms, and the delicious secrets inside all the little houses.

This discussion guide was provided by the publisher, Sourcebooks.

Book club questions for All the Little Houses by May Cobb

Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.

What do you think of Charleigh’s parenting style? Do you believe Charleigh’s actually trying to help Nellie, or is she only trying to maintain her image?

Should parents attempt to fix their children’s problems for them? When might it be a good idea to step in, and when is it better for the children to handle themselves?

Charleigh didn’t grow up wealthy, and her parents remain in a different economic class from her. How does this affect her? How might being in a different economic or social class from friends or loved ones affect those relationships?

How might your upbringing influence your parenting style and your relationship with your own children?

Is it wrong to be ashamed of the wealth your family has or doesn’t have?

Did you obey your parents’ rules when you were a teenager, or were you more rebellious? What do you believe made you behave in either way?

Were you one of the “popular kids” in school? If not, what did you think of them? Did you want to join them, or did you prefer your own group?

If your partner disrespects or hurts you in some way, is it right to do to them what they did to you? What might be a healthier way to communicate that you’ve been hurt?

The characters in this book aren’t exactly models of good behavior. Why do you believe they act this way? Is it the extreme wealth, or is it something else?

Why do you believe Jackson considers Charleigh his best friend? Would you continue to be friends with Charleigh if she treated you as she treats Jackson?

How much do you believe children owe their parents? Should they always be grateful, or is there a limit?

Were you surprised by the end of the novel? Were you expecting something like this to happen, or did you have a different event/person in mind?

All the Little Houses Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the All the Little Houses discussion questions