Just the Nicest Couple

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

A husband’s disappearance links two couples in this twisty thriller from master of suspense Mary Kubica

Jake Hayes is missing. This much is certain. At first, his wife, Nina, thinks he is blowing off steam at a friend’s house after their heated fight the night before. But then a day goes by. Two days. Five. And Jake is still nowhere to be found.

Lily Scott, Nina’s friend and coworker, thinks she may have been the last to see Jake before he went missing. After Lily confesses everything to her husband, Christian, the two decide that nobody can find out what happened leading up to Jake’s disappearance, especially not Nina. But Nina is out there looking for her husband, and she won’t stop until the truth is discovered.

This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Park Row Books.

(Warning: May contain spoilers!)

Book club questions for Just the Nicest Couple by Mary Kubica

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

Between Christian and Nina, which of the narrators did you relate to most and why?

Christian, in particular, goes to extremes to protect his wife and unborn child. Did you ever think he crossed a line and, if so, at what point?

Are there circumstances where you would be willing to hurt another person or do something awful to protect yourself or someone you love? Explain.

Did you expect the final twist at the end? If you were Nina, how would you feel? Would you ever be able to forgive?

There is irony in the title of the book, Just the Nicest Couple. How do you think it applies to each of the couples?

Are you happy with how things are left with Christian and Lily at the end of the book? What do you think will happen to them?

What do you think will happen to Nina in the years to come? Do you think it’s possible to find happiness after so much trauma?

Just the Nicest Couple Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the Just the Nicest Couple discussion questions

“Just the Nicest Couple is Mary Kubica at her twisty, mysterious best. Every character brims with secrets. Every page holds a surprise. It's entirely unputdownable and everything a reader is looking for in their next read.” —Sally Hepworth, New York Times bestselling author of The Younger Wife

“You won’t know who to trust in Just the Nicest Couple, a domestic thrill-ride which grabs you on the first page and doesn’t let go until you reach the end. A riveting tale about marriage, trust, and secrets, this is Mary Kubica at her best.” —Laura Dave, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me

"In Just the Nicest Couple, Mary Kubica is writing at the top of her game. She wastes no time dropping her characters into an impossible situation and then ratchets up the tension, one twist after another, until the last, shocking conclusion. Just the Nicest Couple is propulsive, addictive, and impossible to put down. But be warned: nothing — and no one — is as they seem." —Julie Clark, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Flight

"Rich with detail and a mounting, almost suffocating sense of dread, Just the Nicest Couple is a dark and twisted exploration of loyalty, family, and how far we’ll go to protect the ones we love." —Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

“Mary Kubica’s Just the Nicest Couple is a masterfully written thriller about deception where we least expect it and the danger of a lie tumbling out of control. Taut and incredibly suspenseful, every moment is perfectly crafted to keep us wanting more. An engrossing, spine-tingling read! —Ashley Audrain, New York Times bestselling author of The Push

"Kubica is a master of unnerving domestic thrillers. Fans will devour [Just the Nicest Couple] in one sitting. —Booklist