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The Ghost Women
A mysterious art academy in the woods, a deck of ancient tarot cards, a centuries-old secret
On a hot August morning in 1972, the body of Abel Montague, a student at St. Luke’s Institute of the Arts, is found hanging from a tree in the forest. An ancient Hanged Man tarot card is found in the back pocket of his pants and his body has been positioned into the exact pose illustrated on the card.
When Detective Lola Germany arrives at St. Luke’s—a former monastery that once housed a secret order of monks who carried out witch trials and executions—she believes they are dealing with a ritualistic murder. While interviewing school administrators and Abel’s classmates, Lola discovers Abel’s live-in girlfriend, Pearl, seems shaken but also might be hiding something—along with her group of friends who call themselves witches.
When more students are found dead, each body arranged like a tarot card, Lola realizes she is trapped in a web of power and ambition that spans centuries. Soon the lines between past and present, spiritual and tangible, begin to blur, and the only way to survive is to seek answers from places she never imagined.
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with the future of agency.
Book club questions for The Ghost Women by Jennifer Murphy
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
What were some of your favorite scenes from the book? Why did they stand out to you?
This story is told through a multi-person point of view, mostly through the lens of Lola and Pearl, with occasional chapters from other characters. Why do you think the novel was mostly told through their points of view, rather than just one character? How did it build suspense or add to the mystery?
Who was your favorite character and why?
Most of the characters say that Abel was a bad person who particularly treated women poorly. Yet throughout the novel, Pearl has sympathy for him. Why do you think she found him redeemable? Do you think that people like him can be redeemable?
What did you think of Hazel? Were her actions warranted? What would you have done in her shoes?
What did you know about Tarot before reading this novel? Did it teach you anything new or surprising?
Why do you think this book was set in the 70s? Do you think it would be different if it were set in modern times? How does the time period contribute to how women were treated?
The Ghost Women is ripe with imagery. Why do you think the author chose an owl to represent Abel’s spirit? What do you think the red robes represent?
Many stories of American witchcraft are associated with Salem or the Northeast. How did the Southern setting change your perception of witchcraft?
This novel grapples with power a lot. Do you see any parallels to how power is wielded and abused in the real world?
Who did you think was behind the killings as you read? Did the prime suspect in your mind change at all?
At the end of the novel, we learn a key revelation about Pearl’s past. Did this surprise you? What did you think of this twist?
The Ghost Women Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the The Ghost Women discussion questions
“An intoxicating brew of murder, witchcraft, and artistic ambition, The Ghost Women is as propulsive as it is addictive. Murphy expertly ratchets up the tension even as she lets the Low Country atmosphere seep across every page and develops a cast of characters any reader would immediately recruit for their personal coven. The result is the southern gothic of my dreams; fans of Liz Moore will devour this one.” —Katy Hays, bestselling author of Salt Water and The Cloisters
"Witchcraft, secrets, art, love, jealousy and murder, what’s not to like? Jennifer Murphy’s The Ghost Women has all that and more. In a tale of fifteenth-century deadly games passed down through generations, Murphy explores good, evil and the possibility of the supernatural with a deft hand. A real page-turner.” —B. A. Shapiro, bestselling author of The Art Forger and The Lost Masterpiece
“Moody, atmospheric, and relentless… Amidst ancient rituals, long-lost tarot cards, and mist-swathed forests, Murphy’s tale of art and murder reveals that the most potent magic of all is the friendship between women. Perfect for fans of Donna Tartt and Rachel Gillig, this is dark academia at its finest.” —Leigh Esposito, author of The Tarocco Saga
“Tarot cards! The 1970s! Witches! And an island boarding school! How could I resist such irresistible elements, especially when they’re in the brilliant hands of Jennifer Murphy? A rising body count at an exclusive school jumpstarts a tantalizing not-your-ordinary-by-a-mile mystery with deep roots in the spiritual and the practical, in dangerous lies and an increasingly threatening truth. Magical. Mysterious. Sublime.” —Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You and Days of Wonder
“Yowza. This book is deep and weird and all in all a very good mystery. There's some very good deep gothic southern noir and the 70's plays very well against the backdrop of weird private arts college meets dangerous cult. The tarot theme throughout is just the right amount of unsettling hint of the supernatural and the at first two and then more swapping POVs helps the story feel more frenetic as it approaches the climax. Loved this!” —Thomas Wilkerson, Manager, BookPeople