The House on Cold Creek Lane

An unflinching examination of motherhood and the dark side of domesticity set against a suburban backdrop that's anything but blissful. This twisty tale invites readers to a slow motion unravelling that culminates in a devastating finale!

Who was I? What had I become?
Breathe, I commanded. You're doing this for your family.

When Laurel and Rob West move into their new home in New Jersey, it seems too good to be true. But Laurel can't shake off her old feelings of anxiety. The neighbor who pays far too much attention to the Wests' two young children . . . Rob watching her every misstep . . . and there's something people aren't telling her about this house . . .

I promised myself I wouldn't go to that neighborhood again. Not that street. Not so soon.
But I couldn't help it. They made it too easy.

Corey Sutton is trying to outrun her past. Recently divorced and reeling from a devastating loss, she moves into her widowed mother's retirement condo in Florida. Everyone says she just needs some time to recover and rebuild . . . but is Corey beyond saving? She wants answers. And there's very little she won't do to get them.

Though Laurel and Corey have never met, the women have something in common, and if they're not careful, it may just destroy them both . . .

These discussion questions were provided by the author, Liz Alterman.

Book club questions for The House on Cold Creek Lane by Liz Alterman

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

Have you ever had a neighbor you found suspicious? How did you handle it?

Laurel talks about her struggle to make friends. Discuss the challenges of forming new friendships as an adult.

Rob keeps the house’s history a secret from Laurel. Given her past, do you agree with his decision?

Overall, did you feel that Rob was protective of Laurel or overbearing?

After Laurel meets Addie, she says, ‘If a tribe could consist of a single person, I’d found mine.’ What drew Laurel to Addie, and would you, too, have been taken in?

Addie states, ‘People resort to crazy things when real estate and money are involved.’ Discuss this as it pertains to the novel. Do you agree?

Mother-child relationships throughout the novel are complicated. Consider the feelings Laurel, Rob, Addie, Corey, and Desiree had toward their mothers and the breakdown of Marian’s relationship with her son.

Corey and Desiree form an unlikely friendship. How do they impact one another?

Corey’s relationship with Mike Moffatt takes several turns. Did she care for him, was she using him, or both?

After attending the grief group, Corey states, ‘Firsts are hard, Linda said. Were seconds any easier?’ Discuss loss as a central theme.

Rob and Laurel’s extended family plays a role in creating tension between them. What do you think of Emily’s choice not to include children at her wedding?

Laurel and Corey change over the course of the novel. Is their behavior understandable?

At the end of the novel, Corey tells her mom, ‘Mothers need to stop blaming themselves.’ Discuss how the guilt Corey carries shapes her decisions.

Did the ending surprise you? What do you think happens next for these characters?

The House on Cold Creek Lane Book Club Questions PDF

Click here for a printable PDF of the The House on Cold Creek Lane discussion questions