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The It Girl
April Clarke-Cliveden was the first person Hannah Jones met at Oxford. Vivacious, bright, occasionally vicious, and the ultimate It girl, she quickly pulled Hannah into her dazzling orbit. Together, they developed a group of devoted and inseparable friends—Will, Hugh, Ryan, and Emily—during their first term. By the end of the year, April was dead.
Now, a decade later, Hannah and Will are expecting their first child, and the man convicted of killing April, former Oxford porter John Neville, has died in prison. Relieved to have finally put the past behind her, Hannah’s world is rocked when a young journalist comes knocking and presents new evidence that Neville may have been innocent. As Hannah reconnects with old friends and delves deeper into the mystery of April’s death, she realizes that the friends she thought she knew all have something to hide…including a murder.
This discussion guide was shared and sponsored in partnership with Gallery/Scout Press.
Book club questions for The It Girl by Cecily von Ziegesar
Use these discussion questions to guide your next book club meeting.
Do you trust Hannah’s version of events from the night April died? Why do you think she struggles to remember what happened?
Did you believe that April was really pregnant? If yes, who do you think the father was?
In your mind, did John Neville receive a fair trial? Should Hannah’s evidence alone have been enough to convict him?
Where do you think Hannah would be if April hadn’t died? Would she have still ended up with Will?
Are you surprised the group of friends fell apart after April’s death? Why do you think the experience pushed them apart rather than drew them closer together?
Was Will’s reaction to Hannah’s actions towards the end of the novel suspicious? Or the reaction of a concerned husband?
Would you have spoken to the press/a journalist if you were Hannah?
Did your allegiance to any of the characters shift as the novel went on?
The It Girl Book Club Questions PDF
Click here for a printable PDF of the The It Girl discussion questions
"So many flawed friendships, so many promising red herrings. . . . The pages just turn themselves." —People Magazine
“Ware once again demonstrates her literary claim as the 21st century’s answer to Agatha Christie with this ingeniously crafted puzzler . . . Fans of Golden Age mysteries like Dorothy Sayers’s Gaudy Night will love the book’s Oxford setting, while readers of trendy dark academia suspense novels, in the manner of Alex Michaelides’s The Maidens, will feel right at home. Top-drawer entertainment from a modern master of mystery.”—Library Journal (Starred Review)
"Ruth Ware’s richly-textured The IT Girl is at once an engrossing murder mystery while also a perfectly crafted and haunting examination of lost youth and the compromises of adulthood, as a woman unpicks the past secrets of her university friends to finally lay to rest her murdered best friend, the dazzling April. Reminiscent of The Secret History, Ware has surpassed herself with this gripping, absorbing whodunnit. I loved it! All hail the Queen." —Sarah Pinborough, New York Times Bestselling author of Behind Her Eyes
"Deliciously dark and utterly addictive — my favourite Ruth Ware yet!" —Lucy Foley, New York Times bestselling author of The Paris Apartment and The Guest List
“Every Ruth Ware novel is a unique and unexpected gem and this one is no exception. A heady, tense, slowburn dream of a book, multi-layered and steeped in atmosphere and peril. I loved every page." —Lisa Jewell, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Then She Was Gone
“Ware develops both the reader’s doubts about and concern for Hannah as the suspense builds gradually under a masterful barrage of red herrings . . . Riveting.” —Booklist (Starred Review)
“This exceptional psychological thriller from Ware probes how much one can trust others—and one’s self . . . . Alternating past and present chapters build toward a gripping denouement as nicely chosen details bring each character vividly to life. This showcases Ware’s gifts to the fullest.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“As usual with Ware, the novel is well crafted—the setting, characters, and dialogue are all engaging . . . Delightfully readable.” —Kirkus Reviews