Reading Group Guide: You, Me, & the Conspiracy

Topics and Questions for Discussion

Questions for Chapters 1 – 5

In the novel’s opening line, Jessica’s father argues via text message that “studying history should make you hopeful” (page 1). Is studying history about hope? Why has our understanding of history become a flashpoint in the last decade? Where does the conflict come from, and does it make sense?

At the beginning of the novel, Jess is desperately searching archives because she needs to publish scholarship to get a promotion, and being a professor is how she measures her self-worth. Does our society encourage us to view our identity as connected to our job title or paycheck? If so, is that healthy?

When Jess first approaches Cal about the coded message she found, he’s hostile. Does his attitude make sense, or is Cal bitter thanks to the state of his own career?

In the early chapters, Jess defers to her department chair and her father. Did you find this relatable or frustrating?

If you were Jess, would you have met Cal in Cambridge given his paranoia? How strong is the case that he presents at Harvard?

Much like The DaVinci Code, Indiana Jones, or National Treasure, the novel mixes history that’s real (such as the Newburgh Conspiracy) with elements that are made up (Ortu Solis). What obligation do writers have to separate fact from fiction for readers? Do you enjoy novels that blur these lines, or would you prefer to keep them separate?

When they’re leaving Cambridge, Jess thinks, “Who were you if the seeds you’d spent your life planting never bloomed?” (page 53) Later on, she asks herself, “Once you were on a path, you had to walk to the end, right?” (page 57). Is Jess correct that she’s committed so much academics that it would be a failure to leave at this point?

Questions for Chapters 6 – 11

In genres such as thriller, mystery, and romantic suspense, chapters from the point-of-view of the villain are common. This is generally not a feature in contemporary romance, however. Why do you think the novel includes the points-of-view of the villain and the victim? How did you feel about that choice?

Jess and Cal both have complicated relationships with their parents. What is similar and what is different about their family dynamics? Does seeing their interactions with their parents help you appreciate why they make the choices they do?

Cal and his friends, Tyler and Lia, are adjunct professors, who often teach the same classes for less pay and without the job security or benefits that tenure-track professors have. Why do Cal, Tyler, and Lia continue to work under those conditions? Do their dedication and despair make sense? Does this reflect the reality of life in a gig economy?

What kind of a person is Ellis Irving? What support does he provide Jess and Cal, and how did you feel about him when he was introduced?

Did Jess’s decision to leave the RV and tail her department chair, Patrick, make sense, or was she rationalizing a risky choice? How should a character in a thriller balance discovering the truth with their personal safety?

Questions for Chapters 12 – 17

Was Cal’s anger at Jess for going to Cambridge to follow Patrick reasonable? And was Ellis correct about why Cal was truly upset?

In this section, Jess and Cal begin to share more about their pasts with one another. How do these conversations allow them to grow closer and to better understand each other? How deep do you believe their emotional intimacy is? Are the bonds we form in stressful situations real, or are they bound to shatter in the real world?

Was Jess correct to deviate from the plan to protect Cal? Are either of them being honest about their motivations, either with each other or with the reader?

Was Isla Sheridan’s murder Jess’s fault, and therefore is Jess’s guilt logical? When should we feel responsibility for something that occurs in the wake of our actions, and when is an outcome beyond our control or comprehension?

Questions for Chapters 18 – 23

Were Jess and Cal correct to involve Adina in their investigation, particularly given what happened to Isla?

As Jess and Cal learn more about Ortu Solis, did any of the details surprise you, frustrate you, or make you curious to learn more? Are there any events from actual history that you feel are misunderstood? Are there any events that you suspect might have resulted from shadowy or conspiratorial forces? Is believing in conspiracy theories a social good or a social ill, or does it depend on the theory in question?

How does Cal use his relationship with Jasper to hide when he infiltrates Heritage Haven? Why does he feel such discomfort in assuming that role?

Were you surprised when Jess discovered her family’s involvement in Ortu Solis? What might the novel be saying about the connection between personal history and national history?

Have you been to any of the places featured in the book, such as the Harvard campus or Colonial Williamsburg? Do you enjoy when books feature settings from the real world?

Questions for Chapters 24 – 27

What Jess and Cal ultimately uncover is that Ortu Solis has not only been secretly controlling the government for centuries, but that they’ve been manipulating how American history is taught. Cal says, “Whenever we repeat their lies, their grip on the country tightens” (page 312). What does it mean for our understanding of history to be true, and when does it become a lie? Is a simplified, mythic, or rosy take on history really a problem?

How does Jess handle the final confrontation with Patrick and her father? How might she have handled it at the beginning of the book? Would you have made the same choices?

Were you surprised that Jess quit her job and that Cal has decided to return to graduate school? What do you think the characters learned about themselves and the world over the course of the book, and are they better off with that knowledge?

The novel ends with Cal asking Jess to “start over” with him (page 336). Did this count as a happy ever after for you, or was it a happy for now? What conclusion do you like to see in a romance novel?