The novel opens with Nathan Bauer returning home the day of his parents' funeral, longing to withdraw from the world. How did that opening shape your feelings about him?

Nathan wants to become reclusive, yet life refuses to let him retreat. Have you lived through a season when you couldn't hide from what was happening?

Angela and Vicktoria are "the human juxtaposition of Good and Evil." What made each compelling? Were the lines ever blurrier than they seemed?

The story brims with lies, deception, intrigue, and murder. Which deception caught you most off guard?

Malignant narcissism often works invisibly. Where did you notice its patterns in the novel's relationships?

As "A Nathan Bauer Thriller," the book weaves an international spy ring through a deeply personal story. How did the large-scale danger and the intimate stakes strengthen each other?

The cover pairs the Om symbol with the Ukrainian trident. How did the book's spiritual questions sit alongside its geopolitical tension?

Perseverance of the human spirit is the novel's heart. Which moments most embodied it for you?

Nathan searches for "true love and real purpose." How did the story distinguish authentic love from its counterfeits?

John Gerlach writes, "Despite all the travails of life, never lose the ability to love and to be loved." How does the novel argue for that belief?

The author links narcissism in personal relationships to patterns in public life. Do you see parallels between manipulation in intimate relationships and in the wider world?

Did Parting Ways change how you might recognize narcissistic or coercive patterns in your own life?

A screenplay already exists. If it became a film, which scene are you most eager to see, and how would you cast it?

What will you carry with you from Nathan's journey?

Who’s your favorite character and why? Any favorite quotes?