THE FIFTH OF JULY
Nantucket summers mean different things to islanders and to summer people. To Caroline Warner, they mean a summer romance that still lingers, a summer assault that still wounds, and family secrets she still can’t forgive. Can one family transcend the trauma of an anniversary every year? Or is history doomed to repeat itself?
PRAISE
“Simmons brilliantly draws readers into the family’s pervasive cloud of suspicion and distrust.”
—Shelf Awareness
“A cleverly dark family whodunit. The perfect read for a day at the beach.”
—Library Journal
“A read as comfortable as a worn-in sofa at a beach house.”
—Booklist
“Gorgeously written and fully immersive. I could feel the salt air, the sand between my toes, the crackle of secrets, lies, omissions, and later, the uncertainty of tragedy. With prose that positively vibrates and characters who defy expectation, Kelly Simmons brings us straight to Nantucket, into the bright, beating heart of this one-of-a-kind family, and never lets us go.”
—NYTimes Bestseller Kate Moretti, author of The Vanishing Year and Blackbird Season
1. The anniversary of trauma is a central theme in THE FIFTH OF JULY. Have you ever experienced this kind of pain or stress as the anniversary of a death or violent event approaches?
2. The divisions between summer people and year-rounders are starkly evident in this story. Are there other places in the country or world where you have noticed these differences?
3. The metaphor of fixing people’s houses versus fixing people’s lives pervades the novel. Have you ever noticed parallels in your community — between what people do to their houses and what they do to themselves?
4. Several of the characters in the book remain fixated on, or stymied by, events and relationships from when they were teenagers. Why is it so hard to move past the memories of these tender years?
5. Though set on the relatively crime-free island of Nantucket, the novel showcases a wide variety of minor and major crimes – from vandalism to theft to rape and murder. Is this realistic? And do beautiful places do a better job of hiding ugly behavior?
6. The book highlights sharp disagreements with religious overtones – bordering on criminality — yet none of the characters seems particularly religious. What does this say about the growth and inheritance of prejudice?
7. The Warners are a family uncomfortable with talking about things – whether good or bad. What events in the book could have been aided or avoided by an open discussion?
8. The island lifestyle of unlocked doors and moonlit beach walks and talking to friendly strangers brings up different issues of trust and vulnerability for different ages. Have you ever felt threatened in an environment like this, and why?
9. Tripp Warner’s illness is perceived and handled differently by each character in the book. Whose approach did you think was correct, and why?
10. The portrayal of the detective is colored by his own history on the island. Do you believe being a native make it easier or more difficult to police a population?