Tell Me Lies

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of disordered eating and emotional abuse.

Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What are your favorite and least favorite aspects of the book? Who is your favorite character? Who is your least favorite character?

2. How did the shifting first-person perspective impact your experience of the book? What did you gain by having access to both Lucy’s and Stephen’s perspectives?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. At the end of the book, CJ states, “Everyone has that guy” (371). Have you ever known someone like Stephen DeMarco? What were some indicators that the person was not truthful? What similarities did that person have with Stephen?

2. How does the atmosphere at Baird College compare with the college experience that you or someone you know had? How accurate is the depiction of college life in the novel?

3. Do you think the relationship between Lucy and CJ is realistic? Have you ever experienced conflict with a parental figure?