Book Club Guide: The Grays of Truth by Sharon Virts
The Grays of Truth by Sharon Virts is a historical fiction novel with murder, jealousy, mystery, affairs, lots of family drama…and it’s based on a true story. It’s a crazy story and Virts tells it well. The characters are very well-developed (though there are quite a few, so it takes a bit to keep them straight), the writing is captivating (it’s a page-turner!), and 1860s Baltimore/Washington/Pennsylvania truly come to life.
Told from the perspective of Jane Gray Wharton, a curious complicated woman with a challenging past, The Grays of Truth tells the story of several suspicious deaths and the struggle to find the truth–and the person responsible.
There are several themes woven throughout the story including mental health issues, women’s rights, government corruption, and family dynamics…meaning it’s a great choice for a book club discussion.
Below are some discussion questions and ideas to make your meeting special.
The Grays of Truth Book Club Discussion Questions
**Note: Some of these questions contain spoilers.**
- Why do you think the author chose to start the story with Rebecca’s death?
- What did you think of Jane’s ghosts? Do you think they put Jane in an asylum because she deserved it? Why do you think the ghosts went silent when the truth about Emma emerged and the court accused Jane?
- How do societal expectations and family reputation shape the choices each character makes? How might each character behave differently if they were freed from these pressures?
- What about the story would have been different if it happened in modern day versus in the 1860s? The relationships? The murders? The investigations? Jane’s (potential) mental illness?
- Why do you think the author chose to tell the story from Jane’s point of view? How would the story have differed if Ellen or one of the other characters had told it?
- Do you think Hank really loved Jane or was he taking advantage of her? Why was Jane so unlucky in love?
- Were you surprised that the jury found Ellen not guilty?
- Did you believe that Octavia was guilty? How did you feel when you read the author’s note that Octavia was not a real person?
- Who do you think was really guilty? Did you ever think Jane might have done it?
- Are you a fan of historical fiction? What if the author had written the book as narrative non-fiction? Do you feel differently about the story knowing it’s based on facts?
- How would you cast the film for The Grays of Truth? Who would play: Jane Gray, Ellen Wharton, General Scott Ketchum, Ned Wharton, Mary Louise Wharton, Octavia Wharton, Achsah Shippen, etc.
Unique Book Club Ideas for The Grays of Truth
- Serve lemonade with a side of sugar in a bowl…see how many dare to use it. 🙂 Other drinks to have on hand that are mentioned often in the book: whiskey (drink out of these military flasks as a special nod to General Ketchum) and, of course, tea.
2. Invite the author to join you for your book club! Sharon Virts loves discussing her books with groups. Please fill out this form: https://bit.ly/BookClubOffer
3. As a nurse, herbs and tonics were important to Jane’s work (when used properly!). Do a taste test of homemade tonics or give them to your members as gifts to take home.
4. Consider a playlist with Victorian-era chamber music or Gothic-inspired classical pieces to capture the story’s darker themes.
5. Edgar Allan Poe was mentioned often in the book–he was a West Point classmate of Hank and Scott, he’s a key figure in Baltimore history, and one of his short stories, The Cask of Amontillado, seems to be a favorite of Ellen’s (she has Jane read it while Ellen is treating Mary Louise and Octavia reads it while Ellen is treating Scott). Discuss the story and explain why it was the one used in this book, or read through these Poe quotes included in the book and discuss their relevance to the story.
- The scariest monsters are the ones that lurk within our souls . . . —Edgar Allan Poe
- Sleep, those little slices of death—how I loathe them. —Edgar Allan Poe
- We loved with a love that was more than love. —Edgar Allan Poe
- Evil is a consequence of good, out of joy is sorrow born. —Edgar Allan Poe
- The boundaries which divide Life from Death are at best shadowy and vague. —Edgar Allan Poe
- All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. —Edgar Allan Poe
6. Read Ellen’s obituary aloud and discuss. A few things in there that might surprise you.
7. Watch and discuss this behind-the-scenes video from the author.
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