The Boyfriend

What is the function of the fictional dating app Cynch within the novel, and how does it support the story’s thematic interest in The Misogyny and Safety Risks in the Dating World? Why might McFadden have chosen to invent an app rather than using an existing app?

How does the structure of the novel help to build suspense? How do the thematic connections that exist between the two plots add suspense for the reader?

What is the effect of Gretchen’s use of the nickname “Daisy”? How does the name suggest her connection to Tom even as it conceals her true identity? In a novel that positions men as a threat in romantic relationships, what does McFadden’s choice of a woman as the killer influence or change to the novel’s central message?

Analyze the role of mothers in the novel. How do Tom and Sydney’s mothers seek to protect their children? How do they put them at risk? In what ways do the mother characters contribute to the novel’s thematic engagement with The Pressure of Social Expectations?

Throughout the novel, McFadden employs a number of red herrings to misdirect readers from the murderer’s true identity. How does McFadden position these red herrings within the structure of her novel, and how effective are they in supporting the novel’s final reveal of the killer?

In both timelines, the protagonist is forced to confront the murder of a close friend. How do Tom and Sydney deal with the loss of Slug and Bonnie, respectively? What is the role of these best friends in the novel?

With the exception of Chapter 63, the entire novel takes place either in the “present day,” when Tom is an established doctor, or 20 years earlier, when Tom was a teenager. What is the effect of the single chapter depicting Tom’s college years? What insight does this flashback provide?

Although both Tom and Gretchen/Daisy kill people as teenagers, Tom reigns in his violent impulses as an adult, while Gretchen continues to kill. Compare and contrast Tom and Gretchen as violent offenders. What role, if any, does gender play in the characterization of their violence? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.