1. One of the key themes in Lilia’s Secret is how we all deal with catastrophe. What are the difference approaches the key characters (Maddy, Bill, Juan and Lilia) take to live with their catastrophe? And how do they change during the novel?

2. Maddy and Bill seem very different. What do they have in common?

3. When have you gone on a similar journey to overcome pain and to free yourself? How did you do it?

4. What are the differences and similaries of the rural landscapes of Australia and Mexico. What does this tell us about the cultural differences and the universal human experience?

5. Secrets are powerful tools in the world of Lilia’s Secret, but are they always negative?

6. What does the changing from the first person (Maddy’s point of view) and the third person (Bill’s point of view) do for Lilia’s Secret. What are the strengths and limitations of each approach.

7. Lilia is seen as a saint by some and a murderer by others. Does the novel finally come to one position? How much does your own context, experience and memories mask how you see the world?