1. Why do Valérie and Poldi hit it off immediately? What do they see in each other that leads to their strong friendship?

2. Poldi is sexy and sassy, with a vibrant romantic life --- characteristics we often see in younger protagonists, but not often in older ones. In what other ways does Poldi break with convention? Why do you think vibrant, sexy women of a certain age aren’t featured more frequently in movies and books?

3. The author evokes a very strong sense of place. What were you drawn to most, the descriptions of the food, or of the landscape?

4. Poldi is immediately accepted by her neighbors, perhaps in spite of her quirks. But while she is an insider in many ways, she is also still an outsider as an expatriate. How does she reconcile this contradiction? Have you ever felt like an insider and an outsider at the same time? How did you reconcile that?

5. Why do you think Poldi choose policemen to photograph? What does it say about her thoughts surrounding authority?

6. Do you have a friend or relative who reminds you of Poldi? What is your relationship with him or her and how does your dynamic relate to the dynamic between Poldi and her nephew?

7. If you could choose any place to retire, as Poldi chose Sicily, where would you go and why?

8. Why does Poldi feel so honor-bound to Valentino? Could her motivation to solve his murder also be driven by self-interest?

9. Poldi has a close but complicated relationship with each one of her sisters. At times, they can be a burden to her, but often they become her partners in crime. What are your relationships like with your siblings and how do you navigate and maintain those relationships as you grow older?