Synopses & Reviews
From the New York Times bestselling author of Think Twice and Look Again comes an emotionally powerful novel about a split-second choice, agonizing consequences, and the need for justice Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in her daughter Mellys school in order to keep an eye on Amanda, a mean girl whos been bullying her daughter. Her fears come true when the bullying begins, sending Melly to the bathroom in tears. Just as Rose is about to follow after her daughter, a massive explosion goes off in the kitchen, sending the room into chaos. Rose finds herself faced with the horrifying decision of whether or not to run to the bathroom to rescue her daughter or usher Amanda to safety. She believes she has accomplished both, only to discover that Amanda, for an unknown reason, ran back into the school once out of Rose's sight. In an instance, Rose goes from hero to villain as the small community blames Amandas injuries on her. In the days that follow, Rose's life starts to fall to pieces, Amandas mother decides to sue, her marriage is put to the test, and worse, when her daughter returns to school, the bullying only intensifies. Rose must take matters into her own hands and get down to the truth of what really happened that fateful day in order to save herself, her marriage and her family.
In the way that Look Again had readers questioning everything they thought they knew about family, Save Me will have readers wondering just how far they would go to save the ones they love. Lisa Scottoline is writing about real issues that resonate with real women, and the results are emotional, heartbreaking and honest.
Review
"Are you a good mother if you save your child from disaster? What if it means sacrificing another's child? In SAVE ME, Lisa Scottoline walks readers into this charged moral dilemma and then takes them on an intense, breathless ride. You won't be able to put this one down." --Jodi Picoult, New York Times bestselling author of SING YOU HOME and HOUSE RULES
"A novel packed with excitement and emotion, SAVE ME is a gut-clenching, heart-stirring read." --Sandra Brown, New York Times bestselling author of Tough Customer
"An emotionally riveting novel that explores the depths of one mother's love for her daughter. Powerful, provocative, and page-turning!" --Emily Giffin, new York Times bestselling author of Heart of the Matter and Something Borrowed.
"Heart-pounding! Scottoline provides the perfect combination of explosive action, twisting turns, and genuine emotion in this exciting novel of an ordinary mom going to extraordinary lengths for her daughter. Open up SAVE ME, and save yourself with a great book." --Lisa Gardner, New York Times bestselling author of Love You More
"From one shock to the next, only a mom's courage and love bring justice. Nerves on edge, heart pounding, and heart-wrenching, SAVE ME is thrilling and infused with love. Brilliant, I couldn't put it down." --Louise Penny, New York Times bestselling author of Bury Your Dead
“A white-hot crossover novel about the perils of mother love. Scottoline, shifts gears at every curve with the cool efficiency of a NASCAR driver.” --Kirkus Reviews
“At the quick pace of a thriller, Scottoline masterfully fits every detail into a tight plot chock-full of real characters, real issues, and real thrills. A story anchored by the impenetrable power of a mothers love, it begs the question, just how far would you go to save your child?” --Booklist"The Scottoline we love as a virtuoso of suspense, fast actionand intricate plot is back in top form in “Save Me.” --The Washington Post
Synopsis
From the New York Times bestselling author of Think Twice and Look Again comes an emotionally powerful novel about a split-second choice, agonizing consequences, and the need for justice
Synopsis
New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottolines Save Me will touch the heart of every woman, as its heroine, the unforgettable Rose McKenna, makes a split-second decision that alters the course of her life—and makes you wonder what you would do in her shoes.
Nobody could have foreseen what would happen the day that Rose McKenna volunteers as a lunch mom in the cafeteria of her daughters elementary school. Rose does it to keep a discreet eye on her third-grader, Melly, a sweet, if shy, child who was born with a facial birthmark that has become her own personal bulls-eye. Melly has been targeted by the mean girl at their new school and gets bullied every day, placing Rose in a no-win position familiar to parents everywhere. Do we step in to protect our children when they need us, or does that make things worse?
When the bully starts to tease Melly yet again. Rose is about to leap into action—but right then, the unthinkable happens. Rose finds herself in a nightmare, faced with an emergency decision that no mother should ever have to make. What she decides in that split second derails Roses life and jeopardizes everyone she holds dear, until she takes matters into her own hands and lays her life on the line to save her child, her family, her marriage—and herself.
Lisa Scottoline has thrilled millions with her inspiring female characters and her exploration of emotional justice, writing about real issues that resonate with real women. In Save Me, she returns with her most stirring and thought-provoking novel yet.
Synopsis
"Each staccato chapter adds new and unexpected turns, so many you could get whiplash just turning a page. Scottoline knows how to keep readers in her grip." —The New York Times Book Review Nobody could have foreseen what would happen the day that Rose McKenna volunteers in the cafeteria of her daughters elementary school. Rose does it to keep a discreet eye on her third-grader, Melly, a sweet, if shy, child who was born with a facial birthmark that has become her own personal bulls-eye. Melly has been targeted by the mean girl at their new school and gets bullied every day, placing Rose in a no-win position familiar to parents everywhere. Do we step in to protect our children when they need us, or does that make things worse?When the bully starts to tease Melly yet again, Rose is about to leap into action—but right then, the unthinkable happens. Rose finds herself in a nightmare, faced with an emergency decision that no mother should ever have to make. Would she sacrifice another mothers child to save her own? What she decides in that split second derails Roses life and jeopardizes everything she holds dear—her family, her marriage—and even her own life…"A white-hot crossover novel about the perils of mother love."—Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Lisa Scottoline is the
New York Times bestselling author of novels including
Look Again, Lady Killer, Think Twice, and
Everywhere That Mary Went. She also writes a weekly column, “Chick Wit,” with her daughter Francesca Serritella, for
The Philadelphia Inquirer. The columns have been collected in
Why My Third Husband Will Be a Dog and
My Nest Isnt Empty, It Just Has More Closet Space. She has won an Edgar® Award and
Cosmopolitan magazines “Fun Fearless Fiction” Award, and she is the president of Mystery Writers of America. She teaches a course on justice and fiction at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, her alma mater. She lives in the Philadelphia area.
Cynthia Nixon—an Emmy, Tony, and Grammy Award-winning actress—is best known for her role as Miranda Hobbes in the hit HBO Sex and the City series and the films Sex and the City: The Movie and Sex and the City 2. She has read several Earphones Award-winning audiobooks. Her narrations include Emily Giffin's Heart of the Matter and Baby Proof, as well as Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth and Candace Bushnell's Lipstick Jungle.
Reading Group Guide
1. Save Me explores the mother and child relationship, at its heart. What do you think defines a mother? How is a mother and child relationship different than any other relationship? Look at other forms of culture, like art, for example. How many depictions are there of mother and child? And how many of father and child? Are we discriminating against fathers, or diminishing them, by all this talk of the mother-child bond? And by doing so, do we create a self-fulfilling prophecy?
2. In Save Me, Melly is the victim of bullying because of a birthmark on her face. Do you think bullying is different today than years ago? Do you think that the bullying is getting worse, or are we just hearing more about it because of the Internet? What do you think parents and schools should do to help curb bullying? What kind of punishment do you think is appropriate for the child who is doing the bullying? What about those who watch and say nothing? Are they, or arent they, equally as culpable? Do you think that school programs and curricula that build up self-esteem and a sense of community will really make a difference?
3. Rose experienced her own bullying at the hands of the angry parents, which gave her a new perspective on what Melly was going through. Do you have any experience with bullying between adults? In what ways are adults better equipped to deal with bullying than children? What impact can bullying have on adults, and what can adults do if they are faced with a bully? What impact does adult bullying have on children?
4. Rose steps in to defend Melly against her bully. Do you think it was a good idea? Why or why not? How do you think a parents involvement hurts or helps the situation? At what point do you think parents need to involve themselves in the situation? What steps would you take to help your child if he or she was being bullied, and how far would you be willing to go?
5. What impact do you think a physical blemish has on a child, and how do you think it affects his or her identity, family relationships, and contact with the outside world? Take it a step further: What about physical disabilty, like a child in a wheelchair? Or learning challenges, that arent so visible? Or how about discriminations based on race, religion, or sexual orientation? Mellys father reacted very badly to Mellys birthmark. What did his reaction make you feel about him?
6. Many of Lisas books center on single mothers or blended families. Do you think the love of one great parent is enough to sustain a child through life? Does it take a husband, too? Or a village?
7. As Rose found out, volunteering comes with risks. The book makes clear that this is a problem in the law of many states, maybe even where you live. What do you think of the laws in terms of protecting those who volunteer their time? What changes, if any, would you make to the Good Samaritan laws to protect volunteers?
8. How did you feel about Rose keeping her secret past from Leo? Did you understand her reasoning? Did you agree or disagree with it? What impact do you think Roses past will have on her marriage as she moves forward? Do you think she will ever really be able to escape what happened? Will he forgive her for not telling him? How do secrets impact intimacy in our lives?
9. Rose was called a “helicopter”parent, a term often used in todays society with a negative connotation. What separates helicopter parenting from good parenting? What kind of parent do you think Rose was? What mistakes do you think she made? Do you think she was a good mother? Do you think she favors Melly or the baby? Or treats them equally?
10. How did you feel about Amanda in the beginning of the book? Did your opinion of her change by the end of the book? What do you think causes children to be bullies? Under what circumstances would you ever feel bad for the bully? In punishing a bully, do you think his or her personal circumstances should be taken into account?
11. What did you think of Roses lawyers strategy? Did you agree or disagree with it? Why or why not? Do you think they were just passing the blame, or do you think the school had a responsibility in what happened? Do you think that litigation is another form of bullying? Do you know anybody who is sue-happy?