Two Nights in Lisbon
by Chris Pavone
ISBN: 9780374604769 / 448 pages
Tautly wound and expertly crafted, Two Nights in Lisbon is a riveting thriller about a woman under
pressure, and how far she will go when everything is on the line.
Ariel Pryce wakes up in Lisbon alone. Her husband is gone—no warning, no note, not answering his
phone. Something is wrong.
She starts with hotel security, then the police, then the American embassy, each time confronting
questions she can’t fully answer: What exactly is John doing in Lisbon? Why would he drag her
along on his business trip? Who would want to harm him? And why does Ariel know so little about
her new—and much younger—husband? The clock is ticking. Ariel is increasingly frustrated and
desperate, running out of time, and the one person in the world who can help is the one person she
least wants to ask.
Bestselling author Chris Pavone delivers sparkling prose and razor-sharp insights in this stunning
and sophisticated thriller. Two Nights in Lisbon will stick with you long after the surprising nal
page.
This reading group guide for Two Nights in Lisbon includes discussion questions and ideas for
enhancing your book club. The suggested questions are intended to help your reading group nd
new and interesting angles and topics for your discussion. We hope that these ideas will enrich your
conversation and increase your enjoyment of the book.
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QUESTIONS AND TOPICS FOR DISCUSSION
1. The novelist Lisa Lutz describes Two Nights in Lisbon as “a total barn burner, with twisty surprises
from start to nish.” The book ends with a few spectacular twists. Did you see any of these coming?
When? Based on what clues? Were you satised with the way the author wrapped up the story?
2. The novelist Lee Child says this book is “timely, important, layered with ticking suspense.” The plot
and characters denitely have a few parallels with recent important events and people in American
life. How do you feel about this commentary? Does it enhance the reading experience for you? Do
you prefer ction to be a total escape from reality, or a reection of it?
3. The novelist Megan Abbott describes Two Nights in Lisbon as having “true moral heft.” One of the
factual underpinnings of the novel is the American criminal justice system’s consistent failure to
return guilty verdicts for sexual assaults. What do you think can be done about this societal problem?
How do you feel about the morality of the ctional solution presented in this novel? Do you believe
that nondisclosure agreements are moral in such cases, or do they present a signicant obstacle to
justice?
4. The structure alternates between Ariel’s present search for her husband in Lisbon and her life in New
York in the past. Did learning about Ariel’s past help you better understand her current actions? Did
your feelings about Ariel change as you learned more about her history?
5. The novelist Cristina Alger praised Two Nights in Lisbon, saying that Chris Pavone “once again
marries an explosive plot with an intimate and nuanced exploration of a marriage and the secrets we
keep from those we love the most.” What did you think of Ariel and John as a couple? Were they
good partners to each other? How did your understanding of their marriage evolve over the course
of the book?
6. The novelist John Grisham said of Two Nights in Lisbon, “This is smart suspense at its very best . . .
The plot is too devious, the pace is too gripping, and the characters are seldom who they are supposed
to be.” Were there any characters you found particularly compelling? Which of their secrets did you
nd to be the most surprising?
7. When Ariel discovers that her husband is missing, did you think she was overreacting? What would
you have done differently? What did you think had happened to John?
8. Chris Pavone is a man, and this book’s protagonist is a woman. Do you think Pavone was successful
at capturing the female point of view? Where do you think he made missteps? Are there other male
novelists who have written successfully from the female point of view, or vice versa? Do you believe
that an author’s gender, race, ethnicity, or any other factors should limit their authority in writing
from certain points of view?
9. The novelist Maggie Shipstead wrote about Two Nights in Lisbon that “the plot grips; the characters
breathe, the gorgeous setting entices.” Does the setting of this book make you want to visit Lisbon,
or the opposite? Does ction ever make you want to go somewhere? Do you ever actually go? Have
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any books made you fall in love with a place?
10. This is Pavone’s fth novel; each of his books includes characters who overlap with at least one
other book. Do you know which character(s) in Two Nights in Lisbon appear in another of his
books? How do you feel about this sort of universe?
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ENHANCE YOUR BOOK CLUB
1. The text is specic about some of the Lisbon sites—the Time Out Market, the Elevador de Santa
Justa, and the Ascensor da Bica, among others. Find images of these sites, and read the relevant
passages alongside. Do the pictures match your vision based on the text? Some other sites are
referred to nonspecically, especially the hotel and the square in front of it. Can you gure out
the author’s inspiration for these locations?
2. Reading Two Nights in Lisbon, it’s impossible not to get caught up in the atmosphere of the city.
Prepare a Portuguese feast for your book club to experience some of the tastes and smells of
Lisbon. Were there any descriptions of the city that you found particularly evocative?
3. To learn more about Chris Pavone and nd out when he may be in a city near you, visit his
ofcial website at http://chrispavone.com/.
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