2. In the beginning of the novel, Justin is momentarily taken aback by Eleanor’s command that he seek his much-loathed father’s assistance, but then he sees the truth. What is that truth?

3. Justin is aptly described as “a natural lone wolf, not happy hunting with the pack.” Do you think this wolf will ever form his own pack?

4. Has Justin met the right woman yet? If not, will he ever?

5. If you could plot Justin’s future, what would it look like?

6. What do you think would have happened in the chapel if Durand had not been interrupted?

7. Justin recalls being punished as a child for sneaking food to Bennet and Molly. Why was his kindness met with hostility and condemnation from the society around him?

8. Molly helps Justin see his father in a whole new light. Has anyone ever helped you in this way?

9. Justin worries about Piers and his reaction to Molly and Justin’s relationship. Do you think his worries are warranted?

10. Justin tells a bereft Angharad that “love can change; it can even die.” Discuss the vagaries of love.

11. When is virtue not a virtue?

12. What do you think of Emma’s use of her feminine wiles to accrue and wield power?

13. What does Emma mean when she tells John that “a widow’s lot is better than a wife’s more often than not”?

14. What do you think Davydd would do if he learned of Emma’s treachery?

15. John and Emma are kin, but their true bond is their thirst for revenge. Discuss how bitterness has crippled them and imperiled those around them.

16. Two very different kinds of sibling relationships—Richard and John versus Bennet and Molly—are represented in this novel. Do they share any common ground?

17. How do you interpret John’s dream of his absent, imprisoned brother?

18. Eleanor’s assertion that “all the Welsh are inbred” is a perfect illustration of the prevailing English attitude toward the Welsh. What is the cost of England’s cultural and political myopia and imperialism?

19. Other than Justin, which character did you find most compelling? Least compelling?

20. Are you the kind of reader who must solve a mystery in advance or do you prefer to let it unfold before you?

21. What historical figure would make for an interesting addition to your group’s discussion of Dragon’s Lair?

22. How has the group discussion enriched your understanding of Dragon’s Lair?

23. What book is your group going to read next? Do you plan to read the next installment of Justin de Quincy’s adventures?