1. How would you describe Laura? Why has intimacy been such a problem for her? How does owning Peardew's house affect her? In what way does she become an agent of change and redemption?

2. Talk about the tragedy for Anthrony Peardew of losing his beloved Theressa and the effect it has had on his life. What is the impetus for his compulsion to collect lost things? Which of his imagined stories about lost items do you find most engaging—the blue jigsaw or the white umbrella, perhaps?

3. Talk about Sunshine, who describes her self as a "dancing drome." Did you appreciate her clairvoyance and connection with the irascible ghost?

4. How does the story of Eunice and Bomber relate to Laura and Anthony's story? Did you find the two plot strands difficult to juggle, perhaps too distracting? Or do the two tales enhance one another?

5. In what way are lost things symbolic of lost souls looking for a place to belong…or a lost self struggling for self-discovery? How does each lost item connect with the individual who lost it?

6. Does the book satisfy? What was our experience reading it?