#MurderTrending

Dee Guerrera describes herself as an average teenager but manages to take down the Postman and Alcatraz 2.0 with just a little help from her friends. Do you think Dee is a believable character? Why or why not? Who is your favorite character in the novel? Why are they your favorite?

McNeil uses a lot of popular-culture allusions and references in the story. Which allusions, if any, enhanced your understanding of the story and/or the themes? Pick two allusions and explain how they contribute to the impact of the novel.

In what ways can social media be a positive cultural influence? In what ways can it be a negative social influence? Users who watch the dramatic executions on the Postman app are largely desensitized to violence. Do you believe that social media can make people less sensitive? Discuss.

Detail three ways that McNeil creates suspense in the novel. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

How does Dee’s identity as Dee Guerrera differ from her childhood identity as Dolores Hernandez? What effects does her abduction have on Dee as a teenager? How does Dee overcome these effects on Alcatraz 2.0?

#MurderTrending presents a case against the privatization and monetization of the American prison system. What are your thoughts about privatization? What are some of the possible benefits of outsourcing prisons to private companies? What are some of the disadvantages?

Consider the different roles that characters play in the novel. Who plays multiple roles in the story? Is there any character who plays only one role? How does role-playing add to the novel’s suspense?

Describe the Postman’s vision of justice. Do you think the original premise of Alcatraz 2.0—serial killers murdering convicted killers—is just? How does Dee’s understanding of justice differ from the Postman’s? Whose philosophy do you agree with? Why?