What do you think of the Prologue and the snippet we saw of Kassie?
What type of information do you think Bertie had that Clarissa and Dolf wanted?
Do you think they will continue to play a big role in this story? Or just Barnabas?
Have you been to Cape Town during February? Do you agree with Arend’s opinion of the weather?
What do you think happened to the Altman Twins? Why do you think it will be significant?
Do you think Barnabas and Moorcroft are the same person?
Clarissa mentions two partners to Dolf when explaining Bertie’s role in the operation. Why do you think Clarissa doesn’t share that the Altman twins were her partners?
Do you think the scrapyard Clarissa and Dolf enter in Chapter 3 is the same one Kassie entered in the Prologue?
All of Clarissa’s negotiations must take place in the corrugated-iron shack. Why do you think Barnabas had expressly instructed that the shack was where she must negotiate?
What do you think the shipment consists of?
Knowing that Clarissa uses the European Committee for Combating International Smuggling and Theft of Heritage and Cultural Artefacts, was your initial assessment of what the shipment could be wrong?
Do you think Arend and Monica struggle with the morality of their job, considering they were once police officers?
Clarissa has found a very rare artefact of The Lion Man. Do you think it’s authentic?
Why do you think Barnabas ordered the hit on the Altman twins?
Clarissa has a call with a journalist about an old case. What do you think of her lying to the journalist about the pieces? Do you think what Clarissa said to the journalist is enough to keep the story cold?
Arend is clearly a very pedantic person. He is constantly on Monica’s case about the job. Do you think he trusts her as much as he led us to believe in the beginning?
Arend chose not to help Monica when he noticed the guards. Why do you think he just left her to fend for herself?
Clarissa tells Dolf to not worry about the next auction. Do you think that his concern will become justified?
Do you think that Arend is working for Barnabas on this takedown?
We learn that Dolf once worked for the police in England. Do you think it’s possible that he is an undercover agent?
Both Arend and Monica pulled off their task. Prior to the success, Arend was worried. Do you think he needed to be?
5 responses to “Raiders Day One”
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1. I didn’t like that the prologue might be showing us what happens to Kassie later.
2. It was revealed later that it’s a list of visitors, but I was honestly suspecting that he maybe is an eyewitness to a murder or something.
3. I think they will. I’m thinking Barnabas will mostly be in the background until the later chapters.
4. I haven’t been in February, but my friends keep complaining about the February heat.
5. I thought it was going to be a mystery until the later chapters, and I’m glad that we already know who killed them and who ordered them to be killed. Now I just wonder why.
6. Nah, I doubt it
7. Maybe she does not want Dolf to know just how involved she was?
8. Ooh I didn’t think of it, but yes I think it’s the same one.
9. I can’t think of any reason at the moment, but maybe he’s hiding something in the bigger building.
10. Artefacts
11. No. Based on the description of the books I kind of guessed it must be that
12. I definitely think they did so in the beginning. Maybe now they’ve come to terms with it.
13. After she checked it with the magnifying glasses, I’m guessing so. She works with the stuff, so her hunch could be correct.
14. Greed
15. Yes it is. She’s a professional. Unless the journalist decides to dig deeper and stake out black-market auctions then that’s where the people will be.
16. I think there’s more than he’s letting on. I think he trusts her, sure but he seems to be a bit condescending at times? Or maybe I’m reading too much into it. Monica does not help either because she keeps snapping off at him.
17. He knows a failed mission when he sees one. He could’ve gotten both of them killed if he went ahead.
18. Yeah. They’re bound to be caught
19. I thought so yes
20. For four years? I doubt it, otherwise he’s a good one.
21. Yeah. They didn’t know what was waiting for them inside the house, so it makes sense for him to worry a bit.-
1. I was instantly intrigued and ready to keep reading.
2. At first I thought he had information for them about people or a crime even.
3. I think we’ll be seeing more of the two of them.
4. I agree February is hot in February as far as I know.
5. I thought they’d been kidnapped but obviously that wasn’t the case. I think they’re the link in the story that’ll tie all the characters together in the end.
6. No they’re not.
7. I think she doesn’t fully trust him. It seems he’s still on a need to know basis.
8. Come to think of it, it probably is.
9. It’s probably very hot in the shack and this would lead to discussions taking place quickly because of the discomfort.
10. Artefacts
11. No I kind of knew it was that.
12. At the start maybe they did but it becomes clear that Monica in particular has no issues with her job and what she needs to do.
13. I think it’s very possible.
14. He wanted them out of the way. He would then benefit more.
15. The jounalist sees her as a professional with integrity so they’d have no need to keep digging deeper.
16. I don’t feel like he fully trusts her. He seems to undermine her a lot which leads to her resentment towards him.
17. He had no backup plan and thought maybe they’d both end up dead if he tried to do something so he felt like he had no choice but to wait it out.
18. Yes, these people don’t play games!
19. Yes it appears that way.
20. I actually didn’t consider that, who knows? Maybe.
21. Yes, anything could’ve gone wrong.
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1. I was super intrigued by the prologue and it definitely got me curious.
2. At the time I didn’t really know, I thought it might’ve been something more criminal like a list of shipment information or a catalogue of sorts.
3. I think everyone mentioned will play a major role in the climax of the plot. Definitely think they’ll all have a massive showdown.
4. I live in Cape Town and it’s quite literally a sauna.
5. I was curious about it but now I know. I think it will tie everyone together and everyone will be made aware of each other.
6. Nope.
7. Possibly doesn’t want to be tied to everything if she was caught or could use it as a bargaining chip?
8. Yes!
9. Maybe he prefers the shack because there’s no way he can be ambushed / blindsided? Or he’s hiding something?
10. Artefacts.
11. No. 🙂
12. Originally, yes, more so Monica, but now I know I was wrong and it was actually Arend.
13. Yes! With he knowledge on artefacts it has to be.
14. Jealousy? Maybe he felt threatened?
15. The journalist believed her, so I really don’t think they’ll go against her word and continue digging.
16. No, and it’s super frustrating. He treats her like a subordinate and always seems so unsure. If I was Monica I’d definitely feel annoyed at how easily he questions her choices and won’t take her word on things they’re partners. Her word should carry the same amount of weight as his.
17. I genuinely don’t think he knew what to do. He really had no game plan and wasn’t willing to sacrifice himself to protect her again.
18. I think fretting over the auction is natural. They’re not auctioning things off legally, these items have been stolen. I definitely think his worry is justified.
19. Yes
20. No, not at all.
21. Yes, he had no idea what they were going to do and he wasn’t really thinking of new game plans. Monica saved them
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1. The prologue gives us an intriguing snapshot of what’s to come! It made me interested in seeing how Kassie got there.
2. Information relating to the Altman twins.
3. Since this first part is titled “Clarissa & Arend”, I am certain both Clarissa and Dolf will play a big role in the rest of the story.
4. As someone born and raised in February, I agree with Arend! Though with global warming and climate change, the weather has been changing from what we’re used to…
5. I believe the Altman Twins were murdered and both the Clarissa and Arend duos have something to do with the murders. As the book’s synopsis suggests, the death/disappearance of the twins is the focal point of all the mystery and suspense in this book.
6. I actually haven’t thought about it till now…. And interesting theory…
7. The less Dolf knows, the better for him (and for her if Dolf is ever compromised).
8. It’s possible! But since Clarissa says they’re constantly changing locations, it’s also very likely that Kassie is in a different location in the Prologue (especially since the place in the Prologue has a bed).
9. This is something I’ve been pondering over, but I haven’t come to a conclusion yet. The shack is secluded and covered, so that part makes sense. But Clarissa mentions there being an even better place to negotiate, so why does Barnabas insist on the shack?… Perhaps he is hiding something in this other space that he doesn’t want Clarissa (or Ibrahim) to know about.
10. Illegal artefacts, since they’re smugglers of such goods.
11. No, I was correct.
12. Yes, I do think so. Arend himself mentions struggling with it. But I think over time they become more desensitized and less conflicted by the immorality of it all.
13. She believes so and her assertions are so convincing that I think it might be!
14. The Altman twins must have done something to cross him or maybe they wanted to break free from whatever partnership they had going on with him.
15. I can’t say for certain whether it’s enough, but her lies aren’t surprising. It fits with her character.
16. I think he does trust her, but he also cares about her. His worry is more driven by care than distrust.
17. I don’t think he wanted to leave her to fend for herself, but he could not think of a way to save both her and himself. Personally, I feel like he was a coward.
18. Who’s to say? The best part of these kinds of books is we can never know for sure!
19. It is possible.
20. I doubt it. He has been with Clarissa for a while and has done shady work himself after his time in the police. However, it is not entirely unplausible…
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• This was such a good intro that I was immediately hooked. I couldn’t wait to see what he has done to put himself in that situation.
• I think it is a list full of people that have treasures that they would like to steal from.
• I think they will have a big role because what is more enticing than a ex-cop turned villain.
• I think I have been there in Feb before, just can’t remember when but I do know the heat in Feb is crazy hot.
• I think they were murdered and I don’t know why yet. I think it must be along the lines of them having important information maybe. I think also their death’s will be the plot of the story and how it unfolds.
• I didn’t even think about that now that you mention it.
• I think she also has her own agenda that he doesn’t know about.
• Yes, it would make so much sense.
• I think it is under her control. She seems like the person that to have a handle on everything. Also, most of the time those surroundings don’t have camera’s etc. and gives you a certain comfort of not knowing who the person is you will meet.
• I think it is rare and old artifacts.
• No, I had the inkling that it would be something like that.
• I think when you are younger, you are more likely to not be too worried but I think getting older at some point it will start weighing on them. It already seems like Arend his having doubts.
• I am not sure. Unless she wants to double cross Baranbas somehow it is a possibility.
• He was either working with the wrong people or have information that he didn’t want them to share.
• It seems like Clarissa is a very clever and smart person and tells everyone what they want to hear. It also sounded like she and the journalist goes back because the journalist alluded to that fact. I think Clarissa knows the person well enough to be able to string them along without giving any solid truths.
• I think he does, but I also think it is his morality that makes him nervous. I think he wants to make sure everything goes smoothly.
• Normally when someone tells you not to worry, that is when you should be worried.
• I think Arend is a one man show. He doesn’t seem like the person that is partnering with someone else other than Monica.
• This could be a possibility, but we have seen that Arend and Monica was also and they have already killed a few people.
• I think in the work that they do. There is always a possibility of something going wrong, so it doesn’t surprise me that he is.
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