2-3-4 Challenge Book Discussions #1 discussion

At this stage of the story, where were you about believing Mars didn't kill his parents? Was the original motive plausible?

I did wonder how Mars could kill so easily in the scene we just have been discussing, but I have no idea how one who is convicted of a crime learns to survive by any means in prison. It truly sounds like chaos and perdition.

I did not think the cooked-up motive for him committing murder made any sense.

For some reason...I never believed he could kill his mother. And, there was no motivation really. The money issue was so small...as Mars said he would have so much dough he wouldn't really care if he had to give to his parents. Plus, he would want to help his mother so again I don't see him deny them money. I also don't think Mars was that prideful that h would kill them based on principle (if that makes sense).

Children killing their parents is a rare phenomenon, at least that's what I've learned over the years. For me, there just wasn't enough history to support the kind of rage and hatred needed for Mars to have done this, especially for a death sentence. His representation was lousy.

Jonetta wrote: "Children killing their parents is a rare phenomenon, at least that's what I've learned over the years. For me, there just wasn't enough history to support the kind of rage and hatred needed for Mar..."

Agreed!

This is what can happen without proper representation. A half decent lawyer should have, at a minimum, avoided the death penalty.

I at first thought that Mars might of didnt kill his parents. I also know that Baldacci is known for his twists and turns and that there is usually a surprise, when you you think that you figured it out, a twist comes along and it usually doesnt happen as you planned it too. So all along I wasnt sure.