1. “Nik nok, time to rock.” Do you have a phrase or saying you share with a friend that’s an inside joke? How did it come about, and how does it capture your relationship?

2. When the police ask David Spivey, a minor, to identify the body of his estranged grandmother because no one else is available, do you agree with their decision? Why or why not?

3. The story takes place in the coastal town of New Castle, New Hampshire, and on a nearby island. How do these settings contribute to the novel’s tone and sense of dread? Could the story have worked as effectively in a different location?

4. Have you ever seen a ghost or experienced something unexplainable? What are some haunting stories you’ve heard about where you live? How do they compare to the book’s portrayal of the supernatural?

5. Billy and David plan to spend their last summer before college together. How does the idea of this transitional time in their lives impact their actions? Do you think their choices were influenced by their fear of growing apart?

6. Would you ever put off treatment for an illness to spend time with friends or loved ones? What factors would influence your decision?

7. If you could look into the past or the future, what moment would you want to witness, and why?

8. Which scene or moment in the book scared you the most? What about it made it so chilling?

9. If someone you loved was dying, what is the most painful thing you’d be willing to sacrifice to save them? How did Billy’s sacrifice in the story make you reflect on this?

10. David inherits a mysterious house with a dark past. How does the house itself function as a character in the story? What role does its history play in shaping the events that unfold?

11. Imagine a choice where you could live forever and never worry about money, but it required sacrificing others. Would you take it? Why or why not?

12. Teens often have strong beliefs about right and wrong. What did you believe as a teenager that you see differently now? How does the book explore this theme through its characters?

13. Barker’s characters often face moral dilemmas. Matty calls Alex a “moral Boy Scout.” Do you think characters like this make for compelling protagonists? Why or why not?

14. At the beginning of the book, Keith and Pam Spivey seem like horrible people. By the end, they are revealed to be among the few doing things for the right reasons. How did your opinion of them change throughout the story? Have you ever had to make hard decisions for someone else’s benefit, even if they didn’t understand?

15. Have you ever made a pact or promise you regretted? How did you handle it afterward? Did you make amends?

16. If you had a photograph that could show an ideal situation for a departed loved one, who would be in it, and what would they be doing? How does this idea connect to themes in the book?

17. The house’s dark history influences generations, according to the book description. How does the past haunt the present in the novel? Do you believe that places or objects can carry the weight of past events?

18. What did you think of Billy’s choice at the end of the book? Did he make the right decision, the wrong one, or something in between? What would you have done in his shoes?

19. The title of the book, Something I Keep Upstairs, is intriguing. What do you think it means? Does it refer to multiple elements in the story? Did the meaning evolve for you as you read the book?

BOOK CLUB APPEARANCES

To book J.D. Barker for an appearance with your club, please submit a note via the contact form with “Book Club” in the subject.