READERS GUIDE

READING GROUP GUIDE

Questions and Topics for Discussion


1 In what ways do Campbell and Chellel blend elements of mystery or thriller fiction with narrative history? Why is this more novelistic approach to the story more engaging than a purely historical account might be? 

2 Discuss Brillante Virtuoso as the setting for a crime. How does the setting at sea add to the tension and drama of the story? How might the events and investigation have unfolded differently if the crime had taken place on land? 

3 How did you feel as the attack unfolded on board the Brillante? Were you suspicious about how the events unfolded? If so, about what and why? 

4 The global maritime trade industry is worth billions of dollars, yet private ship owners are responsible for securing and protecting their own ships. Maritime crime is rampant, costing hundreds of millions of dollars a year. What responsibility do governments or industries have—or should they have—to provide security for ships in order to protect the global economy tied to the maritime trade business? Why do you think this security and protection is lacking? 

5 Just as maritime crime is common, so is maritime fraud, which also costs the global economy several billion dollars a year. Yet most maritime fraud goes un-investigated and preventative measures are rarely taken. Why? 

6 Insurers at the London-based Lloyd’s market hired private investigator Richard Veale to investigate the circumstances around the attack on Brillante Virtuoso before they paid out the insurance money. There was no direct evidence that a crime had been committed, but a few factors contributed to the sense that this might not be an ordinary pirate case. What caused their suspicion? Do you think they were justified in hiring Veale? 

7 Did David Mockett’s murder come as a surprise? Why or why not? Do you think his murder and the failed murder attempt when he was shot in the street years prior are related?

8 How did Mockett’s work and legacy continue to contribute to solving the crime even after his death?
 
9 How did the unrest and violence the authors describe in Yemen contribute to the unease and tension of the story? How might the story have been different if it had taken place near a more stable environment or location? How did the instability and violence interfere with the investigation and protect the guilty parties? 

10 Do you think the death of Roger Stoke, Mockett’s friend in Aden, was related to the Brillante case? Why or why not? Do you think his death should have been investigated further? 

11 The investigation takes many twists and turns. What do you think was the turning point that led to the truth? 

12 How was Allan Marquez’s testimony critical to the case? How was Dimitrios Plakakis’s? What did each man risk by telling the truth? 

13 Many individuals contributed to the solving of this case. Who do you think is the central hero of the case? Is there one? Why or why not? 

14 Discuss the power of investigative journalism and reporting on this case and the impact the authors’ work had on the investigation. What risks did the authors take by telling this story? Why do you think it was important for them to tell this story? What does their impact on this case say about the importance of journalistic independence and freedom? 

15 Who or what do you think bears the most responsibility for David Mockett’s death?