Meet me at Book Club (II)

A while ago I wrote a blog about Book Clubs, and how they've evolved from their 18th century versions into the sociable occasions we enjoy today. In the early days, Book Clubs provided a way for readers to access a variety of titles without having to buy them individually. A single copy was purchased by the group and then shared around.

In our digital world, we have the luxury of reading on a range of platforms and it means that members can all read the same book at the same time... and then discuss it together at their next meeting. Which brings me to my next point:
How much debate do you have in your group?
I speak at many clubs and I'm always amazed at how engaged most members are. Probably the most diligent was a group of young professional ladies who attacked their reading lists with as much verve as they attacked their In-trays at work. I was with them to discuss my first novel, The Housemaid's Daughter. After I'd spoken, they proceeded to have a lively debate about one particular aspect of the book concerning Phil, the young man who returns from the war with what we now know as post-traumatic stress disorder (shell shock in those days).
If you haven't read Housemaid, stop reading now.

As you will remember, Phil sadly dies after falling from an upper floor window.
Was it suicide, an accident or... was he pushed?
At the end of their debate, they turned to me for the definitive answer. I was the author so I would know! But I declined to tell them and, after a while, they understood why.
One of the great joys of reading is that we each interpret characters differently, we each project a little of ourselves into their actions.
I left Phil's fate to the imagination of you, the reader.
I feel it's better that way, don't you?

(But I wonder what you think is the answer...)