Chapter summaries Hard to Kill James Patterson & Mike Lupica

Chapter 37: Thirty-Seven (Jimmy) – Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

While driving to Amagansett, Jimmy receives a call from Jane. She tells him she is on her way to Rob Jacobson’s rental house. Jimmy agrees to meet her there, though he dislikes the idea because he believes Jacobson has romantic feelings for Jane. When Jimmy arrives, he notes how tired Jane looks. Jacobson lets them both in.

The conversation quickly turns hostile. Jimmy sarcastically suggests that someone else tried to shoot Jacobson. Jane tries to keep the peace. Jacobson claims that everything happening is connected. Jimmy retorts that it is all connected to Jacobson’s own actions. Jacobson insists they are on the same team. Jimmy brings up Joe Champi, a former associate of Jacobson’s who was ready to kill Jane. Jacobson says he couldn’t control Champi. Jane steps in as a referee and asks Jacobson to explain why he called her there.

Jacobson then reveals his theory: he believes Eddie McKenzie is the mastermind. He describes McKenzie as a boy he bullied in high school, a younger kid who became obsessed with him and wanted everything Jacobson had. Later, Jacobson set McKenzie up for a rape accusation, which fueled McKenzie’s desire for revenge. According to Jacobson, McKenzie has waited years and is now killing people in order to frame Jacobson for the crimes. Jane questions whether one person could orchestrate such a complex conspiracy. Jacobson admits McKenzie did not act alone. He says he did some checking and discovered that McKenzie and his father had a body man, a fixer, just as Jacobson’s family had Joe Champi. Jacobson names the fixer: Licata, an ex-cop. Jimmy reveals that he recently encountered Licata at his own home, making the threat personal.

Key Events

  • Jane calls Jimmy while he is driving to Amagansett and tells him she is heading to Jacobson’s rental.
  • Jimmy meets Jane at Jacobson’s house, suspicious of Jacobson’s motives.
  • Jimmy confronts Jacobson about his past knowledge of Joe Champi’s plan to kill Jane.
  • Jacobson claims he could not control Champi; Jane mediates.
  • Jacobson outlines his theory that Eddie McKenzie is orchestrating the attacks to frame him.
  • Jacobson details McKenzie’s long history of obsession and his own role in setting McKenzie up for a rape.
  • Jacobson introduces the fixer Licata, an ex-cop who worked for the McKenzie family.
  • Jimmy confirms that he had an encounter with Licata at his house.

Character Development

  • Jimmy: Protective and blunt, Jimmy openly distrusts Jacobson and holds him responsible for past threats against Jane. His sarcasm and sharp questions reveal his unwillingness to forgive or forget.
  • Jane: Exhausted but determined, Jane acts as a mediator. She pushes for concrete answers and challenges the plausibility of Jacobson’s grand conspiracy theory. Her calm patience contrasts with the men’s hostility.
  • Rob Jacobson: For the first time, Jacobson admits to a morally dubious past: bullying Eddie McKenzie and setting him up for a rape accusation. He appears genuinely frightened by the current situation, yet he remains defensive and avoids full accountability.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Framing and Revenge: Jacobson believes McKenzie is engineering a complex frame-up as payback for Jacobson’s past betrayals.
  • Obsession: McKenzie’s fixation on Jacobson is described as lifelong, starting with wanting everything Jacobson had and now turning to destruction.
  • Complicity and Control: Jacobson’s admission that he could not control Joe Champi highlights the limits of power and the fallout of past alliances.
  • The Fixer Archetype: Licata serves as a shadowy problem-solver, echoing the role of Joe Champi and reinforcing the theme of hired violence.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter shifts the investigation toward a specific villain—Eddie McKenzie—and introduces Licata, a dangerous new player. It deepens Jacobson’s backstory, revealing his culpability in past misconduct and showing how his actions have returned to haunt him. The revelation that Jimmy has already encountered Licata at his own home raises the personal stakes and confirms that the conspiracy is no longer abstract but has directly endangered the core characters.

Study Questions & Answers

  1. Why does Jimmy continue to distrust Jacobson despite Jacobson’s apparent cooperation?
    Jimmy remembers that Jacobson knew Joe Champi was ready to kill Jane and did nothing to stop it. He also believes Jacobson has a hidden agenda and may still be withholding information.

  2. What does Jacobson’s story about bullying Eddie McKenzie reveal about his character?
    It exposes Jacobson’s history of cruelty and manipulation. He was willing to destroy a young admirer’s reputation by setting him up for a rape accusation, showing a ruthless side that contradicts his current claims of innocence.

  3. How does the introduction of Licata change the scope of the mystery?
    Licata connects the McKenzie family to a network of ex-cop fixers, implying a deeper, more organized conspiracy than a single person’s revenge. It also makes the threat immediate for Jimmy, as Licata has already been to his home.

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