Killing Stalking – Chapter 7 (Chapter 6) Summary and 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
Suzanne starts her morning on the back deck of her Hudson River home, drinking coffee and watching a robin catch a worm. She is still shaken by the recent gas leak, not because of the danger, but because it feels like another unavoidable “accident” in a long string of disasters. Dana Cody arrives with a key Suzanne gave her the day before. They begin their scheduled work session, but Suzanne admits she cannot focus. Dana tries to reassure her that the gas leak was just an accident and that misfortune happens to everyone. Suzanne disagrees, insisting that she feels jinxed: whenever she is happy and things are good, something terrible inevitably occurs.
Dana shifts into a therapeutic mode, encouraging Suzanne to talk about these past events. She turns on the tape recorder and asks Suzanne to start from the beginning. Suzanne hesitates, then decides to follow Dana’s advice and simply tell her story in whatever order it comes. She goes back to the third year of And Baby Makes Five!, when she was nine or ten years old. She describes the power she felt as a child star—the attention, the ease of work, the privilege of being the “princess of the whole place.” She recalls that on the last day of rehearsals, executive producer Buzz Carlyle invited her and her mother to dinner to discuss new ideas. The chapter ends as Suzanne lets her mind drift back to that Hollywood evening.
Key Events
- Suzanne is unable to shake the memory of the gas leak and feels cursed by repeated accidents.
- Dana arrives and they discuss Suzanne’s fear of being jinxed.
- Dana encourages Suzanne to talk freely about her past without worrying about chronology.
- Suzanne begins recounting her experience as a child star, focusing on the third season of her show.
- She mentions the producer Buzz Carlyle taking her and her mother to dinner.
Character Development
- Suzanne: This chapter deepens her interiority. She is no longer just a celebrity writing a memoir; she is a woman haunted by a pattern of tragedies. Her vulnerability and superstition come to the fore. She also shows a surprising self-awareness about the isolating power she wielded as a child star.
- Dana: Acts as both interviewer and informal therapist. She is patient, gentle, and skilled at drawing out Suzanne’s memories. Her role shifts from note‑taker to catalyst for confession.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Jinx / Fate: Suzanne’s belief that she is jinxed introduces a theme of predestined misfortune. The gas leak is seen not as random but as part of a recurring pattern.
- Memory and Narrative: The chapter explores how memory works non‑linearly. Dana’s suggestion to just “tell the story” reflects the messy, associative nature of recalling trauma.
- Child Stardom: Suzanne’s description of being a “princess” highlights the corrupting influence of early fame—the power, the lack of boundaries, and the isolation it creates.
- The robin: A brief, peaceful moment of nature watching, contrasting with Suzanne’s inner turmoil. The bird’s successful hunt foreshadows the uncovering of buried memories.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 7 (Chapter 6) is a turning point in the book’s structure. It moves from present‑day unease into the deeper past, establishing the origin of Suzanne’s fear. The chapter sets up a pattern of “accidents” that will likely fuel the central mystery. It also solidifies the relationship between Suzanne and Dana, making Dana a pivotal confidante. By starting the recollection with childhood fame, the chapter hints that the source of Suzanne’s troubles may lie in Hollywood’s dark underbelly.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Suzanne feel more disturbed by the gas leak than by the danger itself? Suzanne is disturbed because the leak fits a lifelong pattern of terrible events that occur whenever she is happy or things are going well. She sees herself as “jinxed,” and the leak reinforces her belief that disaster inevitably follows contentment.
2. How does Dana’s approach to Suzanne’s story differ from a strict chronological method? Dana advises Suzanne to tell her story in whatever order comes to mind, rather than forcing a linear timeline. This mirrors the way memory actually works and allows Suzanne to access emotionally charged moments more naturally.
3. What does Suzanne’s memory of being a child star reveal about her early life? It reveals that she had enormous unchecked power and privilege at a young age. People listened to her and gave her anything she wanted. This environment likely isolated her from normal childhood experiences and may have contributed to later difficulties.