Chapter 9: Brynn's Chapter 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

Brynn is now in her third week as an intern at the true-crime show Motive. She works in the Pit, a windowless room where research assistants sit behind laptops, under the supervision of associate producer Lindzi Bell. Her current task is cataloguing female serial killers, and she is still learning the show’s internal shorthand—conference rooms are named after characters from the board game Clue, and roundtables are meetings where producers update stories in progress.

Lindzi tells Brynn that today’s roundtable will be less casual than expected because Ramon d’Arturo, a new senior executive hired from ABC, will be attending. Ramon’s job is to get the show picked up by a bigger platform, and he is known for clashing with Carly, the show’s lead. Lindzi warns Brynn that Ramon loves to poke holes in stories and suggests she might want to postpone presenting her William Larkin idea. Brynn insists on going ahead, even though she feels nervous. Gideon, a fellow researcher, predicts disaster, saying Ramon will already know more about the case than Brynn does.

At four-thirty, Brynn enters the Scarlet conference room, which is filled with producers. Carly introduces her and invites her to present the William Larkin story. Brynn shows a video of Larkin recorded in March 2018 for Sturgis Cable Access, in which he speaks warmly about Saint Ambrose and its commitment to educating students from every walk of life. She then displays a collage of photos: his staff directory picture, their eighth-grade class photo, and candid shots of him helping with school events. She describes him as a popular teacher beloved by his students.

Ramon interrupts, writing “WHO CARES?” in giant letters over Larkin’s image. He explains that Larkin had no known family—police found no relatives, his body was identified by his roommate, and Saint Ambrose staff handled the burial details. He calls Larkin “a void” and argues that the show needs a grieving family or a personal element for viewers to care. He recommends killing the idea. Brynn is stunned; she had never thought to question whether Larkin had family or close friends.

Carly pushes back, suggesting that Larkin’s isolation is itself a story—why was this well-liked young man so alone? Ramon counters that it would take too many resources to investigate, and then drops another bombshell: his Vegas sources say that Gunnar Fox, a disgraced former sportscaster who now runs a YouTube true-crime show called Don’t Do the Crime, is chasing the same story. The room reacts with disgust, and Carly asks why Fox would be interested. Ramon says Fox claims an inside scoop, but the point is that pursuing the story would mean wrestling with a “pig” for interviews. Carly says “Noted” and moves on to other pitches.

After the meeting, Carly asks Brynn and Lindzi to wait for her in the Mustard conference room. Brynn fears she will be fired. When Carly arrives, she looks angry, but instead of firing Brynn, she slams the door and declares that Ramon needs to learn who’s in charge around here.

Key Events

Lindzi warns Brynn about Ramon’s presence and suggests postponing her pitch; Brynn insists on presenting.
Brynn delivers her William Larkin presentation, showing a video and photos that emphasize his popularity as a teacher.
Ramon interrupts, writes “WHO CARES?” and reveals that Larkin had no known family, was identified by his roommate, and had his burial handled by Saint Ambrose staff.
Ramon calls Larkin “a void” and recommends killing the story idea.
Ramon reveals that Gunnar Fox, a disgraced sportscaster, is pursuing the same story, which causes an uproar.
Carly defends the story’s potential but ultimately moves on, and the meeting continues with other pitches.
Carly summons Brynn and Lindzi to the Mustard conference room, where she expresses anger at Ramon rather than at Brynn.

Character Development

Brynn undergoes a significant shift in confidence. She enters the roundtable eager to prove herself, but Ramon’s dismissal exposes her lack of basic research—she never considered Larkin’s family or personal life. She feels like an amateur and fears she has ruined her chances. Yet her instinct to defend Larkin remains, and she is left shaken but not defeated. The chapter shows her learning a hard lesson about the true-crime industry’s demands.

Lindzi acts as a supportive mentor, warning Brynn about Ramon and later reassuring her with a note that says “DON’T FEEL BAD.” She also shows practical knowledge of the office, like avoiding the sticky table in Mustard.

Carly emerges as a protective figure. She initially encourages Brynn’s initiative, defends her against Ramon’s interruption, and after the meeting channels her anger not at Brynn but at Ramon, signaling a power struggle that may benefit Brynn.

Ramon is portrayed as a ruthless executive who prioritizes marketability over human interest. His repeated use of “void” dehumanizes Larkin and reveals his cold, business-first approach.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Isolation: Larkin’s lack of family and friends becomes the central mystery. Ramon dismisses it as a liability, while Carly sees it as a compelling angle. The motif of the “void” recurs, symbolizing both Larkin’s social emptiness and the gap in Brynn’s knowledge.
True-crime media industry: The chapter critiques how true-crime shows select stories based on audience appeal and personal connection, not necessarily on truth or justice. Ramon’s “WHO CARES?” embodies this commercial logic.
Personal connection in storytelling: Brynn’s pitch relies on her personal bond with Larkin, but Ramon argues that viewers need a more direct emotional hook—a grieving family. This tension highlights the difference between personal memory and marketable narrative.
Media rivalry: The mention of Gunnar Fox introduces a competitive element. Fox’s disgraced status and his pursuit of the same story suggest that the case has hidden value, and that other players are circling it.
Workplace power dynamics: The clash between Carly and Ramon over who controls the show’s direction reflects broader tensions between creative vision and corporate growth. Brynn is caught in the middle.
Wealth and privilege: Carly hints that some of the students involved in Larkin’s death have wealthy, prominent parents, suggesting that class may have influenced the investigation—a thread that will likely develop later.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the mystery at the heart of the novel. Brynn’s failure to uncover Larkin’s isolation forces her—and the reader—to question what else she might have missed. Ramon’s revelation that Larkin had no family and that his burial was handled by school staff raises urgent questions: Why was he so alone? What happened in his past? The introduction of Gunnar Fox as a rival investigator adds a new layer of competition and suggests that the case has more significance than Brynn initially realized.

The chapter also establishes a key conflict between Carly and Ramon that will likely shape Brynn’s future at Motive. Carly’s final outburst—that Ramon needs to learn who’s in charge—signals that she is willing to fight for the story, and possibly for Brynn. This sets up a potential alliance between Carly and Brynn, and it raises the stakes for the investigation that will unfold in subsequent chapters.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Ramon dismiss Brynn’s pitch so harshly, and what does his “WHO CARES?” reveal about his priorities?

Ramon dismisses the pitch because Larkin lacks the traditional elements that make a true-crime story marketable—specifically, a grieving family or a close personal connection that viewers can latch onto. His “WHO CARES?” is a blunt expression of his commercial mindset: he evaluates stories based on audience engagement and resource efficiency, not on the intrinsic value of the case. He also reveals that he has already done more research than Brynn, which underscores his belief that interns should not be pitching stories.

2. How does Brynn’s reaction to Ramon’s revelation about Larkin’s isolation affect her character development?

Brynn is shocked and embarrassed because she realizes she never questioned Larkin’s personal life. She had assumed his focus on his students was simply part of his job, and she never considered that he might be isolated. This moment forces her to confront her own amateurish research methods and shakes her confidence. It also deepens her emotional investment in the case, as she now feels a new sense of responsibility to understand who Larkin really was.

3. What does Carly’s final line—“That asshole needs to learn who’s in charge around here”—suggest about the upcoming conflict in the story?

Carly’s outburst indicates that she is not willing to let Ramon dictate the show’s direction. It suggests a power struggle between her creative vision and Ramon’s corporate agenda. Because she has already defended Brynn’s pitch and now expresses anger at Ramon, it implies that she may champion the Larkin story despite Ramon’s objections. This sets up a likely confrontation in future chapters, and it also positions Brynn as a potential ally in Carly’s fight.