Chapter 24 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.
⚠️ This chapter contains major plot developments for One of Us Is Back, including new information about Reggie's death, a key clue about the “practice makes perfect” messages, and a significant apology scene. If you haven't finished the book, proceed with caution.
Summary
The chapter opens on Tuesday, July 14, with the Bayview Crew gathered in the Rojas media room. Maeve proposes that “practice makes perfect” is the phrase someone is building toward—practice written on Phoebe's arm and makes on Reggie's. Addy immediately suggests Jake as the culprit, noting he told Phoebe to “practice.” Bronwyn counters this theory, pointing out there's no bad blood between Jake and either victim; in fact, Reggie had spoken positively about Jake in a Bayview Blade article.
Phoebe observes that things are escalating—she wasn't tied up like Reggie was, and she doesn't believe the perpetrator wanted her dead or even hurt. She thinks they simply wanted her found. Bronwyn then shares a significant revelation with the group: she and Nate believe Reggie's death may have been accidental. The scraped floor and blood at sitting height suggest Reggie was trying to free himself, tipped over in his chair, and struck a sharp wall corner. Addy is disturbed by this, noting that no one deserves to die that way.
Cooper floats Katrina Lott as a possible suspect, but the group dismisses it as a stretch—she's in Portland, and there's no connection to Phoebe. Addy notes that both Phoebe and Reggie attended Nate's Fourth of July party, but Phoebe can't recall anyone seeing them together. Bronwyn characterizes the perpetrator as both frighteningly competent and staggeringly incompetent—capable of making kids vanish and disabling security cameras, yet unable to keep Reggie alive. Maeve points out that local security systems are easy to shut down if you know what you're doing. Addy suggests Reggie's death may have been meant to look like an accident, just like Brandon's.
Knox asks about chatter on the revenge forum. Maeve reports that people are wondering if this is a Jared copycat, but no one is taking credit, and nobody is mentioning the phrase. Maeve connects “practice makes perfect” to the “Time for a New Game” billboard, wondering if it's the “one rule” the ad mentioned. She searches online but finds only songs, Wikipedia entries, and a summer enrichment program.
The doorbell rings, and Bronwyn discovers Vanessa Merriman at the door. Nate guiltily admits he invited her—she'd expressed a desire to apologize for how she treated Addy and Cooper in high school, and he forgot to cancel the invitation after Reggie's death. Addy decides to hear her out.
Vanessa enters with pink champagne and delivers a genuine apology. She apologizes to Addy for taking Jake's side, slut-shaming her, and turning their friends against her. She apologizes to Cooper for her homophobic behavior, admitting she was an insecure asshole with no excuse. Addy forgives her, reflecting that with Reggie's death fresh in her mind, she doesn't want to hold grudges against former classmates—you never know when you'll see someone for the last time.
Kris, however, is not ready to forgive. He confronts Vanessa about the devastation she caused Cooper—the false accusation, the outing, the mockery—and demands she make her regret tangible with a donation to the Trevor Project. Vanessa agrees. Cooper says he “appreciates” the apology, a subtle distinction from acceptance.
As Vanessa prepares to leave, she notices the Google search results on the television and identifies “practice makes perfect” as an SAT tutoring ad campaign by Conrad and Olsen, the ad agency that manages the hacked billboard and where Jake's mother, Ms. Riordan, used to work. The chapter ends with the chilling realization that the phrase on Phoebe and Reggie's arms comes from a commercial connected to the agency at the center of the mystery.
Key Events
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Maeve identifies “practice makes perfect” as the phrase being built across Phoebe and Reggie's arms
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Bronwyn and Nate reveal Reggie's death may have been accidental—he tipped over in his chair while trying to escape
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The group dismisses Jake as a suspect due to lack of motive
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Vanessa Merriman arrives and delivers a sincere apology to Addy and Cooper
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Addy forgives Vanessa; Kris demands a Trevor Project donation
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Vanessa identifies “practice makes perfect” as a Conrad and Olsen SAT tutoring campaign
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The connection to the hacked billboard and Jake's mother's former employer is established
Character Development
Addy shows significant emotional growth in this chapter. Her decision to forgive Vanessa stems from a mature perspective shaped by recent events—Reggie's death reminds her that life is fragile and grudges aren't worth holding. She also demonstrates her sharp observational skills by noting the connection between Phoebe and Reggie at Nate's party.
Kris reveals a depth of anger that surprises even his friends. His confrontation with Vanessa shows how deeply Cooper's past trauma affected him, and his demand for a tangible action (the Trevor Project donation) transforms his anger into something constructive.
Cooper remains the calm, steady presence, soothing Kris and offering Vanessa a measured “appreciate” rather than full acceptance—a nuanced response that acknowledges her effort without erasing the past.
Vanessa undergoes a redemption arc of sorts, offering a genuine apology without excuses. Her recognition of the ad campaign provides the chapter's crucial clue, suggesting she may have more to offer than just an apology.
Nate shows his fallibility—his well-intentioned invitation to Vanessa creates an awkward situation, but it ultimately leads to the chapter's breakthrough clue.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Forgiveness and redemption: The Vanessa scene explores whether past wrongs can be repaired. Addy's forgiveness is immediate and heartfelt; Kris's is conditional on tangible action; Cooper's is cautious. The chapter suggests forgiveness is possible but not automatic.
The copycat theory: The revenge forum's speculation about a Jared copycat reinforces the novel's pattern of crimes echoing past events, while the “practice makes perfect” phrase suggests a deliberate, escalating design.
Contradictory competence: Bronwyn's observation that the perpetrator is both frighteningly competent and staggeringly incompetent highlights the mystery's central puzzle—someone capable of elaborate crimes who made a fatal error with Reggie.
The ad agency connection: Conrad and Olsen ties together multiple threads—the hacked billboard, the phrase on the victims' arms, and Jake's mother's former employment—suggesting the crimes may be rooted in the past.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter delivers two major developments. First, it reframes Reggie's death as potentially accidental, complicating the group's understanding of the perpetrator's intentions. Second, it establishes the crucial connection between “practice makes perfect” and Conrad and Olsen, the ad agency behind the hacked billboard and Jake's mother's former employer. This link pulls the mystery back toward the original Bayview Four's history and suggests the answer lies in the past. The Vanessa scene also provides emotional depth, showing how the characters have grown while reminding readers that past wounds still matter.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does the group dismiss Jake as a suspect, and what does this reveal about their investigative approach?
The group dismisses Jake because there's no bad blood between him and either victim. Phoebe had no conflict with Jake, and Reggie actually spoke positively about him in the Bayview Blade article. This shows the group is trying to reason about motive rather than jumping to conclusions based on Jake's history—a more mature approach than in previous investigations.
2. What does Bronwyn's observation about the perpetrator being “frighteningly competent and staggeringly incompetent” suggest about the case?
It highlights the central contradiction: the perpetrator can make people vanish and disable security systems, yet couldn't keep Reggie alive. This suggests either the death was genuinely accidental (the perpetrator didn't intend to kill) or the incompetence is part of a larger design—perhaps Reggie's death was meant to look like an accident, just like Brandon's.
3. How does the Vanessa scene advance both the emotional and plot-driven threads of the novel?
Emotionally, it shows the characters confronting their past trauma and choosing how to respond—Addy with forgiveness, Kris with righteous anger, Cooper with cautious appreciation. Plot-wise, Vanessa's recognition of the “practice makes perfect” ad campaign provides the chapter's key clue, connecting the phrase to Conrad and Olsen, the agency behind the hacked billboard and Jake's mother's former employer.
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