The Practice Makes Perfect Messages in One of Us Is Back: Symbol & Motif Analysis

What Are the Practice Makes Perfect Messages?

In One of Us Is Back, the killer leaves a recurring physical mark on victims: a single word written in black Sharpie, in large block capital letters, on the victim's arm. The words are fragments of the phrase Practice Makes Perfect. The first victim, Phoebe, is found with Practice scrawled on her left arm. The second victim, Reggie, is discovered with Makes on his right arm. The pattern strongly implies that a third victim would receive Perfect, completing the phrase—though the novel never shows that final word being written.

The messages are not random graffiti. They deliberately echo a well-known SAT tutoring advertising campaign from the summer before the characters started high school. In that campaign, three actors—all clearly in their twenties—each spoke one word of the phrase while sitting in a stylish library, tapping pencils and flipping braids. The ads were everywhere, and they were controversial because parents objected to the implication that perfection was attainable. The agency behind the campaign was Conrad and Olsen, the same firm that managed the hacked billboard that reads Time for a New Game, Bayview. Jake Riordan's mother, Ms. Riordan, used to work at that agency.

The messages thus function as a double-coded symbol: on the surface, they are a taunt or a clue left by the killer; underneath, they connect the crimes to a specific corporate past, to Jake's family, and to the idea of perfection as a dangerous, unattainable goal.

Where the Messages Recur

The fragments appear at key moments in the investigation, each time shifting the characters' understanding of the threat.

Phoebe's arm (Chapter 12): Addy and Nate find Phoebe slumped in a shed, alive but disoriented. The word Practice is written on her left arm. This is the first time the group sees the message, and it immediately raises questions about who wrote it and why. Phoebe herself notes that she wasn't tied up like Reggie later is, suggesting the killer wanted her found, not harmed.
Reggie's arm (Chapter 22): Nate, Bronwyn, and Nate's father discover Reggie's body in the boys' locker room. He is gagged, blindfolded, and tied to a chair that has tipped over, causing a fatal head injury. The word Makes is scrawled on his right arm, in the same block letters as Phoebe's. This second fragment confirms that the phrase is being built word by word, and that the killer is escalating from a non-lethal warning to a death.
The ad campaign (Chapter 24): Maeve, Addy, and the rest of the Bayview Crew gather in the Rojas media room. Maeve has been Googling the phrase and finds nothing useful until Vanessa Merriman arrives and identifies the source: the old SAT tutoring ads. Vanessa recalls the controversy and notes that the campaign was a Conrad and Olsen project. The group watches the commercial on replay, and the chilling realization sets in that the smiling actors' words are the same ones written on Phoebe and Reggie's arms.
The incomplete phrase: Maeve explicitly states that the killer is “building toward” something—that Practice and Makes are only the first two words. The implication is that a third victim would receive Perfect, but the novel never shows that final word. Instead, the phrase remains incomplete, mirroring the killer's own unfinished plan and the unresolved nature of the crimes.

How the Meaning Changes

Initially, the messages seem like a simple taunt—a way for the killer to mark their victims and create a signature. But as the investigation progresses, the meaning deepens.

From taunt to clue: The first appearance on Phoebe's arm is shocking but ambiguous. The group wonders if it is a random act or a copycat of the earlier Truth or Dare game. When Reggie's body is found with Makes, the pattern becomes clear: the killer is deliberately constructing a phrase, and the phrase itself is a clue. Maeve connects it to the hacked billboard and wonders if Practice Makes Perfect is the “one rule” the ad mentioned. This shifts the messages from mere graffiti to a puzzle that the characters must solve.

From clue to corporate history: Vanessa's identification of the ad campaign transforms the messages into a reference to a specific, commercial past. The phrase is not just a proverb; it is a slogan tied to a company that profited from the very idea of perfection. The fact that Jake's mother worked at Conrad and Olsen creates a direct link between the messages and the Riordan family. This connection suggests that the killer is not just targeting random victims but is deliberately invoking Jake's world—his mother's career, his family's secrets, and the public image of perfection that Jake himself tried to project.

From corporate slogan to personal indictment: The phrase also carries an ironic weight. The ad campaign was controversial because parents argued that “there's no such thing as perfect.” The killer's use of the phrase can be read as a mockery of that ideal—a way of saying that the victims, or the people they represent, are far from perfect. It also echoes Jake's own performative remorse: in the televised Q&A, Addy notices a glint in his eye that suggests he is not truly sorry, only sorry he got caught. The phrase “Practice Makes Perfect” becomes a cynical commentary on Jake's attempts to appear rehabilitated—he is practicing, but he will never be perfect.

Character and Theme Connections

The messages intersect with several major characters and themes.

Addy is the one who first sees Phoebe's arm and later watches the ad campaign with a sense of dread. She is also the character most attuned to Jake's true nature, having dated him and witnessed his unrepentant glint. For Addy, the messages are a reminder that Jake's past is never truly gone—that the “perfect” image he projects is a mask.

Nate and Bronwyn are the ones who find Reggie's body and see the second word. Their investigation leads them to the locker room, and they later piece together the ad campaign connection. For them, the messages are a puzzle to be solved, but also a sign that the killer is methodical and patient—qualities that make the threat more dangerous.

Maeve is the researcher who first suggests the phrase is building toward something and who later identifies the ad campaign. Her analytical mind turns the messages from a mystery into a lead. She also notes that the phrase is not being discussed on the revenge forum, which suggests the killer is acting alone or outside that community.

Phoebe is the first victim, and her experience shapes the group's understanding of the killer's intent. She tells the group that she wasn't tied up like Reggie, implying that the killer wanted her found. This suggests that the messages are not just about marking victims but about sending a message to the wider community—a warning that the game is not over.

Cooper and Kris are present during the discussion of the ad campaign, and Cooper's history with Vanessa—who was cruel to him in high school—adds another layer. The messages force the group to confront the idea that perfection is a false standard, and that even those who seem “perfect” (like Jake) are hiding something.

The themes most directly connected to the messages are:

Performative remorse and the mask of rehabilitation: Jake's public appearances are a performance, and the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect” mocks the idea that he can simply practice being good. The messages suggest that the killer sees through Jake's act, just as Addy does.
The cycle of revenge and its collateral damage: The messages are part of a larger scheme of revenge, and they leave a trail of victims—Phoebe, Reggie, and potentially others. The phrase itself implies that the killer is perfecting their method, escalating from non-lethal to lethal.
The weight of family secrets and the cost of concealment: The connection to Conrad and Olsen, and to Jake's mother, points to hidden histories. The messages force the characters to confront what has been buried—Jake's mother's past, the ad campaign's controversy, and the secrets that the Riordan family has tried to keep.
The failure of institutional justice and the search for personal justice: Jake's release due to juror misconduct, and his subsequent rehabilitation tour, are a mockery of justice. The messages can be seen as the killer's attempt to take justice into their own hands, using a phrase that suggests they are perfecting their own form of punishment.
Identity, deception, and the danger of hidden pasts: The messages are a form of identity—they mark the victims as part of a pattern. They also reveal the killer's own identity as someone who knows the ad campaign and its connection to Jake's family, suggesting a deep personal history.

Study Questions and Answers

What is the literal form of the Practice Makes Perfect messages, and how do they appear in the novel?

The messages are single words written in black Sharpie, in large block capital letters, on the arms of victims. Phoebe receives “Practice” on her left arm, and Reggie receives “Makes” on his right arm. The words are fragments of the phrase “Practice Makes Perfect,” and the pattern implies a third word, “Perfect,” would complete it.

How does the meaning of the messages change as the characters learn more about them?

Initially, the messages seem like a random taunt. After Reggie's death, they become a clue that the killer is building a phrase. When Vanessa identifies the ad campaign, the messages become a reference to a specific corporate past and to Jake's family. Finally, the phrase becomes an ironic commentary on Jake's performative remorse and the impossibility of perfection.

What is the significance of the ad campaign in relation to the messages?

The ad campaign was for an SAT tutoring company, created by the agency Conrad and Olsen, where Jake's mother worked. The campaign was controversial because it promoted the idea of perfection, which parents argued was unattainable. The killer's use of the phrase links the crimes to Jake's family and to the idea that perfection is a false ideal, mocking Jake's attempts to appear rehabilitated.

How do the messages connect to the novel's themes of revenge and justice?

The messages are part of a revenge scheme that escalates from a non-lethal warning (Phoebe) to a death (Reggie). The phrase “Practice Makes Perfect” suggests the killer is perfecting their method, and it reflects the theme of personal justice taking over when institutional justice fails—Jake's release and his rehabilitation tour are a mockery of true accountability. The messages also highlight the collateral damage of revenge, as innocent people like Phoebe and Reggie become pawns in a larger game.