Therese Dunagin: From Reckless Rebel to Agent of Change

Overview

Therese Dunagin is the older, impulsive sister in Mary Kay Andrews’s Road Trip (2026). Arriving late to her mother’s funeral in a leather jacket and Doc Martens, she initially embodies defiance and irresponsibility. Yet beneath the bravado lies a woman who secretly steals from her sister’s purse, investigates a valuable family portrait, and ultimately engineers a transatlantic journey that forces both her and her younger sister Maeve to confront their past and embrace new futures. Therese’s arc transforms her from a self-centered actress into a catalyst for reconciliation and change.

Plot Role

Therese occupies the role of the disruptive catalyst. Her late entry at Mary Helen’s funeral in Chapter 1 establishes the deep conflict between the sisters. She argues with Maeve about clearing the house and estate matters, refuses to kneel during communion, and later steals $100 from Maeve’s purse to buy gas. More crucially, she discovers an online article about a portrait identical to their mother’s painting selling for $1.2 million. This discovery, hidden from Maeve, becomes the engine behind the road trip to Ireland. Once abroad, Therese charms and bullies her way through Tarrymore Manor, confronts the sharp-tongued Esme Rossington, and extracts the truth about the IRA heist and the portrait’s provenance. Her choices—from stealing to hiding Maeve’s passport—keep the plot moving toward resolution.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Therese’s primary motivation is survival and self-rescue. She is deeply insecure about her failed acting career and financial dependence on her mother. Her theft of cash from Maeve’s purse in Chapter 6 reveals both desperation and a skewed sense of entitlement. When caught, she breaks down, admitting her failures and apologizing, showing that her defiance masks shame. Her impulsiveness appears in how she researches the painting at a dive bar and contacts an art expert acquaintance without consulting Maeve. Yet she is also shrewd: she photographs the portrait signature, looks up Valerian DeJongh, and realizes the painting could be authentic. Her courage surfaces when she confronts Esme alone, learning details about the IRA robbery and Lady Delia’s murder. Therese’s willingness to push Maeve out of her comfort zone—upgrading their flights, giving her cannabis gummies on the plane—stems from a genuine wish for her sister to experience life rather than stay locked in grief.

Chronological Arc

• Funeral and Conflict (Chapters 1–5): Therese arrives late, argues with Maeve, steals money, and hides the article about the portrait. She learns the family home is mortgaged due to their mother’s donations to a televangelist.
• Research and Theft (Chapter 6–11): She visits Pinkie Masters, contacts art expert Wyllona Jackson, and learns the portrait may be worth over a million dollars. Maeve catches her stealing; after a tearful reconciliation, Therese convinces Maeve to go to Ireland.
• Ireland Investigation (Chapters 13–43): Therese navigates airports, charms flight attendants, and pesters Maeve to relax. She disarms Esme Rossington during a pub conversation and later confronts her alone, drawing out the truth about the hidden portrait and Esme’s involvement in the IRA heist.
• Return and Resolution (Chapters 55–67): Back in Savannah, Therese meets with a potential lawyer, plans to expose the bank’s negligence, and decides to buy her mother’s house and stay in town. She sets up a date with Scotty Childress and reveals she hid Maeve’s passport to force her sister to stay in Ireland. At the wedding epilogue, she gifts Maeve a sapphire brooch, completing her transformation.

Relationships

• Maeve (sister): The central relationship. Initially antagonistic, Therese’s theft and Maeve’s resentment create a deep rift. Over the trip, they move toward grudging respect and then genuine affection. Therese’s confession of her failures in Chapter 10 marks a turning point, and by Chapter 57 she openly admits wanting Maeve to stay in Ireland for love.
• Mary Helen (mother): Therese felt neglected and enabled; her mother’s death leaves her without a financial safety net. She regrets not being present during the illness, a guilt that drives her to seek redemption through the portrait quest.
• Esme Rossington: A mirror of defiance. Therese sees in Esme a kindred spirit—unapologetic, cunning, and overlooked. Her decision to confront Esme alone in Chapter 43 yields the truth about the portrait’s concealment and the IRA connection.
• Scotty Childress: Represents Therese’s desire for stability. She initiates a date despite her usual preference for “bad boys,” admitting she is ready for a “grown-ass man.” Their relationship symbolizes her willingness to settle into a rooted life.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

Therese embodies sibling reconciliation by moving from resentment to proactive support. She literally pushes Maeve off the road when a car swerves at them (Chapter 46), a physical act that mirrors her protective instincts. She also connects to family secrets and legacy through her obsession with the portrait’s provenance; she refuses to let the family story die. Her journey touches emigration and heritage as she investigates Kathleen’s escape from Ireland and her own Irish roots. The theme of financial exploitation appears in her mother’s mortgage to a televangelist, which Therese later leverages against the bank. Finally, risk and transformation defines her entire arc: she gambles on the portrait, on Maeve’s forgiveness, and on her own future.

The portrait of Lady Geraldine functions as a symbol of hidden value and unacknowledged heritage. Therese’s arc mirrors the painting’s journey from concealment to reclamation. Her decision to sell it (for $800,000) funds Maeve’s writing and secures their futures, showing that what was once hidden can become a gift.

Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Therese steal money from Maeve’s purse?
She is broke, the car needs gas, and she feels entitled because their mother’s inheritance hasn’t materialized. The theft also reflects her habit of relying on others when her acting career stalls.

2. What is Therese’s role in uncovering the portrait’s value?
She uses her phone to research the signature “V DeJongh,” learns about the artist’s prominence, and contacts art expert Wyllona Jackson, who confirms the painting could be worth over a million dollars.

3. How does Therese trick Esme into revealing the truth?
She ambushes Esme at a pub, describes Kathleen’s emigration story in detail, and uses dramatic pauses to put Esme on the defensive. Esme eventually admits she hid the portrait for decades.

4. Why does Therese hide Maeve’s passport?
She believes Maeve is making a mistake by returning to Savannah without exploring a relationship with Liam. The hidden passport forces Maeve to stay in Ireland, where she inherits Esme’s estate and chooses to live.

5. What changes Therese’s mind about staying in Savannah?
After the trip, she values family and stability over freedom. She admits she wants to paint a house, grow tomatoes, own a dog, and date a reliable man like Scotty. The bank’s willingness to void the mortgage gives her a foothold to build a home.

For further reading, see the full book summary, the ending explained, and discussion of themes such as sibling reconciliation, family secrets, emigration, financial exploitation, and risk and transformation. Additional insights can be found in the questions and answers for Road Trip.