Chapter 37: Amelia — 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

The chapter opens with Amelia and Adam standing outside a remote house, having just knocked. Amelia wants to try again, but Adam is reluctant. He claims to have seen a woman with long grey hair through the window and dismisses her as looking like a nutter. Amelia hushes him, noting the house isn't double-glazed and the woman could hear them.

Amelia reasons that if the woman is the only person nearby, she might be their only source of help. Adam counters that the woman might not want to help. The exchange triggers Amelia's memory of the October O'Brien newspaper clippings Adam found stuffed inside a kitchen drawer at Blackwater Chapel. Adam had worked with the actress before what happened, and Amelia admits she still wonders about that connection.

The conversation turns to whether this woman could be the person Amelia saw outside the window the previous night. Adam says he couldn't recognize the person even if he had seen them, given his inability to recognize faces. Amelia presses for physical details, and Adam describes a medium build and long grey hair, suggesting the woman might be old. They speculate she could be the housekeeper, though Adam jokes that she doesn't look like she knows how to use a feather duster, adding that she might have a broom for flying around at night. He describes seeing candles and a white rabbit on her lap, as if she were casting a spell, and warns against upsetting the local witch.

Amelia checks her phone and finds no signal; Adam does the same and reports the same result. Adam proposes climbing a nearby hill, where they might get a signal or at least a view of the valley to spot other houses, people, or a road. Amelia agrees but insists on leaving a note first. She scribbles on an old envelope, explaining that they are staying at Blackwater Chapel, have no phone, no power due to the storm, no water due to frozen pipes, and no mobile signal, and asking to borrow a phone. She also mentions their lost dog, Bob, and offers a generous reward for his safe return.

Adam questions why she added the reward detail. Amelia whispers that it's in case the woman is a witch who wants to turn Bob into a rabbit too. She tries to push the note through the letterbox but finds it sealed, so she slides it under the door instead. She hears a noise and quickly steps back, urging Adam to leave.

As they walk away, Adam salutes a blackbird, one of his many superstitious habits inherited from his mother. Amelia reflects that her logical mind has never believed in such superstitions, but given their circumstances, she wonders if she should start. She then tells Adam she heard something—she believes the woman was on the other side of the door the entire time, listening to every word they said.

Key Events

Amelia and Adam debate whether to knock again at the remote house
Adam describes the woman he saw: long grey hair, medium build, with a white rabbit and candles
Amelia recalls the October O'Brien clippings found at Blackwater Chapel
Both confirm they have no mobile signal
Adam proposes climbing a hill for a better view or signal
Amelia writes and delivers a note under the door, mentioning Blackwater Chapel, their utility failures, and their lost dog Bob
Amelia hears a noise and suspects the woman was listening behind the door
Adam salutes a blackbird, highlighting his superstitions

Character Development

Amelia emerges as the more practical and problem-solving partner in this chapter. She takes the initiative to write the note, tries to gather information about the woman, and pushes for action despite her own unease. Her logical mind is contrasted with Adam's superstitions, and she openly admits she has never believed in the magpie myth. Yet her fear is palpable—she feels colder when Adam suggests the woman might not help, and she is the one who hears the noise at the door and suspects they were overheard.

Adam shows his characteristic humor as a coping mechanism, joking about the woman being a witch. His prosopagnosia is a recurring limitation: he cannot describe faces, only general features like hair length and build. His superstitions—saluting the blackbird—reveal a belief system inherited from his mother, which Amelia both loves and loathes. His suggestion to climb the hill shows a practical side, but his reluctance to engage with the woman suggests fear or avoidance.

The chapter also deepens the mystery around the woman in the house. She remains unseen by Amelia, described only through Adam's limited observations. The detail that she may have been listening the entire time raises questions about her intentions and awareness of the couple's presence.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Superstition vs. logic: The chapter explicitly contrasts Amelia's rational mindset with Adam's superstitious habits. The magpie salute, the witch imagery, and the white rabbit all belong to a world of folk belief that Amelia's logical mind rejects—yet even she begins to waver given their circumstances.

Isolation and survival: The couple's predicament—no power, water, phone, or signal—underscores their vulnerability in a remote setting. The note they leave is a lifeline, an attempt to bridge the communication gap.

Suspicion of the unknown: The unseen woman becomes a figure of fear and speculation. Adam's description of candles and a white rabbit transforms her into something sinister in their imagination, even as they have no evidence of actual malice.

Communication breakdown: The sealed letterbox forces Amelia to slide the note under the door, a symbolic gesture of their inability to connect with the outside world. The possibility that the woman heard everything they said adds a layer of unease.

The white rabbit: This image, paired with the witch suggestion, evokes fairy-tale and folkloric associations, hinting at transformation and the uncanny. It also connects to the lost dog Bob, whom Amelia jokingly fears might be turned into a rabbit.

Past haunting: The October O'Brien clippings resurface in Amelia's thoughts, linking the present mystery to unresolved history involving Adam and the actress.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter advances the central mystery by introducing a potential witness or threat in the form of the woman in the house. The note Amelia leaves establishes a concrete connection between the couple and the outside world, and the detail that the woman may have been listening raises the stakes. The chapter also deepens our understanding of Adam's prosopagnosia and his superstitious nature, while Amelia's logical perspective provides a counterpoint. The October O'Brien reference keeps the subplot alive, suggesting that the past is not done with this couple.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Adam's prosopagnosia shape the couple's encounter with the woman?

Adam cannot recognize faces, so his description of the woman is limited to general features—long grey hair, medium build. This means Amelia must rely on his incomplete observations, and the couple cannot confirm whether the woman is the same person Amelia saw the previous night. His condition also makes it impossible for him to identify the woman later, even if they meet again, which could have plot implications.

2. What does the contrast between Amelia's logic and Adam's superstition reveal about their relationship?

Amelia's rational approach—writing the note, asking practical questions—contrasts with Adam's superstitious habits, like saluting the blackbird. She admits she both loves and loathes this about him. The contrast shows a couple with different worldviews who nonetheless function together, with Amelia often grounding Adam's flights of imagination. Her willingness to consider superstition (wondering if she should start saluting too) suggests her fear is eroding her usual rationality.

3. Why might the woman have been listening behind the door, and what does this suggest about the mystery?

Amelia hears a noise and concludes the woman was on the other side of the door the entire time. This suggests the woman is aware of the couple's presence and deliberately chose not to respond. It raises questions about her intentions—whether she is hiding, observing, or waiting. The detail connects to the broader mystery of Blackwater Chapel and the notes someone left for the couple to find, hinting that the woman may be more involved than she appears.