Chapter 38 (Maya): Summary, Analysis, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ 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

In June 2023, Maya is at home on a Monday after work, reading Naomi's notebook in the kitchen when Nate and Dani arrive. Dani runs up with a hug and a pack of gummy bears, prompting Maya to question the sugar before dinner. Nate shrugs, indicating it wasn't him. Dani says a man at school gave them to her, which conflicts with the Montessori summer school's promise of low-sugar snacks. Maya is about to ask which supervisor when her phone rings.

The caller is Margaret St. Clair, Naomi's mother. Margaret says they need to talk about the funeral. Maya immediately recalls her breakdown at the service and apologizes, but Margaret interrupts, saying Maya was right in what she said. Margaret reveals she has contacted the authorities and applied pressure. Maya, emboldened, asks when Naomi was last home and mentions she found a notebook. She doesn't reveal it was hidden. She says she plans to bring it to the police. Margaret asks about the notebook, and Maya explains it appears Naomi was researching something for a reporter at The New York Times and investigating Matthew DuPont. Margaret notes DuPont is 'neck-deep in malpractice' and asks if Maya thinks that had to do with Naomi's death. Maya says it's a gut feeling, but yes, she thinks he may have hurt her. Margaret, her voice full of hate, vows they will find out who did this and make sure they don't get away with it.

Later that evening, after putting Dani to bed, Maya finds Nate in the living room. She is about to mention the notebook when she sees his face. He is watching the news. A news anchor reports that new autopsy results have led authorities to designate the case a murder investigation. Maya's hands go numb as her sister's image is replaced by Margaret in an interview. Margaret appeals for information, her eyes filled not with sadness but with fury.

Key Events

Maya reads Naomi's notebook at home; Nate and Dani arrive with gummy bears.
Maya receives a call from Margaret St. Clair about the funeral.
Margaret says Maya was right and that she has contacted authorities.
Maya tells Margaret about the notebook and Naomi's research on Matthew DuPont.
Margaret vows to find out who hurt Naomi.
Later, Maya and Nate watch a news report: new autopsy results make the case a murder investigation.
Margaret appears in an interview asking for information, showing fury.

Character Development

Maya moves from private grief to active investigation. She has been reading Naomi's notebook, and when Margaret calls, she takes the step of sharing what she found, though she withholds the detail that the notebook was hidden. She also decides to bring it to the police. Her 'gut feeling' about Matthew DuPont becomes a stated suspicion, and she gains an ally in Margaret.

Margaret St. Clair transforms from a grieving mother into an advocate. She has already contacted authorities and applied pressure, and she now vows to find the truth. Her fury, visible in the interview, suggests she is no longer passive.

Nate is shocked by the news, his mouth open in disbelief. He is a supportive presence but is caught off guard by the escalation.

Dani remains an innocent child, unaware of the gravity of the situation, providing a contrast to the adult tension.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Secrecy and revelation: Maya keeps the notebook's hidden nature to herself, and the chapter is about information being gradually revealed—to Margaret, to the police, and to the public via the news.

Intuition vs. evidence: Maya's 'gut feeling' about DuPont is not yet backed by proof, but the autopsy results turn the case into a murder investigation, validating her instinct.

Maternal advocacy: Margaret's determination to find Naomi's killer is a powerful force, and her public appeal shows a mother's fury.

The power of investigation: Naomi's notebook, the New York Times research, and the new autopsy results all point to a larger conspiracy that Maya is beginning to uncover.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the narrative. The case is officially reclassified as a murder investigation, confirming Maya's suspicions and raising the stakes. Margaret's alliance with Maya gives her a powerful ally, and the public appeal opens the door for new information. Maya's decision to bring the notebook to the police sets up the next phase of the investigation. The chapter also deepens the mystery around Matthew DuPont, linking him to Naomi's death through Maya's intuition and Margaret's knowledge of his malpractice.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Maya decide to tell Margaret about the notebook but not that it was hidden?

Maya shares the notebook's existence and its contents—Naomi's research for a New York Times reporter and her investigation of Matthew DuPont—because she trusts Margaret and wants her help. She withholds the detail that it was hidden, possibly to protect the evidence or because she is not yet ready to reveal how she found it. This selective disclosure shows Maya's caution and her growing sense of the notebook's importance.

2. How does Margaret's reaction to Maya's suspicion about DuPont change the dynamic between them?

Margaret initially seems to be calling to scold Maya about the funeral, but instead she validates Maya's eulogy and says she was right. When Maya mentions DuPont, Margaret immediately connects it to his malpractice and asks if that had to do with Naomi's death. Her vow to find out who did this and make sure they don't get away with it turns them into allies. Margaret's fury, later visible in the interview, shows she is now a driving force in the investigation.

3. What is the significance of the news report at the end of the chapter?

The news report that new autopsy results have led authorities to designate the case a murder investigation is a major escalation. It confirms that Naomi's death was not accidental, validating Maya's suspicions and the notebook's implications. It also brings the case into the public eye, as Margaret's interview appeals for information. This development raises the stakes for Maya and sets the stage for further revelations.