Chapter 42: Author’s Note and Acknowledgment – Summary and Analysis

Spoiler Notice

This chapter is the Author’s Note and Acknowledgments. It contains no plot spoilers for earlier chapters, but it does reveal that the fictional setting of Pomaikai was inspired by the author’s real visit to Palmyra Atoll. If you prefer to learn about that inspiration after finishing the story, consider reading this page after the novel’s conclusion.

Summary

Lisa Gardner opens the note by explaining that in fall 2021 she took a one‑year sabbatical from writing. Contrary to the bets of family, agent, and editor, she did not produce a manuscript during that year. Instead, she traveled from Antarctica to the Arctic, visiting places that sparked ideas for about thirty new novels. She thanks readers for their patience and promises many stories to come.

Gardner highlights her visit to Palmyra Atoll, a remote island an hour’s flight from Hawaii, arranged through The Nature Conservancy. The atoll’s staff impressed her with their ecological restoration work, especially on coral reefs. She acknowledges that while Pomaikai and its camp were inspired by Palmyra, the novel is fiction—she added an escaped serial killer, though the coconut crabs are real. She expresses gratitude to Chad Wiggins, Rick Gmirken (archaeologist), Dr. Lee Jantz (forensic anthropologist), and others who provided expertise on firearms, planes, and Hawaiian culture. She also thanks her cousin Chad LeDoux, trainers Maureen Egan and Mark Russo, and many friends met on her travels.

The note includes special acknowledgments to fans who participated in the “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” contest, naming Victoria Twanow as the fictional victim and Jennifer Komarnisky as the nominator. Gardner also thanks proofreaders, editors past and future, her agent Meg Ruley, and the entire Jane Rotrosen Agency. She concludes that it takes a village to create a novel and that readers make it all worthwhile.

Key Events

Gardner announces her 2021–2022 sabbatical and the travel that followed.
She describes her visit to Palmyra Atoll with The Nature Conservancy.
She acknowledges the real‑life experts and friends who contributed research and inspiration.
She names the winners of her annual reader contest for a death scene.
She thanks her editorial team and agent.

Character Development

No fictional characters are developed in this afterword. The only story figure mentioned is Frankie Elkin, the protagonist, whose relative lack of firearm knowledge is noted as a reason certain gun details were omitted. The note serves to confirm that Frankie’s character is not a weapons expert.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Inspiration from Reality: Gardner explicitly ties the fictional atoll of Pomaikai to the real Palmyra Atoll, reinforcing the novel’s theme of remote, isolated settings where nature and danger coexist.
Community and Gratitude: The extensive list of acknowledgments emphasizes that a thriller is a collaborative effort, reflecting the novel’s own portrayal of characters depending on one another for survival.
Art Imitates Life: The author’s own travel adventures and chance encounters directly shaped the story’s details (e.g., coconut crabs, off‑grid living), blurring the line between fact and fiction.

Why This Chapter Matters

The Author’s Note grounds the novel’s exotic setting in genuine research and firsthand experience. It provides transparency about which elements are real (the atoll, the crabs) and which are invented (the serial killer plot). For students and fans, it offers insight into Gardner’s creative process and the real‑world work of conservation that inspired the book. It also humanizes the author, showing her humor and appreciation for her support network.

Study Questions and Answers

What real‑world location inspired the fictional island of Pomaikai, and what organization did Gardner visit there?
Answer: Palmyra Atoll, an hour’s flight from Hawaii, inspired Pomaikai. Gardner visited the atoll through The Nature Conservancy.
Why did Gardner take a sabbatical in 2021, and what was the outcome according to the note?
Answer: She took a one‑year sabbatical to step away from writing and explore the world. Despite predictions, she did not complete a manuscript during that year but gained inspiration for many future novels.
What annual reader contest does Gardner mention, and who were the winners for this novel?
Answer: The “Kill a Friend, Maim a Buddy” contest allowed a reader to nominate someone to die in the book. For this novel, Jennifer Komarnisky nominated Victoria Twanow as the victim.