Chapter 32 Summary: Key Events 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

In October 2017, Shea sits in the Greer mansion's living room with Beth, who has been talking for hours. Shea stops her to confirm a timeline: Beth is describing events between Christmas 1970 and her father's death in March 1973. Beth explains that after Christmas 1970, her half-sister Lily moved through several cities—Seattle, Salt Lake City, San Francisco, and Arizona—and Beth sent her money whenever Lily wrote asking for it. Beth initially believed she was helping a mistreated sister, but she later discovered that her father Julian was also paying Lily, who was blackmailing him with threats to reveal the truth about her parentage.

Beth admits she knew Lily was dangerous even then, and she blames herself for not stopping her. She believes Lily committed unsolved murders in those cities, just as she believes Lily killed David and harmed her foster family. Beth says she should have gone to find Lily, but she stayed home, and people died because of it. She also reveals that after she finished high school, Julian stopped paying Lily's blackmail money. In March 1973, Julian was shot in the face in the kitchen. Beth is certain Lily killed him, but she never told anyone because she was afraid and felt it was her fault—she had written to Lily about the inheritance and about Gray, setting events in motion. Six weeks after Julian's death, Lily came home.

After the interview, Shea stumbles out of the mansion into the dark night. She is alone, far from home, and considers calling Michael, Esther, or Will for a ride. Instead, she decides to face her fears and walk down the hill to catch a bus. As she leaves, she hears a heavy thumping in the kitchen and sees a foggy handprint pressed against an upstairs window, as if someone is watching her. She takes a step back, then begins the long walk downhill.

Key Events

Beth reveals that Lily moved through multiple cities after Christmas 1970, and Beth sent her money.
Beth learns that Julian was also paying Lily blackmail money.
Beth admits she suspected Lily was dangerous and could have stopped her but didn't.
Beth believes Lily committed unsolved murders in those cities.
Julian stops paying Lily after Beth finishes high school.
In March 1973, Julian is shot in the face; Beth believes Lily killed him.
Six weeks later, Lily returns home.
Shea leaves the mansion at night, hears a thumping in the kitchen, and sees a foggy handprint in an upstairs window.
Shea chooses to walk down the hill alone rather than call for help.

Character Development

Beth Greer emerges as a deeply guilt-ridden figure. She repeatedly insists that everything is her fault, even though she didn't pull the trigger. Her confession reveals a woman who has carried the weight of her sister's crimes for decades, believing that her inaction enabled Lily's violence. Beth's admission that she knew what Lily was but chose to ignore it shows a painful self-awareness, yet she still frames herself as the cause of all the tragedy. Her decision to finally tell Shea the truth suggests a need to unburden herself, though her motives remain ambiguous.

Shea Collins undergoes a subtle but significant shift. Throughout the interview, she is entranced and disturbed by Beth's story, but her reaction afterward shows growth. She is terrified, alone in the dark, and has every opportunity to call for help. Instead, she tells herself to face her fears and begins the long walk downhill. This moment marks a departure from her earlier cautious behavior, suggesting she is ready to confront the darkness she has been investigating.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Guilt and Self-Blame dominate this chapter. Beth's repeated insistence that everything is her fault—from Lily's murders to Julian's death—shows how guilt can consume a person. She even says she might as well have pulled the trigger, conflating her inaction with direct responsibility.

Blackmail and Family Secrets are central to the plot. Julian's willingness to pay Lily to stay silent reveals the lengths to which the family went to protect its reputation. Beth's letters to Lily, which she burned, become a symbol of the secrets that bind the sisters together.

The Supernatural as Manifestation of Trauma appears in the thumping in the kitchen and the foggy handprint. These eerie occurrences seem to respond to Beth's confession, as if the house itself is reacting to the truth being spoken. The handprint, in particular, suggests a presence watching Shea, blurring the line between memory and haunting.

Facing Fears is a motif that culminates in Shea's decision to walk alone. She explicitly tells herself, “Face your fears, Shea. It's time,” echoing Beth's earlier challenge. This moment ties Shea's personal growth to the larger mystery she is investigating.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the turning point of the novel. Beth's confession provides the crucial backstory that explains Lily's disappearance, Julian's death, and the unsolved murders that have haunted the Greer family. It also solidifies Lily as a serial killer, a revelation that reframes everything Shea has been investigating. Beth's guilt and her belief that she caused her father's death add a psychological layer to the mystery, making the story as much about the cost of silence as about the crimes themselves.

The chapter also sets up the climax by placing Shea in a vulnerable position. Her decision to walk down the hill alone, combined with the supernatural handprint, creates a sense of impending danger. Shea is now fully immersed in the darkness she has been studying, and the reader is left wondering what she will encounter next.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Beth blame herself for everything that happened?

Beth believes she could have stopped Lily if she had acted. She knew Lily was dangerous, but she chose to ignore it, sending money instead of confronting her. She also wrote to Lily about the inheritance and about Gray, which she thinks set the events in motion that led to Julian's death. Beth feels that her inaction made her complicit in Lily's crimes.

2. What evidence does Beth provide that Lily committed murders in other cities?

Beth doesn't have direct evidence. She says Lily never told her about the murders, but she “bets” there are unsolved deaths in the cities where Lily stayed. She points to Lily's pattern of violence, including David's death and whatever happened to her foster family, as proof of her sister's nature.

3. How does Shea's decision to walk alone reflect her character development?

Earlier in the novel, Shea is cautious and avoids danger. Here, she is terrified and alone in the dark, but she chooses not to call for help. She tells herself to face her fears, showing that she is willing to confront the unknown. This decision marks a shift from passive observer to active participant in the mystery.