Tom Brewer in The Boyfriend: A Character Analysis

Overview

Tom Brewer is a pathologist who becomes Sydney Shaw’s boyfriend in Freida McFadden’s thriller The Boyfriend. Behind his charming, compassionate facade lies a man driven by an obsessive love for his childhood friend Daisy Driscoll (who later adopts the identity Gretchen). Tom’s actions throughout the novel blur the line between protector and predator, making him one of the story’s most complex figures.

Plot Role

Tom serves as both the romantic interest and the hidden antagonist. He enters Sydney’s life after a chance encounter at a coffee shop, presenting himself as a kind, reliable doctor. But Sydney’s investigation into her friend Bonnie’s murder slowly reveals Tom’s dark past and his connection to a series of killings—murders actually committed by Daisy/Gretchen to eliminate any woman Tom gets close to. Tom’s true role is that of an accomplice and enabler: he helps cover up Daisy’s crimes, kills his own father to protect his secret, and ultimately escapes with Daisy rather than face justice. In the epilogue, he murders Sydney’s stalker Kevin to ensure her safety, then sends her a lock of hair and a note confirming the act.

Motivations and Traits Shown Through Actions

Tom’s primary motivation is an unwavering, pathological loyalty to Daisy. From the prologue, where the unnamed narrator (Tom) confesses his love for Daisy and his fear that he might strangle her, we see his obsession is both romantic and violent. This duality defines his character:

• Protective violence: He slashes his father’s throat after his father threatens to expose him (chapter 46). He later kills Kevin because “he deserved it,” as the note explains.
• Deception: He lies to Sydney about his last name (Brewer, not Brown), his hospital (Mount Sinai, not NYU), and his past relationships. He maintains a calm, gentlemanly demeanor to deflect suspicion.
• Compassion: He shows genuine kindness to grieving family members (e.g., Mrs. Stewart, who thanks him for listening). This trait makes his violent impulses all the more chilling.
• Passivity: Despite his own violent urges, Tom rarely initiates murder himself—he acts in response to Daisy’s actions or to protect her. He calls the police on Daisy at the climax (chapter 65) but still leaves with her because he “cannot live without her.”

Interpretation note: The novel strongly suggests Tom has a blood fetish (Gretchen reveals this in chapter 62), and his choice of pathology over surgery may stem from that. But the text does not explicitly diagnose him; it is a pattern readers infer from his career and his reaction to violent scenes.

Chronological Arc

Relationships

• Daisy/Gretchen: The central relationship of Tom’s life. He has loved her since childhood. He protects her identity and her crimes, even though he knows she is a serial killer. Their bond is symbiotic: she kills for his attention; he cleans up her messes.
• Sydney: Tom’s relationship with Sydney is a cover and a way for him to feel normal. He is kind to her but ultimately chooses Daisy over her. Interpretation: He may feel genuine affection for Sydney—he warns her to “get out of there right now” (chapter 58) and later kills Kevin for her—but his primary loyalty never wavers from Daisy.
• His mother: She becomes an accomplice after Tom murders his father, helping clean up blood and lying to the police. Her complicity shows the toxic environment that shaped Tom.
• Slug: A childhood friend who knows Tom’s secrets. Slug pressures Tom to take action against Daisy (calling her a “problem”), and their friendship unravels as Tom hesitates (chapter 54). Slug represents Tom’s suppressed conscience.
• Kevin: Tom kills Kevin to protect Sydney—or perhaps to eliminate a loose end. The act mirrors his earlier violence: a “justified” murder that serves his own code.

Key Decisions and Consequences

1. Killing his father (chapter 46): Tom’s father discovers his involvement in the murders and threatens to report him. Tom slashes his throat, then lies to Chief Driscoll. Consequence: His mother becomes an accessory; Tom deepens his entanglement with violence.
2. Leaving with Daisy (chapter 65): When police arrive at Randy’s apartment, Tom admits he called them—but then agrees to flee with Daisy. Consequence: He becomes a fugitive, leaving Sydney to grapple with the aftermath alone.
3. Killing Kevin (epilogue): The note to Sydney says, “Kevin won’t be bothering you ever again.” Consequence: Sydney receives evidence but chooses to throw it away, making her complicit in Tom’s escape. Interpretation: This decision frames Tom as a vigilante who does evil for what he believes is a good cause.

Theme and Symbol Connections

• Obsessive Love: Tom’s lifelong fixation on Daisy drives the entire plot. The prologue’s confession that he might strangle her perfectly captures the toxic blend of adoration and violence.
• Deception and Identity: Tom’s multiple false identities (Brown, Brewer, NYU, Mount Sinai) mirror the theme of online and real-world deception. He is not who he appears to be, and his secrets eventually unravel.
• Violence and Control: Tom’s blood fetish and his willingness to kill show how control and violence are interwoven. He seeks order through pathology but creates chaos.
• Justice vs. Complicity: Sydney’s decision to destroy Tom’s note reflects the novel’s central moral question. Tom himself operates outside legal justice—he kills Kevin because he deems it deserved. The reader must decide where Tom falls on the spectrum of villain, victim, or avenger.
• Trauma and Survival: Tom’s childhood (fighting parents, father’s abuse) may explain his need for control and his loyalty to Daisy as a stable figure. Interpretation: The novel hints that trauma shaped him, but does not excuse his choices.

Five Book-Specific Questions and Answers

1. Why does Tom lie about his last name and the hospital where he works?
Fact: In chapter 38, Tom tells Sydney his last name is Brown and later admits it is Brewer. He also says he works at Mount Sinai after initially implying NYU. Interpretation: These lies are designed to make him hard to track on dating apps and social media, especially since Daisy has been killing his exes. Tom protects his identity so that any investigation into the murders won’t easily tie back to him.

2. Does Tom actually love Sydney, or is she just a cover?
Fact: Tom dates Sydney, warns her when he believes she is in danger (chapter 58), and kills Kevin for her (epilogue). He also leaves with Daisy without fighting for Sydney. Interpretation: Tom feels genuine affection for Sydney—he sees her as a chance for a normal life—but his obsessive love for Daisy overrides everything. He cares for Sydney, but not enough to abandon his lifelong bond.

3. What is Tom’s blood fetish, and how does it affect his behavior?
Fact: In chapter 62, Gretchen tells Sydney that Tom has a blood fetish. Tom himself chooses pathology over surgery because of his reaction to seeing blood (chapter 37). Interpretation: The fetish explains why Tom is drawn to violent imagery and to a profession that lets him work with corpses. It also makes him more comfortable with the murders Daisy commits—though he never directly participates in them on-screen. Note: This is an interpretation; the text does not elaborate on the fetish beyond those mentions.

4. Why doesn’t Tom simply turn Daisy/Gretchen in to the police?
Fact: Tom knows Daisy is the serial killer because he has been covering for her. At the climax, he calls the police but still leaves with her (chapter 65). Interpretation: Tom cannot bear to lose Daisy. His love is more powerful than his sense of justice. He would rather become a fugitive than live without her, even knowing she is dangerous.

5. Is Tom Brewer a villain, a victim, or something else?
Fact: Tom kills his father (chapter 46) and Kevin (epilogue). He lies and helps a serial killer escape. Interpretation: Tom is a complex anti-villain—he commits terrible acts but is deeply traumatized and genuinely devoted to the two women in his life (Daisy and Sydney). The novel invites the reader to both condemn and pity him. He is a victim of his upbringing and obsession, but he actively chooses violence over accountability.

For a deeper look at the novel’s moral ambiguities, see the ending explained and the questions and answers page. Return to the main book overview here.