Chapter 38 Summary, Themes, 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.
All details below are based on the chapter text and are intended to help you understand the story, not replace reading it.
## Summary
The chapter opens with Joyce at home, sitting on her sofa with Viktor Illyich, a former KGB agent, watching a television program about a train journey through the Canadian Rockies. Joyce has given Viktor a slice of cherry-and-dark-chocolate cake she originally planned for Ron, and she notes that Viktor seems to enjoy it. She also mentions that Viktor is Ukrainian and that he is staying with her for an unspecified period.
Joyce then recounts the events of the day. She traveled to London with Elizabeth, who told her they were going to visit an old friend and that she intended to kill him. Joyce did not fully believe this, but she trusted Elizabeth, especially after Elizabeth and Stephen had been bundled into a van a few nights earlier. On the train, Joyce noticed a trolley service rather than a buffet car, a small detail she records.
At the penthouse flat, Viktor greeted them warmly, offering Joyce two kisses and a gin and tonic. However, Elizabeth pulled out a gun, and Joyce was genuinely frightened and angry. She told Elizabeth she would never forgive her. Elizabeth and Viktor then went into the bathroom, and Joyce heard a gunshot and the sound of Viktor falling to the floor. Joyce was shaking and crying.
Elizabeth rushed back and gave Joyce instructions: call Bogdan and say “Elizabeth needs a taxi,” then remove the SIM card from Elizabeth’s phone, cut it into pieces, and dispose of the phone in the waste-disposal unit. Joyce complied, though she was shaking. After she finished, Elizabeth and Viktor walked back into the living room, casual and unharmed.
Elizabeth explained that the Viking had cloned her mobile phone while she was at his house, allowing him to hear and occasionally see everything that happened. To make her reactions believable to the Viking, Elizabeth had kept Joyce in the dark about the staged shooting. Viktor was complicit; he understood the plan as soon as Elizabeth held up the phone and explained the messages. Viktor admitted he had assumed Elizabeth wouldn’t actually kill him, but with her, he could never be entirely sure.
Later, Bogdan arrived with a large holdall. Viktor told the concierge he was dead, and the concierge, who works for Viktor, helped carry the holdall to the car. Viktor took two heavy-duty sleeping pills to endure being locked in the boot. After driving about twenty miles, they stopped at the top of a multi-story car park in East Croydon, opened the boot, and woke Viktor, who had fallen asleep.
Viktor cannot stay with Elizabeth, so he will remain in Joyce’s spare room while he is presumed dead. The plan is to find out who the Viking is and where he is, and then, presumably, to kill him. Joyce reflects that she genuinely believed Elizabeth had murdered Viktor, and this realization unsettles her. She wonders what that says about Elizabeth and about herself.
## Key Events
- Joyce is at home with Viktor, watching a train program, and recalls the day’s events.
-
Elizabeth tells Joyce they are going to London to kill an old friend.
-
At Viktor’s penthouse, Elizabeth pulls a gun and stages a shooting with Viktor’s cooperation.
-
Joyce believes the shooting is real and is terrified and upset.
-
Elizabeth instructs Joyce to call Bogdan and destroy her phone and SIM card.
-
Elizabeth and Viktor reveal the staged death and explain the Viking’s phone cloning.
-
Bogdan arrives with a holdall; Viktor pretends to be dead and is transported in the boot of a car.
-
They release Viktor at a multi-story car park in East Croydon.
-
Viktor moves into Joyce’s spare room while he is presumed dead.
-
Joyce reflects on her belief that Elizabeth was capable of murder.
## Character Development
Joyce – This chapter reveals Joyce’s deep trust in Elizabeth, but also her capacity for doubt. She is genuinely shaken by the staged shooting, and her internal conflict about whether Elizabeth could actually kill someone becomes a central emotional thread. Joyce also shows her practical side, following instructions even while crying, and her warmth in caring for Viktor.
Elizabeth – Elizabeth demonstrates her strategic thinking and willingness to manipulate even her closest friends to achieve a goal. She keeps Joyce in the dark to make the deception believable, showing a cold, calculated side. Yet she also reassures Joyce that she would never actually kill Viktor, suggesting a moral line she won’t cross.
Viktor – Viktor is calm and accepting of the plan, even joking about Elizabeth’s unpredictability. He shows resilience, having been in similar situations before, and he adapts to his new role as a “dead” man staying with Joyce. His presence adds a new dynamic to the group.
Bogdan – Though he appears briefly, Bogdan is reliable and efficient, arriving with the holdall and helping with the transport. His loyalty to Elizabeth is evident.
## Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Trust and Secrecy – The chapter explores how trust can be used as a tool. Elizabeth keeps Joyce in the dark to make her reactions authentic, highlighting the tension between loyalty and manipulation. Joyce’s trust is tested, and she questions whether she truly knows Elizabeth.
Moral Ambiguity – The staged death blurs the line between performance and reality. Joyce’s belief that Elizabeth could kill a man forces her to confront the moral compromises the group makes in their investigations. The plan to eventually kill the Viking is presented as a matter-of-fact possibility, underscoring the ethical gray areas.
Identity Concealment – Viktor’s faked death and his stay in Joyce’s spare room symbolize the theme of hiding one’s true identity. The phone cloning also represents a violation of privacy, as the Viking can see and hear everything through Elizabeth’s device.
Surveillance – The Viking’s ability to monitor Elizabeth through her cloned phone is a modern form of surveillance. Elizabeth’s countermeasure—destroying the phone and staging a death—shows how the characters must constantly outwit their enemies.
Friendship Loyalty Tested – Joyce’s trust in Elizabeth is severely tested. She is angry and frightened, yet she follows orders. The chapter raises questions about how far friendship can be stretched in the service of a larger mission.
## Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter is pivotal because it advances the Viking plot while deepening Joyce’s character. The staged death of Viktor provides a new ally and a way to investigate the Viking from within, as Viktor can help the group while he is presumed dead. It also introduces a significant moral dilemma for Joyce, who must reconcile her belief that Elizabeth could commit murder with her loyalty to her friend. The chapter sets up future developments by placing Viktor in Joyce’s home and by leaving the question of the Viking’s identity open. It also reinforces the theme of surveillance and the lengths the characters will go to protect themselves.
## Study Questions and Answers
1. Why did Elizabeth keep Joyce in the dark about the staged shooting?
Elizabeth kept Joyce unaware so that Joyce’s reactions would be natural and believable to the Viking, who was listening through the cloned phone. If Joyce had known the shooting was fake, her fear and distress would not have been convincing, and the Viking might have suspected a trick.
2. What does Joyce’s belief that Elizabeth actually killed Viktor reveal about her character?
Joyce’s belief shows that she trusts Elizabeth’s capabilities and is willing to accept that her friend might be capable of extreme actions. It also reveals Joyce’s own moral discomfort, as she is unsettled by the realization that she could believe such a thing. This moment forces Joyce to question her own judgment and her relationship with Elizabeth.
3. How does Viktor’s presence in Joyce’s spare room affect the group’s plans?
Viktor’s presence gives the group a hidden ally who can help them investigate the Viking while he is presumed dead. Elizabeth notes that Viktor can assist with the Bethany Waites investigation, turning what seemed like a distraction into an opportunity. It also creates a new dynamic in Joyce’s home, as she must accommodate a former KGB agent while keeping his existence secret.
## Navigation
- Previous Chapter: Chapter 38 Summary
-
Back to Book Hub