Chapter 67 Summary 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 July 2019, Lucy arrives at Rachel's flat after receiving a note two days earlier asking her to call about the French investigation. The building strikes Lucy as odd—like a fridge tipped on its side—and she hesitates before buzzing. Rachel meets her at the door, looking effortlessly perfect, and Lucy briefly wonders whether such a woman could ever have been harmed by Michael. But Rachel's warm smile and gratitude put her at ease.
Inside, Rachel reveals that they have met before: in Nice in February 2018, when Lucy played Katy Perry's “Firework” for her. Rachel explains that she had come looking for answers and found them—that Michael's cruelty wasn't something Rachel had caused. She then drops the bombshell: she was at Michael's house the day he died and witnessed Lucy cleaning up the kitchen and moving Michael's body. Rachel has been quietly protecting Lucy ever since, reminding police that Michael was a criminal, not a victim. Now, she says, the case has been officially closed, recorded as an organized-crime murder. Lucy is no longer a person of interest.
Lucy struggles to absorb the news, fearing new evidence might surface, but Rachel insists the investigation was thorough and that no one is looking for her anymore. When Rachel asks what drove Lucy to kill Michael, Lucy explains she went to his house to retrieve passports, expecting to trade sex for them. Instead, Michael raped her in his kitchen, pushing her into broken glass. She shows Rachel the scar. Bleeding and in pain, she grabbed the knife she'd been using to slice tomatoes and stabbed him. Rachel takes her hand and says she understands.
Rachel then reveals her own motive for being there that day: she had come to confront Michael about blackmailing her father out of his life savings with stolen intimate photos. She had planned to use Michael's gun to force him to return the money—and if he refused, she would have shot him. Lucy got there first. Rachel calls Lucy her heroine and thanks her. She also shares that her father's money was returned by the wealth management company that had held it, avoiding bad publicity.
The two women toast with champagne on Rachel's balcony, celebrating their safety and the idea that bad things happen to bad people. Lucy tells Rachel about the old vicarage in St. Albans, and Rachel shares her designer jewelry business. Rachel offers to make Lucy a piece, but Lucy declines—until Rachel suggests making something for Libby, which Lucy gratefully accepts. They don't speak of Michael again; he is dead, and they are alive and safe.
Key Events
-
Lucy visits Rachel's flat after receiving a note about the French investigation.
-
Rachel reveals they met in Nice in February 2018.
-
Rachel admits she was at Michael's house the day he died and saw Lucy cleaning up.
-
Rachel tells Lucy the case is closed, recorded as an organized-crime murder.
-
Lucy explains she was raped by Michael and stabbed him in self-defense.
-
Rachel confesses she went to confront Michael about blackmailing her father and would have shot him.
-
Rachel's father's money was returned by the wealth management company.
-
The two women toast with champagne and discuss future plans.
-
Rachel offers to make Lucy jewelry; Lucy requests a piece for Libby.
Character Development
Lucy experiences a profound shift from constant vigilance to tentative relief. For months, she has been ready to run and hide, but Rachel's news lifts that weight. Her decision to share the full truth about the rape and the stabbing shows her growing trust in Rachel, and her acceptance of the jewelry for Libby signals a willingness to embrace a future beyond survival.
Rachel emerges as a more complex figure than her polished exterior suggests. She has been quietly protecting Lucy for over a year, using her knowledge of Michael's criminality to steer the investigation. Her confession about her own violent intentions—and her gratitude that Lucy acted first—reveals a woman who understands moral ambiguity and values solidarity among survivors. Her offer to make jewelry for Libby is a gesture of connection and hope.
Michael, though dead, looms over the chapter as a symbol of abuse and manipulation. His actions—rape, blackmail, theft—are the catalyst for both women's trauma and their eventual bond.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Closure and New Beginnings – The chapter is built around the official closing of the French case. Lucy's relief is palpable, and the champagne toast marks a transition from fear to possibility. The balcony overlooking the canal symbolizes a fresh perspective and a life moving forward.
Survivor Solidarity – Rachel and Lucy share a deep, unspoken understanding. Rachel's admission that she would have killed Michael, and her calling Lucy her heroine, underscores the theme of women supporting women who have endured similar violence. Their embrace is a powerful moment of mutual recognition.
Self-Defense and Justice – Lucy's act is framed as a desperate response to rape, not premeditated murder. Rachel's planned confrontation, though violent, is motivated by a desire to restore her father's savings. The chapter suggests that justice can take unexpected forms, and that sometimes the legal system fails to protect victims.
Secrecy and Protection – Rachel has kept Lucy's secret for over a year, and Lucy has hidden her past from her family. The chapter shows how secrecy can be both a burden and a shield, and how revealing the truth can lead to healing.
Gratitude – Rachel repeatedly thanks Lucy, and Lucy is grateful for Rachel's protection. The champagne toast is a ritual of thanks for their safety and for each other.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter resolves one of the novel's central suspense threads: the threat of Lucy being discovered and prosecuted for Michael's death. By having Rachel reveal that the case is closed, the narrative frees Lucy from the constant fear that has defined her life since the murder. It also deepens Rachel's character, transforming her from a peripheral figure into a key ally and fellow survivor. The chapter provides emotional closure for both women, allowing them to look toward the future—Lucy with her family in St. Albans, Rachel with her jewelry business—and to forge a meaningful connection. It reinforces the novel's themes of justice, survival, and the bonds that form between those who have endured trauma.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Rachel call Lucy her heroine?
Rachel calls Lucy her heroine because Lucy killed Michael before Rachel could. Rachel had gone to Michael's house intending to force him to return her father's blackmailed money, and she was prepared to shoot him if he refused. Lucy's act spared Rachel from having to commit murder, and it also avenged Rachel's own rape. Rachel sees Lucy's action as a form of justice that she herself was willing to carry out but didn't have to.
2. How does the chapter resolve the French investigation, and what does this mean for Lucy?
Rachel reveals that the French authorities have officially closed the case, recording Michael's death as an organized-crime murder. This means Lucy is no longer a suspect or a person of interest. For Lucy, this lifts the constant threat of arrest and imprisonment that has haunted her for over a year. She can finally stop being ready to run and hide, and can begin to build a normal life with her family.
3. What does the champagne toast symbolize in this chapter?
The champagne toast symbolizes mutual relief, gratitude, and a shared commitment to moving forward. Rachel and Lucy drink to safety, to bad things happening to bad people, and to good things happening to good people. It marks the end of their shared ordeal and the beginning of a new chapter in both their lives. The toast also cements their bond as survivors who have each other's backs.