Chapter 71 (72) Summary: Garth’s Revenge on the Rooftop
⚠️ 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
Mitch parks his Range Rover at the top of a Fairhaven multi-storey car park, next to Luca’s identical vehicle and Garth’s small yellow Fiat Uno. Garth has forced both men to meet him under threats. Luca, assuming Garth knows his wife has been killed, offers an apology. Garth realises that only the killer and the police could have known his wife died, so Luca must be the murderer. Garth then grabs Luca and hurls him over the parapet. Mitch, horrified, agrees to drive Garth to Coopers Chase to retrieve the heroin. Garth warns that if the elderly residents cooperate, no one else will get hurt. Mitch prays the nightmare ends soon and that he survives.
Key Events
| # | Event |
|---|---|
| 1 | Mitch, Luca, and Garth meet on a multi-storey car park after Garth intimidates them into coming. |
| 2 | Luca inadvertently reveals that he knows Garth’s wife has died, implying he is the killer. |
| 3 | Garth, realising only the murderer and the police could know, throws Luca off the roof. |
| 4 | Mitch and Garth flee in Mitch’s car, heading to Coopers Chase to recover the stolen heroin. |
| 5 | Garth promises to avoid further killing if the elderly residents cooperate. |
Character Development
- Garth – Initially portrayed as a clumsy antiques dealer, he transforms into a ruthless avenger. His grief over his wife’s death is raw, and his willingness to kill without hesitation shows a previously hidden capacity for violence.
- Mitch – He becomes more passive and fearful, repeatedly pleading for no more deaths. His earlier ambitions (property development, getting out of the drug game) now feel desperate and unlikely.
- Luca – Dies quickly after his casual apology reveals his guilt. His arrogance (mocking Garth as “some antiques guy”) proves fatal.
- Coopers Chase residents (offstage) – Though not present, they are established as formidable opponents: Mitch has already learned they are neither scared nor stupid.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Height and falling – The chapter begins with Mitch admiring the “view to die for” from the car park. That phrase becomes literal when Garth throws Luca to his death. Height symbolises the precariousness of the criminals’ position – one wrong move and they fall.
- The Fiat Uno versus Range Rovers – Garth’s cheap yellow car contrasts with the luxury vehicles of the drug dealers. It underscores his perceived low status, which he then subverts with lethal action.
- “No more killing” – Mitch’s repeated plea echoes throughout the chapter, setting up a moral tension that will carry into future events.
- The rugby player Jonah Lomu – Mitch’s simile comparing Garth to the legendary New Zealand player emphasises how Garth’s size and unexpected speed rewrite the rules of the confrontation, just as Lomu redefined rugby.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter marks a major turning point: the drug dealers lose one of their own to Garth’s fury. Garth’s motive (vengeance for his wife) is now clear, and he shifts from a peripheral figure to a central actor. Mitch is forced deeper into a situation he desperately wants to escape. The stage is set for a direct confrontation at Coopers Chase, where the elderly residents must now face Garth and Mitch.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Luca accidentally incriminate himself?
Luca offers his condolences for Garth’s wife’s death without pause. Garth knows that only the killer and the police had that information, so Luca must have murdered her.
2. What does Mitch’s internal comparison to Jonah Lomu reveal about the fight?
The simile suggests that Garth, like Lomu, uses his bulk and speed to overwhelm an opponent who underestimates him. It reinforces the shock of Luca’s sudden death.
3. Why does Mitch agree to drive Garth to Coopers Chase?
Mitch is terrified of Garth after witnessing the murder. He also still hopes to retrieve the heroin and end the cycle of violence, though his “no killing” promise seems fragile.