Chapter 17 Summary & Analysis – If You’re Going Down, Go All the Way Down…
⚠️ 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
Nora and Sam leave Paul Turner’s building after an unsettling meeting. Paul insisted that “you guys” (meaning Nora and Sam) were the intended recipients of his message, but Nora senses Paul was trying to get rid of them. Sam calls Tommy’s voicemail, angrily demanding to know why Tommy is talking to Paul. Sam reveals his frustration that others are keeping secrets about their father’s business dealings. Sam suspects Tommy stole a laptop and is up to something. Nora asks if Sam has discussed their father’s accident with Tommy, but Sam hasn’t, believing Tommy would dismiss him. Sam insists they need to see Tommy in person at his upstate location, a three-hour drive. Nora is hesitant, feeling this mission is separate from learning what happened to their father the night he died. Sam argues it’s all related. Nora mentally compiles the timeline: their father planned to sell his company, then reversed course and left it to his sons; eight days later he called an old lover and fell off a familiar cliff. Nora reveals that she previously suspected Sam of wrongdoing, but now admits she was wrong. Sam is visibly moved. Nora agrees to join Sam the next morning, warning him to be punctual or she’ll drop out. As they part, Sam teases that Nora is warming up to him; she dismisses him without turning.
Key Events
- Nora and Sam exit Paul Turner’s building; Nora notes Paul seemed eager to end the conversation.
- Sam leaves an angry voicemail for Tommy, demanding to know why Tommy is contacting Paul.
- Sam shares his distrust of Tommy, suggesting Tommy stole a laptop and is hiding something.
- Nora questions whether this side investigation relates to their father’s death.
- Nora reviews the known facts: father’s plan to sell the company, reversal, calls to an old flame, and the fatal fall.
- Nora confesses she once thought Sam might be involved in their father’s death, but now realizes she was mistaken.
- Nora agrees to accompany Sam upstate, setting a strict deadline for departure.
- The chapter ends with Sam joking about Nora’s growing affection for him, which she does not acknowledge.
Character Development
Nora – becomes more assertive in steering the investigation. She insists on keeping the focus on their father’s death rather than family business conflicts. She also shows emotional growth by admitting her earlier misjudgment of Sam.
Sam – his suspicion and anger toward Tommy intensify, revealing a competitive and mistrustful relationship. He is vulnerable when Nora corrects her opinion of him, and his need for validation is evident.
Paul Turner – though not present on the page, his evasiveness in the previous scene bothers Nora and Sam, reinforcing the theme that people are withholding information.
Tommy – discussed but absent; his actions (contacting Paul, possible theft of a laptop) are presented as secretive and self-serving, deepening Sam’s distrust.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Family Secrets – The chapter centres on what is being hidden: Tommy’s contacts with Paul, the laptop, and the circumstances of the father’s death. Each character guards their own knowledge.
Trust and Misjudgment – Nora openly admits she misjudged Sam. This moment underscores how easily suspicion poisons family relationships, and how difficult it is to rebuild trust.
The Urgency of Time – Nora’s decision to put aside her own work and relationship with Jack to help Sam suggests that solving their father’s death takes precedence. The tight schedule (“nine thirty tomorrow morning”) adds pressure.
Parallel Paths – The chapter juxtaposes Sam’s quest to confront Tommy with Nora’s quest to understand the father’s accident. Whether these are truly related is an unanswered question.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 marks a turning point in the sibling partnership. Nora moves from reluctant participant to active co-investigator. Her confession that she previously suspected Sam clears the air and allows them to work together more honestly. The chapter also introduces a new suspect—Tommy—whose secretive behaviour makes him a person of interest. By laying out the timeline of events before their father’s death, Nora forces both herself and the reader to consider whether the fall was an accident or something more sinister. The decision to travel upstate sets the stage for a direct confrontation with Tommy in the next chapter.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Sam want to confront Tommy in person rather than over the phone?
Sam believes Tommy is hiding the stolen laptop and possibly other information about their father’s business dealings. Sam thinks a face-to-face meeting will force Tommy to reveal the truth, especially because Tommy tends to dismiss Sam’s concerns when they talk from a distance.
2. What does Nora realize about Sam that changes her view of him?
Nora admits she previously thought Sam might be selfish or even responsible for their father’s accident. After seeing Sam’s genuine distress and determination to uncover the truth, she acknowledges she was wrong. This admission strengthens their alliance.
3. How does Nora’s summary of the facts (the timeline) advance the mystery?
By listing what they know—the father’s plan to sell the company, his reversal, the phone calls, and the fatal fall—Nora highlights how little they actually understand. The juxtaposition of these facts suggests that the business reversal and the personal phone calls are connected, and that someone else may have been with their father that night.