Chapter summaries The Truth about the Devlins Lisa Scottoline

The Truth about the Devlins – Chapter 33 Summary & 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

[TJ Devlin sits at his laptop reviewing footage from his birdhouse camera. The video shows Barry Rigel climbing over TJ’s fence and looking directly into the camera, confirming Rigel broke into TJ’s house while he was away. TJ tries to connect Rigel to the death of Lemaire, wondering if Rigel killed him or if someone else in a maroon Volvo did. TJ remembers his brother John’s comment about cars but now doubts John’s reliability. He googles “Barry Rigel Exton” and finds a news article stating Rigel, 45, was struck by a pickup truck driven by Terry Pantolo and died at the scene. TJ recognizes this as the crash he experienced the previous night. The article does not mention TJ, and he realizes his father’s influence shielded the family from legal trouble. He researches Rigel further, finding no criminal record—unlike himself. Frustrated, TJ shifts focus to Lemaire. He searches for Lemaire’s obituary and finds the wake is scheduled for the following day. TJ wonders if Stan is covering up Lemaire’s embezzlement or if John’s accusation was false. He recalls the thumb drive of emails between Lemaire and Daniel Rocha. TJ retrieves the thumb drive, plugs it into his laptop, and locates Daniel Rocha’s cell phone number in an email signature. The chapter ends with TJ picking up his phone to call Rocha.]

Key Events

  • TJ reviews the birdhouse camera footage and confirms Barry Rigel broke into his house.
  • He searches for news about Rigel and learns Rigel was killed by a pickup truck—the same crash TJ was involved in.
  • The article omits any mention of TJ; he recognizes his father’s influence protected him from repercussions.
  • TJ runs a criminal background check on Rigel and finds no record.
  • He searches for Lemaire’s obituary, discovers the wake is tomorrow, and questions whether Stan is hiding embezzlement.
  • TJ retrieves the thumb drive with Lemaire and Rocha’s emails, finds Rocha’s cell number, and prepares to call him.

Character Development

TJ Devlin

This chapter reveals TJ’s growing self-awareness about his drinking problem—he recalls starting each morning with beer and drinking three thirty-packs a week. He also confronts his own criminal record, contrasting it with Rigel’s clean background. TJ’s dependence on family privilege is laid bare: he knows his father “worked his Chamber of Commerce magic” to keep TJ’s name out of the accident report. Despite these uncomfortable truths, he continues searching for answers, showing both perseverance and moral ambiguity.

Barry Rigel (posthumous)

Even though Rigel is deceased before the chapter begins, his role as a suspect is clarified. The birdhouse footage proves he broke into TJ’s house, and the news article reveals he was struck and killed. Rigel remains a cipher—no social media, no criminal record—raising new questions about his ties to Lemaire.

John (off-page)

TJ calls John’s statement about the maroon Volvo into doubt, indicating a growing rift between the brothers. TJ now questions whether John fabricated the detail and whether John lied about Lemaire’s embezzlement to cover up his own involvement.

Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

  • Privilege as a Shield: The accident report deliberately omits TJ’s role. His father uses his influence to protect the family, highlighting how class and connections can shield people from legal consequences.
  • Unreliable Memory and Doubt: TJ no longer trusts what John told him about the maroon Volvo or the embezzlement. The chapter emphasizes how the truth in this family is constantly refracted through competing self-interests.
  • Addiction and Hidden Guilt: TJ’s recollection of his heavy drinking hints at an ongoing struggle with alcoholism. His criminal record (unspecified) further suggests a past of bad decisions, contrasting with the “clean” Rigel.
  • Technology as a Double-Edged Sword: The birdhouse camera gives TJ solid evidence of the break-in, but search results and online background checks only raise more questions. The thumb drive of emails represents a potential key to the puzzle.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 33 serves as a turning point in the investigation. TJ moves from passive suspicion to active pursuit: he now has a confirmed intruder (Rigel), a direct link to Lemaire (the obituary and wake), and a live contact (Rocha). The chapter also deepens the story’s moral complexity by forcing TJ to acknowledge his own flaws—his drinking, his criminal past, and his reliance on family privilege. The reader is left with the uneasy sense that TJ is both a detective and a damaged participant in the events he is trying to unravel.

Study Questions and Answers

  1. What does the birdhouse camera reveal, and how does it shift TJ’s understanding of the case?
    The camera shows Barry Rigel climbing over the fence and looking up at the camera, confirming that Rigel broke into TJ’s house. This moves Rigel from a name in the background to a direct suspect in Lemaire’s death, though TJ still does not know why Rigel was involved.

  2. How does TJ react to learning that the news article about Rigel’s accident does not mention him?
    TJ immediately recognizes his father’s influence—what he calls “Chamber of Commerce magic”—and acknowledges that privilege is “an awful, beautiful thing.” He feels relief but also guilt, underscoring his mixed feelings about benefiting from a system that protects him unfairly.

  3. What is TJ’s goal when he retrieves the thumb drive and searches for Daniel Rocha’s number?
    TJ wants to contact Lemaire’s boyfriend, Daniel Rocha, because Rocha was not listed in Lemaire’s obituary and may be unaware of Lemaire’s death. TJ hopes Rocha can provide information about Lemaire’s life and possibly about the embezzlement allegations.

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