Chapter 18 (Chapter 17) 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
Lo is finishing a strained five-course dinner when Pieter Leidmann, Marcus’s son, approaches her table. They exchange pleasantries; Lo uses her prepared cover story that her mother has been transferred to a nearby hospital. Pieter asks if she is traveling alone, then invites her to join his father for dinner. Lo declines, citing her meal is nearly over. After a brief conversation about the hotel opening, Lo excuses herself and returns to their room with bread and cheese wrapped in a napkin. Carrie is waiting anxiously and questions Lo about Marcus and Pieter. They discuss Pieter’s complicated admiration for his father. Lo asks Carrie what she will do long term, suggesting she could surrender rather than remain on the run. Carrie angrily rejects the idea, insisting she will solve her own problems. The chapter ends with Lo lying awake, aware that sleep will not come easily.
Key Events
- Pieter Leidmann approaches Lo in the restaurant, surprising her.
- Lo delivers her cover story about her mother’s hospitalisation.
- Pieter asks twice whether Lo is traveling alone; Lo feels his tone carries suspicion.
- Lo declines Pieter’s invitation to join Marcus for dinner.
- After Pieter departs, Lo brings leftover bread and cheese to Carrie.
- Carrie presses for details about the encounter.
- Lo learns that Pieter both admires and fears his father’s ruthlessness.
- Lo asks Carrie about her long-term plan; Carrie refuses to turn herself in.
- Carrie tells Lo to stop interfering; Lo agrees but remains troubled.
Character Development
- Lo (Laura Blacklock): Demonstrates her ability to think on her feet by maintaining the cover story, but her anxiety is clear—her heart races and she worries she is unconvincing. She shows empathy for Carrie’s situation but also frustration when her suggestion is rebuffed.
- Pieter Leidmann: Presented as outwardly charming yet subtly probing. The conversation reveals that Pieter’s relationship with Marcus is complex: he craves his father’s approval while acknowledging Marcus’s capacity for cruelty. This duality suggests Pieter may be more aware of the truth than Lo assumes.
- Carrie: Displays a mix of anxiety, irritability, and fierce determination. She is grateful for Lo’s help but refuses to let anyone else manage her escape. Her outburst (“just let me fucking solve it”) underscores her need for agency after years of control.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Surveillance and Performance: The entire restaurant scene is a performance for Lo, who must act as if she has no hidden agenda. Pieter’s pointed questions and Lo’s internal panic highlight the theme of being watched and tested.
- Freedom vs. Imprisonment: Carrie’s refusal to surrender reflects her desire for genuine freedom, even if it means a precarious life on the run. The hotel room becomes a temporary prison, an irony not lost on the reader.
- Parental Influence and Loyalty: The father-son dynamic between Marcus and Pieter mirrors the control Marcus exerts over Carrie. Pieter’s “unhealthy” worship of his father suggests a cycle of domination and admiration.
- Food as a Cover: Lo’s excuse of having finished dinner, and her smuggling of bread and cheese, symbolise her dual role as caregiver and deceiver.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter escalates the tension by placing Lo face-to-face with a member of the Leidmann family. Pieter’s arrival confirms that Marcus is nearby and actively involved, raising the stakes for both Lo and Carrie. The conversation about Pieter’s relationship with Marcus adds depth to the antagonist’s character and hints at possible fractures within the family. Carrie’s rejection of Lo’s advice marks a turning point in their partnership—Lo must accept that Carrie controls her own fate. The chapter also deepens the suspense about whether Pieter’s questions were genuine concern or veiled suspicion, leaving readers questioning how much he truly knows.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Lo feel her cover story might be weak?
Lo’s story involves her mother being transferred to a hospital near the hotel; however, she knows the only nearby hospital is a burn unit, which would not match a simple trip-and-fall accident. She hopes Pieter either does not know the area or is too polite to ask for details.
2. What does Carrie reveal about Pieter’s relationship with Marcus?
Carrie states that Pieter “worships” his father and desperately wants his approval, but she also notes that Pieter has “no illusions” about Marcus’s ruthlessness. The relationship is one of admiration mixed with fear, not genuine warmth.
3. How does Carrie react when Lo suggests she might be better off turning herself in?
Carrie responds with anger and vehemence, telling Lo to “shut the fuck up” and insisting she will solve her own problems. She refuses to trade one form of imprisonment (Marcus’s control) for another (prison time), expressing fierce determination to remain free on her own terms.