Think Twice Chapter Thirty-Two Summary and Analysis: The Setup Serial Killer Exposed
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Chronological Summary
The chapter opens with Win at the Frick museum in New York City, standing before four Vermeer paintings. Curator Stan Ulanoff shows Win three Vermeers owned by the Frick and thanks Win for loaning his own Vermeer, The Girl at the Piano, which was recovered after a notorious theft. Win declines the offer to be guest of honor at the reopening gala.
Win's personal assistant Kabir joins him and reports on the investigation. Kabir confirms that no one remembers Greg Downing playing pickup basketball in Wallkill, and the self-appointed commissioner of those games, Mike Grenley, says he would have recognized Downing. Kabir has expanded the search to neighboring towns. He also shares that he has done a deep dive on Greg Downing's son Jeremy, noting a discrepancy in the information. Kabir has no knowledge that Jeremy is biologically Myron's son.
The scene shifts to Myron and Terese in a coffee shop near where Jackie Newton is being held. They watch Sadie Fisher's live press conference on Terese's laptop. Sadie begins by invoking the presumption of innocence and the injustice of wrongful convictions. She then drops a series of escalating revelations: Bo Storm was forced to testify falsely by an overzealous prosecutor; Joseph Turant, imprisoned for the murder of Jordan Kravat, is innocent; and there are at least six other cases where innocent people are incarcerated with the FBI's knowledge. The latest case involves Greg Downing, whom Sadie claims the FBI knows is innocent of killing Cecelia Callister and her son Clay Staples.
Sadie's most explosive claim follows: a serial killer is responsible for the murders of Jordan Kravat, Walter Stone, Tracy Keating, Cecelia Callister, Clay Staples, and several others. The people convicted for these murders—Joseph Turant, Dan Barry, Robert Lestrano, and Greg Downing—were framed. She further claims that real estate mogul Ronald Prine was also a victim of this serial killer, and that Jackie Newton is the latest frame job.
Sadie directly addresses FBI Director Harry Borque, accusing the agency of knowingly keeping innocent people imprisoned to avoid embarrassment. She calls the FBI co-conspirators with the serial killer and storms off stage.
After the press conference, Myron texts with Win, who notes that PT will not be pleased and asks to talk when Myron returns. Terese presses Myron on whether his involvement is over now that Greg will likely be released. Myron acknowledges that the FBI is now pursuing the serial killer with full resources, but admits to Terese that the case is not over for him—there is still a serial killer out there.
Key Events
- Win views his recovered Vermeer at the Frick museum and declines being guest of honor at the gala.
- Kabir reports no evidence of Greg Downing playing pickup basketball in Wallkill or neighboring areas under disguise.
- Kabir has conducted a background investigation on Jeremy Downing and identifies a discrepancy in the information.
- Sadie Fisher gives a live press conference revealing the existence of a serial killer who frames others for his murders.
- Sadie names multiple wrongfully convicted individuals: Joseph Turant, Dan Barry, Robert Lestrano, and Greg Downing.
- Sadie accuses the FBI of knowingly covering up these wrongful convictions to protect careers and avoid embarrassment.
- Sadie claims Ronald Prine and Jackie Newton are the serial killer's most recent victims and frame jobs.
- Myron and Terese watch the press conference together; Myron confirms Sadie is telling the truth as they know it.
- Terese asks Myron if the case is over for him now that Greg Downing will likely be released; Myron admits it is not.
Character Development
Win (Windsor Horne Lockwood III): Displays his characteristic composure and control during the museum visit, firmly declining public recognition. His decision to send The Girl at the Piano on tour reflects a more public-minded side, yet his private investigation into Greg Downing and Jeremy Downing reveals his continued deep entanglement in the case. The narrative notes that Win distinguishes Jeremy as biologically Myron's son in his own mind, which suggests he views his investigation as a potential betrayal of Myron.
Myron Bolitar: Watches Sadie's press conference with professional admiration and a sense of relief that Bo Storm appears healthy. When Terese presses him about whether he can walk away now that Greg's release seems imminent, Myron's honest admission that it is not over for him shows his unwillingness to ignore a continuing threat, even when it would be safer to step back.
Sadie Fisher: Demonstrates masterful command of the press conference format and media strategy. She structures her revelations to generate maximum impact, building from general principles of justice to specific allegations, then to the serial killer revelation, and finally to a direct confrontation with the FBI. Terese notes her gift for hyperbole, while Myron simply calls her good.
Terese Collins: Observes the press conference with a journalist's critical eye, noting Sadie's theatricality. She presses Myron with practical questions about whether the case is truly over, acting as the voice of reason urging him to step away from danger.
Themes, Symbols, and Motifs
The Presumption of Innocence: Sadie Fisher builds her entire press conference around the foundational legal principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty. She argues that this principle has been violated systematically by prosecutors and the FBI who knowingly keep innocent people imprisoned.
The Cover-Up vs. The Truth: The chapter contrasts hidden truth with public revelation. Sadie's press conference forces the serial killer's existence and the FBI's knowledge into the open, using the power of media exposure to pressure the justice system.
Framing and Identity: The serial killer's method involves not only murder but also the deliberate construction of false narratives around the crimes. The killer is not just taking lives but reshaping public understanding of those deaths, making the investigation as much about untangling lies as finding evidence.
Art and the Value of Beauty: The opening scene at the Frick, with Win contemplating Vermeer's The Girl at the Piano, introduces a world of aesthetic refinement and cultural legacy. The painting's history of theft and recovery mirrors the themes of loss, restoration, and hidden stories that run through the chapter.
Responsibility vs. Safety: Terese presents Myron with a clear choice: the FBI now has the case, the public is alerted, and he can walk away safely. Myron's decision that the case is not over for him commits him to the more dangerous path of personal responsibility.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter Thirty-Two is the chapter where the novel's central secret is forced into the open. Sadie Fisher's press conference transforms the story from a series of individual murder cases into a nationwide pattern of serial killing and institutional cover-up. The public revelation of the Setup Serial Killer changes the stakes for every character and puts the FBI on the defensive. For Myron, this chapter marks the moment when he could theoretically exit the investigation but instead chooses to stay involved, setting up his continued role in the pursuit of the real killer. The chapter also advances the parallel thread of Win's investigation into Jeremy Downing, with Kabir noting a discrepancy that will likely prove significant in the chapters ahead.
Study Questions and Answers
1. What specific accusations does Sadie Fisher make against the FBI during her press conference?
Sadie Fisher accuses the FBI of knowingly keeping innocent people imprisoned for murders committed by a serial killer. She names Joseph Turant, Dan Barry, Robert Lestrano, and Greg Downing as individuals the FBI knows are innocent but has not released. She claims the FBI's motives are twofold: avoiding embarrassment and damage to careers from overturning wrongful convictions, and a deliberate decision to suppress information about the serial killer to prevent public panic. She directly accuses the FBI of acting as co-conspirators with the serial killer.
2. What evidence does Kabir present regarding Greg Downing's claim about playing pickup basketball in Wallkill?
Kabir reports that an investigator went to Wallkill and found only one outdoor court that hosts pickup games, near Wallkill High. The regular commissioner of those games, Mike Grenley, claims he has not missed a game since 2008 and does not remember anyone spilling blood in the past year. Grenley also does not remember Greg Downing showing up, even in disguise, and states he would have recognized Downing. Kabir has expanded the search to neighboring towns.
3. Why does Myron decide the case is not over for him after Sadie's press conference?
Terese argues that Myron's original goal was to help Greg Downing, and Sadie's press conference will likely lead to Greg's release and Jackie Newton's release. The FBI now has the full resources of the federal government deployed against the serial killer, and the public is alerted. Myron acknowledges each of these points but admits to Terese that he does not think the case is over for him. The implication is that he cannot walk away from the presence of an active serial killer, even when it would be safer and more rational to do so.