Chapter summaries Want to Know a Secret? Freida McFadden

Chapter 39: A Detective’s Help and a Neighbor’s Dark Secret

⚠️ 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

Julianne Bressler (formerly Abrams) calls Riley Hanrahan, a detective she worked with as a DA and had a past romantic relationship with. She asks him to look into Courtney Burns, a woman who committed suicide four years ago. Days later, they meet at Dino’s Pizza in Queens. Riley shares that Courtney’s death was officially ruled a suicide but was investigated as a possible homicide. Courtney had been having an affair with her boss, a prominent lawyer, and was pressuring him to leave his wife. She died from an overdose of her own Ativan, with no note, and had hacked off all her hair. The lawyer had an alibi (at work), and his wife had an alibi (at home with her baby and visiting mother). Julianne realizes the wife is her neighbor and best friend. The chapter ends with Julianne reflecting on her own distant marriage and the unsettling possibility that her friend is a murderer.

Key Events

  • Julianne contacts former colleague and ex-lover Riley Hanrahan for information about Courtney Burns.
  • Riley agrees to help and arranges a meeting at Dino’s Pizza.
  • During their meal, Riley details the suspicious circumstances of Courtney’s death: overdose of her own prescription, no suicide note, and hair cut off with a knife.
  • Riley explains that both the lawyer and his wife had solid alibis, so no charges were filed.
  • Julianne realizes that the lawyer’s wife is her neighbor (whom the reader knows as April).
  • She leaves Dino’s with a new perspective on her friend and her own marriage.

Character Development

  • Julianne Bressler: This chapter highlights her internal conflict between her past life as a driven DA and her current suburban role. Reconnecting with Riley stirs regret and longing. She admits she never loved Keith the way she loved Riley, and she now suspects her neighbor of murder, deepening her unease.
  • Riley Hanrahan: Shown as loyal, perceptive, and still caring for Julianne. He warns her to be careful and offers his help again. His scar and gray hair suggest a career of danger and time passed.
  • (Implied) The Neighbor (April): Though not named in this chapter, the revelation that the lawyer’s wife is Julianne’s neighbor casts her as a potential murderer, adding tension.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Sacrifice and Identity: Julianne’s decision to marry Keith and stay home is contrasted with her former career. The pizza place and her old nickname “Jules” symbolize the identity she abandoned.
  • Secrets Beneath the Surface: The suburban ideal (neighbor, PTA, gym) hides possible murder, affairs, and marital disconnection. Courtney’s severed hair represents violent rupture and hidden truth.
  • Justice and Doubt: Riley’s suspicion that the wife killed Courtney challenges the official ruling. Julianne’s legal instincts clash with personal loyalty, mirroring her loss of professional purpose.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 39 is a turning point: it provides concrete evidence linking Courtney’s death to Julianne’s close friend, transforming suspicion into near-certainty. It also deepens Julianne’s existential crisis, as she confronts her own unfulfilling marriage and the choices that led her away from the life she loved. The information Riley shares—especially the lack of a note and the hair-cutting—heightens the mystery and suggests a calculated murder, not a suicide. This chapter sets the stage for a direct confrontation with the neighbor and raises the stakes for Julianne’s safety.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Julianne contact Riley, and what does she hope to learn?
Julianne contacts Riley because she needs information about Courtney Burns that she cannot find online. She hopes to confirm her suspicion that Courtney’s death was not a suicide and to uncover details that might implicate April.

2. What details about Courtney’s death make Riley suspect homicide?
Riley notes that Courtney died from an overdose of her own prescription (Ativan), had no suicide note, and had hacked off all her hair. Her family and friends denied she would ever commit suicide, and she had been pressuring her lover to leave his wife—a motive for murder.

3. How does the meeting with Riley affect Julianne’s view of her own life and marriage?
The reunion reminds Julianne of the career and passion she gave up for Keith. She realizes she and Keith have not had sex in six months, and she does not care. Meeting Riley makes her question whether she ever truly loved Keith or simply chose the expected path.