Chapter summaries With a Vengeance Riley Sager

Chapter Thirty-Five Summary: The Hunt for Judd Dodge Begins

⚠️ 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

Agent Reggie Davis gathers the six remaining survivors in the first-class lounge to discuss the revelation that Judd Dodge is alive. Reggie states that Judd must be the murderer, having faked his own death to kill Herb and Edith and frame Anna. Anna worries about Judd’s true motive, suspecting he intends to kill everyone or has simply snapped. Dante and Seamus nearly come to blows when Reggie questions how they could have carried a living man to his room. Anna intervenes, insisting they focus on finding Judd. The group decides to search the train in pairs: Anna with Reggie in the front half, Seamus with Dante in the back half, while Lapsford and Sal patrol the lounge and dining car. Reggie advises shooting Judd in the leg if found. Sal and Lapsford reluctantly agree to help.

Key Events

  • Reggie declares Judd Dodge the likely murderer after they confirm he is alive.
  • Anna reflects on Judd’s possible motives: framing her, killing everyone, or acting out of insanity.
  • Tension flares between Seamus and Dante when Reggie suggests they might have known Judd was alive while carrying him.
  • Anna separates the two men and refocuses the discussion on survival.
  • The group decides to search the train in pairs: Anna/Reggie (front), Seamus/Dante (back), Lapsford/Sal (patrol the lounge and dining car).
  • Reggie instructs everyone to shoot Judd in the leg if encountered.
  • Sal arms herself with a champagne bottle; Lapsford reluctantly takes one too.

Character Development

Anna – Her fear evolves from worrying about the heist’s failure to a primal survival instinct. She takes charge, preventing a fistfight and steering the group toward a coherent plan. Her suspicion of Sal shows she remains cautious despite the alliance.

Seamus – His bluster fades as fear creeps in, but he still bristles at Dante’s accusations. His willingness to search alone reveals pride and mistrust.

Dante – For a moment he aligns with Seamus against Reggie’s implication, but quickly returns to antagonism. His suspicion that Seamus helped Judd fakes death deepens the rift.

Reggie – He asserts leadership, logically concluding Judd is the killer and organizing a search. His decision to keep himself and Seamus in separate groups shows tactical awareness of their weapons.

Sal – Eager to act, she demands to help, displaying a proactive side. Her grab of a champagne bottle as a weapon reinforces that she will not wait passively.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Deception and Appearances – Judd’s faked death underscores the theme of performance. His sleight of hand, previously used for magic tricks, becomes a tool for murder. The tablecloth that hid his breathing symbolizes how easily the characters overlook crucial details when they rely on assumptions.

Fear and the Collapse of Trust – The group is united by fear but fractured by suspicion. Seamus and Dante cannot cooperate; Anna questions Sal’s loyalty. The atmosphere of paranoia prevents effective teamwork, echoing the classic locked-room thriller structure.

Survival and Isolation – The blizzard outside mirrors the characters’ psychological isolation. Reggie’s plan to hunt Judd rather than wait shows the tension between passive endurance and active risk-taking.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter Thirty-Five transforms the story’s central mystery: the killer is not an unknown intruder but a figure they thought was dead. The shift from “whodunit” to “where is he” raises the stakes. Anna’s leadership grows, and the group’s fragile alliance sets the stage for the final confrontation. The chapter also deepens the conflict between Seamus and Dante, hinting that internal betrayal may be as dangerous as Judd himself.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Anna believe Judd’s motive goes beyond framing her?
Anna speculates that Judd might intend to kill everyone and escape at the last moment, or that he has simply snapped from the pressure of the heist. She reasons that someone who fakes death and commits murder is unlikely to stop at two victims.

2. How does the disagreement between Seamus and Dante reflect the group’s deeper mistrust?
Dante implies that Seamus might have helped Judd fake his death because Seamus was the one who checked for a pulse. Seamus reacts furiously, and their short-lived truce collapses. This exchange shows that even under threat, personal grievances and suspicion prevent unified action.

3. What is the strategic weakness of splitting into pairs to search the train?
As Seamus points out, dividing the group gives Judd the chance to attack isolated individuals. The plan also assumes Judd is alone, but it forces two people to rely on each other despite their mutual distrust—especially Seamus and Dante, who can barely cooperate.

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