Characters Woman Down: A Novel Colleen Hoover

Nathaniel Saint / Eric Kingston: The Man Behind the Mask in Woman Down

Overview

Nathaniel Saint – later revealed to be Eric Merrell Kingston – is the central antagonist and love interest in Colleen Hoover's Woman Down. He first presents himself as a detective responding to a suicide near Petra Rose's rental cabin. In reality, he is a screenwriter who orchestrates an elaborate surveillance and role‑play scheme, posing as law enforcement to manipulate Petra under the pretext of inspiring her writing. His character embodies the novel's deepest tensions around deception, identity, and the blurred line between fiction and reality.

Plot Role

Saint enters the story during a crisis: Petra has just witnessed a man jump into the lake, and Saint arrives in uniform to take her statement. Over the following weeks, he uses his fake authority and charismatic presence to ingratiate himself into her life. He becomes the muse for her novel Woman Down – specifically the character Cam – while simultaneously orchestrating fabricated threats (fake police lights, paying off a witness named Mari) to keep Petra isolated and dependent on him. The pivotal turning point occurs when Petra, suspecting the lies, performs a reverse image search and discovers his true identity as Eric Kingston, a screenwriter with no law enforcement background. Saint then appears at Petra's book signing, demands a dedication, and later reveals that Nora, Petra's best friend, originally set up his introduction. The story ends with an anonymous email suggesting Saint intends to continue his manipulation.

Motivations and Traits

Saint's primary motivation appears to be a desire for creative control and intimate power. As a screenwriter who has worked on known film projects, he seems to view Petra as both a subject and a collaborator. He tells her he will read her work, calls it a “collaboration,” and later admits he pushed for the meeting after Nora mentioned her writer friend. His actions – planting evidence, faking a marital ring, maintaining a private social media presence under his real name – reveal a meticulous, controlling nature. He thrives on ambiguity: he never fully confirms whether his attraction to Petra is genuine or part of the act. Traits include charm, intelligence, possessiveness, and a willingness to cross ethical lines for artistic or personal gratification.

Chronological Arc

  • Introduction (Chapters 5–6): Saint arrives at the cabin as a detective after a local suicide. He gives Petra a business card with the name Nathaniel Saint and promises patrol. Petra begins writing again, modeling Cam after him.
  • Growing Involvement (Chapters 7–9): He visits regularly, flirts, and eventually kisses her. He receives calls from “his wife” (later revealed as a lie). Their affair deepens.
  • Cracks in the Mask (Chapter 22): Petra searches for Nathaniel Saint online and finds only dead ends. Using a reverse image search, she identifies him as Eric Kingston – a screenwriter. A LinkedIn profile confirms his real profession.
  • Background Check (Chapter 23): Petra pays for a background check and finds Eric Merrell Kingston, matching phone numbers. She realizes he is not a detective.
  • Book Signing Confrontation (Chapter 24): Saint attends the signing, and Petra signs the book “Eric” with a spiteful note. He reveals he knows Nora from college; Nora confesses she asked him to visit Petra in uniform to spark inspiration.
  • Post‑Tour Threat (Chapter 25–26): Petra receives an email confirming a prepaid cabin reservation she didn't make, followed by a message: “I think it’s time we start working on your next book, Petra.”

Relationships

  • With Petra: A manipulative, sexually charged relationship built on a foundation of lies. Petra experiences genuine attraction and guilt, often fantasizing about Saint during intimacy with her boyfriend Shephard. She fears Saint but is unable to fully resist his pull.
  • With Nora: Nora knew Saint from college and innocently invited him to meet Petra. Saint exploited this connection, pursuing Petra without Nora's knowledge. Nora's betrayal deepens Petra's isolation.
  • With his “wife”: The ring and phone calls are props in his performance. Petra later learns he is not married.

Key Decisions and Consequences

  • Posing as a detective: Allows him access to Petra and control of the narrative around the suicide. The consequence is that Petra eventually uncovers the fraud, leading to a crisis of trust.
  • Paying off Mari: Eliminates a witness who could expose his scheme, but this action confirms to Petra that he is not an undercover officer.
  • Demanding a dedication in Woman Down: Forces Petra to publicly acknowledge him, even as she fears what he might do if she refuses. The dedication later fuels her guilt and paranoia.
  • Attending the book signing: Provokes a confrontation that reveals Nora's role and shatters Petra's remaining trust. It also escalates Saint's threat from psychological to physical stalking.

Theme and Symbol Connections

Saint is the embodiment of several key themes in the novel:

  • Deception and Manipulation (see Deception and Manipulation): Every aspect of Saint's persona is a constructed performance.
  • Cancel Culture and Public Backlash (Cancel Culture): While Petra faces public scrutiny, Saint operates in the shadows, weaponizing anonymity.
  • Writer's Block and the Search for Authenticity (Writer's Block): Saint serves as both muse and prison, forcing Petra to write from trauma rather than inspiration.
  • Power Dynamics and Submission (Power Dynamics): He controls the setting, the narrative, and Petra's emotional responses.
  • Infidelity, Guilt, and Dual Identity (Infidelity and Guilt): Petra's affair with Saint strains her relationship with Shephard, and the dual identity of Saint/Kingston reflects her own internal split.

The name “Saint” itself functions as a symbol of ironic holiness – a false savior who delivers inspiration at a terrible personal cost. The west‑facing cabin (where their affair began) becomes a site of both creativity and entrapment.

Character Questions and Answers

1. Why did Saint pretend to be a detective?
He wanted access to Petra in a way that felt authoritative and natural. The uniform gave him credibility and a reason to be near her cabin. Nora had told him Petra was a writer struggling with block; Saint saw the detective persona as the perfect catalyst to involve himself in her story.

2. How did Petra discover his true identity?
She performed a Google image search on a selfie they took together. After an initial failure, she used a paid facial‑recognition service that returned a Facebook profile for Eric Kingston. A subsequent LinkedIn search showed Eric Merrell Kingston, a screenwriter – confirming he was not law enforcement.

3. Was Saint ever really married?
Evidence from later chapters indicates the wedding ring was part of his act. At the book signing, Petra's internal monologue states, “He isn’t married, honey. Far from it.” The wife calls were staged to maintain his cover.

4. What was Saint’s connection to Nora?
Nora knew Saint from college. She asked him to visit Petra in uniform as a writing prompt, believing it would help Petra overcome her block. Saint admits he pushed the meeting and continued the relationship without Nora's knowledge or consent.

5. Does the story definitively end Saint’s involvement?
No. The final chapter shows Petra receiving an email from an unknown sender saying, “I think it’s time we start working on your next book, Petra.” A separate email confirms a prepaid reservation for the same cabin. This suggests Saint is escalating his manipulation into the future.

For a full breakdown of the novel's conclusion, see the Ending Explained page. For further discussion, visit the Questions and Answers section.