Chapters 6-10 Summary
These chapters mark a major turning point as Maggie Holt's investigation takes a dark turn. What begins as an attempt to debunk her father's ghost story quickly spirals into a murder mystery when human remains are discovered in Baneberry Hall. The line between truth and fiction blurs as Maggie uncovers secrets that have been buried for 25 years.
Chapter 6: Victorian Glamour
Maggie awakens from a nightmare, seeing a figure in the woods. She tells Dane Hibbets about the trespasser, who dismisses it as local kids daring each other to approach the infamous house. While clearing out her father's study, Maggie finds a first edition of House of Horrors, triggering painful memories of confronting her parents about the book's lies. They also discover a record player, a teddy bear, and a blue shoebox containing a Polaroid camera with unsettling photos. The pictures seem to confirm events from the book, including one of Maggie and her mother, Jess Holt, walking into the woods with a dark figure lurking nearby. Shaken, Maggie flees to the pet cemetery described in the book, reaffirming her belief that her father was a liar who mixed truth with fiction. She confesses to Dane that she returned to uncover the truth behind her father's lies.
From House of Horrors - Day 4
In the book, Ewan Holt learns about Indigo Garson, who poisoned herself after being forbidden to marry her love. The caretaker warns Ewan that Baneberry Hall "remembers" tragedies and that "history has a way of repeating itself." Ewan is later awakened by The Sound of Music playing in his study, which he dismisses as his imagination.
Chapter 7: The Gazette
Maggie drives into town for groceries and encounters Marta Carver, the widow of Curtis Carver. Overcome with guilt, she wants to apologize for her father's exploitation of Marta's family tragedy but loses her nerve. Back at Baneberry Hall, she is confronted by Brian Prince, a local reporter, who reveals that Ewan wanted to do an interview before his death to reaffirm his book. Prince shocks Maggie with a crucial detail: Petra Ditmer disappeared on the same night the Holts fled Baneberry Hall, insinuating a connection and a suspiciously close relationship between her father and the sixteen-year-old Petra. Maggie defends her father, but Prince vows to uncover the truth. After he leaves, Maggie finds the chandelier in the great room brightly lit, even though she is certain it was off when she left.
From House of Horrors - Day 5
Ewan is awakened by a "thud" and questions Jess about the record player, but she denies it. Later, Maggie tells her parents about her imaginary friend, "Mister Shadow," and others who "come into my room." Worried about Maggie's isolation, Ewan arranges a sleepover with the Ditmer girls, a decision he will regret.
Chapter 8: Sixteen Going on Seventeen
Disturbed by Brian Prince's accusations, Maggie re-examines the Polaroids and notices Petra's flirtatious pose in the sleepover photo. One of the old servants' bells rings, and she hears "You are sixteen, going on seventeen" from The Sound of Music drifting from the third floor. Grabbing a knife, Maggie finds the study empty, with the record player blaring the song. She realizes a "ghoul" broke in to reenact the scene and stole the teddy bear.
From House of Horrors - Day 6
Maggie tells her parents that Mister Shadow says they will all die in the house. A tapping sound leads Ewan to the study, where the record player is playing music. Convinced of an intruder, he calls the police, but Officer Tess Alcott dismisses it. Frustrated, Ewan rigs the doors and windows with a makeshift security system.
Chapter 9: No One But Us Chickens
Maggie chases a figure into the woods, past the pet cemetery, to a crumbled section of the stone wall bordering the Ditmers' cottage. Back inside, she sets up the same thread-and-paper security system Ewan described in House of Horrors. Reflecting on her complicated relationship with her father, she locks her bedroom door, places the knife on her nightstand, and takes a Valium, hoping for sleep.
From House of Horrors - Day 7
Ewan hears a "thud" and finds the chandelier on. In the kitchen, he finds a baby snake in his coffee. More snakes fall from a hole in the ceiling, followed by a massive collapse, unleashing a "writhing, hissing knot of snakes." Screaming, Ewan grabs Jess and Maggie, and they flee the house.
Chapter 10: What. The. Fuck.
Maggie is awakened by a nightmare in which Mister Shadow emerges from the armoire and whispers, "You're going to die here." She checks the house; her security measures are intact. When Dane arrives, she tells him about the break-in. In the kitchen, he notices the water-damaged bulge in the ceiling and climbs onto the table to inspect it. His hand punches through the plaster, and a canvas duffel bag thuds onto the tabletop. Maggie opens the bag and finds a dusty pile of human bones and a skull. She knows this is the real reason her family fled Baneberry Hall.
From House of Horrors - Day 8
The Holts are at the Two Pines Motor Lodge. Jess threatens their realtor for not disclosing the house's problems. Officer Alcott informs them the snakes were harmless, and they can return home. Back at Baneberry Hall, Jess summarizes their feelings: "Fuck this house."
Chapter 11: The Indigo Room
Maggie sits on the porch as state police investigate Baneberry Hall, now a crime scene. Chief Alcott tells Maggie they won't have a positive ID on the remains for a day or two, but Maggie states with certainty that it's Petra Ditmer. Alcott reveals the body was hidden under loose floorboards in the Indigo Room and asks Maggie if her father was capable of murder. Maggie's inability to say "no" fills her with guilt. As the police carry the skeleton out, Hannah Ditmer arrives, demanding to know if they found her sister. Chief Alcott allows the bag to be unzipped, and Hannah stares at the bones.
Key Events
- Maggie and Dane discover Polaroids that appear to corroborate events from House of Horrors.
- Maggie learns Petra Ditmer vanished on the same night her family fled Baneberry Hall.
- An intruder breaks into the house, reenacting a scene from the book.
- The kitchen ceiling collapses, revealing a human skeleton.
- Maggie identifies the remains as Petra Ditmer's, turning her investigation into a murder mystery.
Character Development
- Maggie Holt: Maggie's belief that her father's book was pure fiction is shattered. She must confront the possibility that her father was a killer.
- Dane Hibbets: Dane becomes Maggie's confidant and ally, sharing his experience with the "uncanny."
- Ewan Holt (in House of Horrors): Ewan becomes increasingly paranoid and hides frightening truths from his family.
- Jess Holt (in House of Horrors): Jess's composure is destroyed by the snake incident, foreshadowing her trauma.
Themes & Symbols
- Truth vs. Fiction and the Unreliability of Narrative: The Polaroids suggest the book has a basis in reality, while the pet cemetery shows how Ewan twisted facts. The skeleton reveals that the ghost story was a cover for murder.
- The Past Haunting the Present: The discovery of Petra's bones unearths the past. The "ghoul" demonstrates how the fictional past terrorizes the present.
- Family Secrets and Their Consequences: Ewan's lies tore his family apart and left his daughter to uncover the secret.
- The Skeleton: Represents "skeletons in the closet" and the dark secret Baneberry Hall has kept hidden.
- The Sound of Music: The song "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" becomes a sinister motif, echoing Petra Ditmer's murder.
Key Quotes
"You're going to die here."
This quote, whispered by Mister Shadow in Maggie's nightmare, foreshadows the danger she faces and the dark secrets hidden within Baneberry Hall. The line blurs the line between dream and reality, suggesting a supernatural presence or a deeply buried memory resurfacing.
"Fuck this house."
Jess's blunt statement encapsulates the family's trauma and their desperate desire to escape the horrors of Baneberry Hall. It marks a turning point where the house transforms from a home into a symbol of fear and dread.
Significance
This section marks the novel's turning point, transforming the narrative into a murder mystery. The discovery of the skeleton changes Maggie's quest, and she must investigate a murder in which her father is the prime suspect. The parallel narratives of the ceiling collapse contrast visceral horror with the reality of human violence.
Analysis
Riley Sager uses the dual-narrative structure to build suspense and dramatic irony. Events from Ewan's book are echoed in Maggie's present-day timeline, blurring the lines between the past and present. The book chapters serve as a distorted roadmap for Maggie, providing clues that are a mixture of truth and misdirection. Sager also employs classic gothic tropes to heighten the atmosphere. The novel constantly plays with the theme of Supernatural vs. Psychological Horror, grounding the story's horror in human evil.