These chapters delve into the minds of multiple characters, revealing the killer's twisted past and Mia's present-day struggle with the horrifying truth. Finn's deceitful nature is exposed, and Mia takes a crucial step toward confronting her trauma, setting the stage for a dramatic confrontation with the secrets that surround her.
Chapter 21: Eighteen Years Earlier
Dave Hunter, the killer, instructs an apprentice on his methods. He drives past a housing estate, explaining his focus on neglected children from lower-income areas, where their disappearances are less likely to be noticed. Dave emphasizes operational security, such as avoiding cameras and destroying clothing to eliminate DNA evidence, highlighting the theme of Manipulation and Control. He recalls his childhood and his brother, George Lewis, whom he remembers wanting to join the army. A private investigator found no proof of George's existence, leading Dave to question if his brother was real.
When the apprentice asks why he strangles his victims, Dave gives a clinical answer about its efficiency, internally relishing the physical sensation. They arrive at a council estate and spot a neglected boy playing alone. Dave sees this as an act of salvation, protecting the boy from parents like his own, a twisted justification that speaks to the theme of Nature vs. Nurture. He refuses the apprentice's request to watch the murder, calling it "too personal," but feels a sense of kinship with his new partner. The chapter concludes with a documentary excerpt, where a detective discusses the investigation and the discovery of more bodies, and a suspect found with a slashed throat, foreshadowing a violent end.
Chapter 22: Mia, 2019
The narrative shifts to Mia in the present, who is spiraling into depression. She feels disconnected from her husband, Finn Hunter, and their baby, Sonny Hunter, even asking Finn to sleep on the sofa with the child. While grateful for her mother-in-law Debbie Hunter's help, Mia is consumed by guilt and paranoia. The trauma of discovering the bodies has made her terrified for Sonny's safety, and she refuses to post any pictures of him online.
Mia spends her nights obsessively researching the murders, a secret that highlights the theme of Family Secrets and Lies. She reads books on serial killers, hoping to understand the motivations of the person who committed the crimes in her home. Her obsession is a clear example of The Past Haunting the Present. A news alert informs her that a second victim has been identified: Frankie Holmes. Mia is shocked to see a picture of his sister, Lorna, a woman she knew from university, and an idea begins to form.
Chapter 23: Finn
Finn's perspective reveals his deception. He is in bed with another woman, admitting he and Mia would likely not be together if she hadn't gotten pregnant. He feels detached from Mia's mental state, acknowledging her postnatal depression, but dismisses his mother's suggestion to medicate her to make her "more manageable." He claims to want the independent woman he married back, yet his actions show his priority is maintaining his own freedom.
After leaving his mistress's house, Finn returns to the Annexe, claiming he was on an emergency plumbing call-out. He is aware of Mia's obsession with the murders because he secretly monitors her internet history through their shared account, underscoring his manipulative nature. Seeing a light on in Mia's room, he assumes she is researching the killings again and decides he is "too tired for her," choosing to sleep on the sofa.
Chapter 24: Mia
Mia travels to Berkhamsted to meet Lorna Holmes, the sister of the victim Frankie. Having lied to Finn and Debbie about her plans, she feels nervous but determined. Lorna and her parents, Pat and Frankie Snr., welcome Mia, thanking her for bringing their son's fate to light. They describe the devastating impact of Frankie's disappearance, which tore the soul from their family and left them in a state of suspended grief for forty years. Pat shows Mia a family album that stops abruptly after Frankie vanished, containing no photos of their daughter, Lorna.
The visit is emotionally wrenching for Mia, but it serves its purpose. By meeting the family and seeing their profound, lifelong pain, she begins to humanize the victims. This experience forces her to confront the value of her own child and her role as a mother. She realizes how fortunate she is to have Sonny and understands she cannot overcome her depression and trauma on her own. Mia resolves to seek professional help and decides there is one more place she must visit to find closure.
Chapter 25: Twenty Years Ago
The story flashes back to Dave's perspective, twenty years ago in a derelict flat in Sheffield. He has just murdered a young, neglected girl and placed her body in a suitcase. He views his act as "creating beauty" and saving the child from a miserable life. His actions are ritualistic; he meticulously stages the scene, clearing a space around the suitcase to "frame" the image, a technique he learned from his father. His father's words about controlling a viewer's focus and burning an image into their memory echo in his mind.
Dave's thoughts drift to his own childhood, recalling his educated father, his isolation, and a boy named Martin Hamilton who "tore our family apart." As he prepares to leave, a ray of light illuminates a painting of Jesus on the wall. Dave scoffs at the idea of forgiveness, instead believing that Jesus should be the one asking for his forgiveness for having ignored the suffering of children like him and his victims.
Character Development
- Dave Hunter: Dave sees himself as a savior, not a murderer, guided by a twisted ideology born from his traumatic childhood and his father's disturbing lessons. The introduction of an apprentice shows his need for validation.
- Mia: Mia hits rock bottom, pushing her family away while obsessing over the murders. Meeting the Holmes family marks a turning point, as she moves from passive suffering to active recovery.
- Finn Hunter: Finn is exposed as selfish and deceitful, confirming his infidelity and revealing his manipulative nature as he spies on Mia to protect his secrets.
Themes & Symbols
The chapters explore the pervasive influence of the past, the weight of family secrets, and the insidious nature of manipulation.
- The Past Haunting the Present: Dave's murders reenact his childhood experiences, Mia is trapped by the history of her house, and the Holmes family remains in a state of grief.
- Family Secrets and Lies: The Hunter family is built on secrets, from Finn's infidelity to Mia's obsessive research. Dave's hidden identity as the killer is the ultimate secret.
- Manipulation and Control: Dave's meticulous planning and Finn's surveillance of Mia exemplify the characters' need for control.
Dave's belief that he is saving children reflects his own upbringing, highlighting the theme of Nature vs. Nurture. The suitcases symbolize Dave's ritualistic framing of his victims, transforming murder into a grotesque art form.
Key Quotes
"It was too personal, he said. A moment of creation. A moment of pure, unadulterated beauty."
Dave's description of the murder as a "moment of creation" reveals his delusion and warped sense of artistry. He sees himself as an artist, crafting a perfect image through violence.
"She was grateful for Debbie’s help, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched, judged."
Mia's paranoia reflects her growing unease and isolation. She feels trapped and scrutinized, unable to escape the shadow of the murders and the secrets surrounding her.
Significance
These chapters are crucial for character revelations and escalating tension. They establish the conflicts: Mia's trauma versus the threat of her father-in-law, and the decay in her marriage. Access to Dave's and Finn's thoughts creates dramatic irony, while Mia's decision to seek help marks a pivotal shift in her character arc.