Debbie Hunter sits in her garden, now a cage of her own making, contemplating her life as a social outcast after her husband Dave Hunter's suicide. She is trapped, unable to publicly mourn a child killer, yet equally unable to appear happy about his death. Little does anyone know, however, that the truth is far more twisted than anyone imagines.
Chapter 56: Debbie
Debbie reflects on meeting Dave, admitting she exploited his guilt to bind him to her. She then reveals the novel's central secret: she, not Dave, is the killer. Dave knew about her murders but, terrified of being alone, chose to become her accomplice. He accepted her compulsion to "protect the vulnerable" on the condition that he didn't have to know the details. His role was to clean the bodies and store them in suitcases at the warehouse, a method they devised to avoid burying them separately.
Debbie also reveals the truth about her own parents. After escaping their abusive home, her grandparents took her in. Years later, her grandmother confessed that her grandfather and his friends murdered Debbie's parents to ensure they could never harm another child, making Debbie a third-generation killer. This revelation reinforced Debbie's belief that even good people can kill out of necessity, justifying her actions. The theme of Nature vs. Nurture is starkly presented as Debbie sees her murderous instincts as inherited. The chapter concludes with Debbie preparing for a clandestine visit from a mysterious guest, the "only light in my darkness," whom she eagerly awaits. This entire chapter is a confession built on the theme of Family Secrets and Lies.
Chapter 57: Mia
On a delayed train home, Mia's mind races, replaying the events in the warehouse. Prompted by conversations with the police liaison officer, Mark Goodwin, she scrutinizes her witness statement. She realizes that despite the overwhelming evidence, Dave never explicitly confessed to being the killer. This inconsistency gnaws at her, as does a deviation in the victims' pattern: the case of siblings Tanya and William, who disappeared together in 1990. Tanya's body was found in a suitcase, but her infant brother, William, was never found. This break from the killer's otherwise meticulous habits seems significant to Mia, who knows Dave was a creature of habit.
The theme of The Past Haunting the Present drives Mia's investigation as she refuses to let these inconsistencies go. While looking through old photos on her iPad, she stumbles upon the video she recorded in the attic on the day the suitcases were discovered. She had dropped her phone during the fall, but it continued recording from its position on the edge of the loft hatch. Watching the footage for the first time, Mia sees the shocking truth: just before she falls, the video clearly shows Debbie shaking the ladder. The realization that Debbie intentionally tried to harm her and Sonny Hunter confirms Mia's growing suspicion that there is more to the story than anyone knows.
Chapter 58: Mia
Mia arranges to meet Finn Hunter in a park, the tension palpable. She confronts him with two explosive pieces of information. First, she shows him the video of his mother shaking the ladder. Finn immediately becomes defensive, insisting Debbie was trying to steady it, not cause the fall. Unfazed, Mia moves to her second point. She explains that Dave never actually confessed and brings up a strange phrase he used in the warehouse: "I let Debbie keep the baby she always wanted." Mia presents her terrifying theory: that Finn is not their biological son and was taken from another family.
Finn reacts with anger and disbelief, dismissing her ideas as delusional. It is then that Mia reveals the full extent of her investigation. She tells him she couldn't let the idea go and, acting on her own, sent samples from Dave's electric razor and hairs from Finn's and Debbie's belongings to a lab for DNA testing. The theme of Manipulation and Control is evident as Mia takes control of the narrative, forcing a truth that Finn is not ready to face.
Chapter 59: Finn
From Finn's perspective, the world collapses. He is furious at Mia for going behind his back and ordering a DNA test, viewing it as a cruel and calculated attack. He accuses her of being vindictive and tries to push the envelope containing the results away, desperate to cling to the reality he has always known. He is crying without realizing it, completely overwhelmed by the implications of what Mia is suggesting.
Eventually, he succumbs to the inevitable and opens the envelope. The lab report is clinical and devastating: the probability of paternity for both David Hunter and Debbie Hunter is zero percent. As Finn processes this, Mia connects the final dots for him. She explains that the police may now have grounds to conduct an official test comparing his DNA to the family of William Brown, the infant boy who went missing in 1990 and whose sister was one of the suitcase victims. The realization that his entire life is a lie is too much for Finn to bear. He explodes in a torrent of grief and rage, screaming at Mia to shut up and leave him alone before storming away, his identity completely shattered.
Chapter 60: Debbie
Debbie sits in her car, having secretly followed Finn and spied on his meeting with Mia. Her perspective is dangerously warped; she completely misinterprets their tense, emotional exchange as a romantic reconciliation. Seeing them talk and hold hands (when Mia was trying to comfort him), she is consumed by a toxic mix of rage and disappointment. She believes Mia is once again manipulating her son and will turn him against her, cutting her off from her grandson, Sonny.
Debbie's paranoia spirals as she convinces herself that Mia is a neglectful and abusive mother, inventing evidence of nappy rash, malnourishment, and bruises to justify her fears. Believing she must intervene to "protect" Finn and Sonny, she feels her old murderous urge return—the need to take control and help those who cannot help themselves. She decides that Mia must be stopped permanently. The chapter ends with Debbie making a phone call she "never considered might be necessary," faking tears to convey her distress to the person on the other end, setting a sinister new plan in motion.
EXCERPT FROM AN INTERVIEW IN NORWEGIAN NEWSPAPER AFTENPOSTEN An interview with a Norwegian café owner describes a couple who visited his village regularly. He notes they seemed normal but expresses shock and horror at what "he" did to another person, calling it "inconceivably cruel."
Key Events Unfold
- Debbie's Confession: Debbie reveals she is the serial killer, and Dave was her unwilling accomplice.
- The Ladder Incident: Mia discovers video footage proving Debbie intentionally shook the ladder.
- The DNA Revelation: Mia confronts Finn with DNA results proving Dave and Debbie are not his biological parents.
- Finn's True Identity: Mia and Finn realize he is almost certainly William Brown, an infant kidnapped in 1990.
- Debbie's Misinterpretation: Debbie spies on Mia and Finn and, believing they are reconciling, decides Mia must be eliminated.
Character Development
- Debbie Hunter: She is revealed as the true villain, a manipulative, narcissistic killer with a warped moral code. Her paranoia intensifies, driving her to plot against Mia.
- Mia: She transforms from a traumatized victim into a determined investigator, uncovering crucial evidence and bravely confronting Finn.
- Finn Hunter: His entire identity is deconstructed, moving from denial to devastation as he accepts his life is a lie.
- Dave Hunter: He is re-characterized as a deeply damaged figure, manipulated by Debbie and complicit in her crimes out of fear.
Themes & Symbols
Family Secrets and Lies: The truth about Debbie's murders, Dave's complicity, and Finn's true parentage comes to light, revealing the family unit as a facade built on abduction and murder.
Nature vs. Nurture: Debbie's claim to be a "third-generation killer" supports the "nature" argument, viewing her violent tendencies as an inescapable inheritance.
Manipulation and Control: Debbie's mastery of manipulation is laid bare, controlling Dave through guilt and fear, and plotting violence when she loses control over Finn.
Why This Matters
These chapters mark a turning point, with the reveal that Debbie is the killer completely reframing the narrative. The confirmation of Finn's true identity shatters the family's foundation, shifting the conflict to surviving a present threat. Debbie's decision to target Mia sets up the final confrontation.
Key Quotes
"I let Debbie keep the baby she always wanted."
Dave's cryptic words, now brought to light, hint at the dark secret of Finn's true identity. This quote encapsulates the twisted dynamic between Dave and Debbie, where Dave's guilt and fear led him to become complicit in her crimes.
"Protect the vulnerable."
This is Debbie's twisted justification for her heinous actions. She sees herself as a righteous protector, ridding the world of those she deems harmful to children, showcasing her warped moral compass and delusional self-perception.
Analysis
John Marrs uses shifting perspectives to build suspense. By revealing Debbie's guilt to the reader, he creates tension as Mia and Finn slowly piece together the truth. Debbie's point-of-view is an example of an unreliable narrator; the reader knows her interpretation of Finn and Mia's meeting is wrong, making her decision all the more terrifying. The Norwegian newspaper clipping injects dread, leaving the reader to wonder how the characters end up there and what new horror is about to unfold.