Chapter 43: Amelia
The tension ratchets up as Adam Wright reveals he knows the owner of the remote chapel. Amelia Wright waits anxiously as Adam launches into a theory comparing authors to Gremlins—initially fascinating creatures that can transform into monsters if certain rules are broken, like altering their stories. Finally, he reveals the owner is none other than Henry Winter, a celebrated author of dark tales who has always unnerved Amelia with his piercing blue eyes that seem to penetrate her very being.
Adam explains he recognized the secret study from a press photo Henry provided years ago, pointing out Agatha Christie's former desk and the "giant vanity wall" lined with hundreds of Henry's books. The conversation shifts to Adam's professional break with Henry; he confesses he secretly told Henry he no longer wanted to adapt his books, a decision he kept from Amelia. This enraged Henry, revealing him to Adam as a "selfish, spiteful, and lonely old man." As they process this revelation, Amelia spots her inhaler on Henry's desk, which Adam denies seeing. Deciding to find their dog, Bob, and leave, they are interrupted by Bob's barking outside, confirming he is nearby.
Chapter 44: Adam
Adam and Amelia burst out into the snowy landscape, calling for Bob, but the barking abruptly ceases. Amelia notices the pair of men's wellington boots that had been by the door are now missing, suggesting someone has recently been there and taken their dog. Venturing further, they are confronted by a bizarre and unsettling sight: a figure dressed in a tweed jacket, panama hat, and blue silk bow tie, standing eerily in the snow.
As Adam approaches, he realizes it's not a person but a grotesque scarecrow with a snowman's head, complete with wine cork eyes, a carrot nose, and a pipe. Leaning against it is Henry Winter’s signature walking stick, adorned with a silver rabbit's head handle. Realizing the figure wasn't there before, they deduce that whoever built it must be close by. Their search for Bob leads them to a small cemetery behind the chapel. Most of the gravestones are covered in snow, but one has been deliberately cleared, its dark granite stark against the white. Sitting atop the headstone is Bob's red leather collar. Adam reads the inscription, revealing a shocking truth: HENRY WINTER, FATHER OF ONE, AUTHOR OF MANY. 1937–2018.
Chapter 45: Amelia
The discovery of Henry's grave leaves Amelia and Adam reeling, struggling to comprehend how he could have died two years ago without their knowledge. The situation is further complicated by Adam's revelation that Henry's agent sent him a new manuscript, supposedly from Henry, just last September, fueling the theme of Secrets and Deception. Amelia points out another inconsistency: the headstone reads "father of one," but Adam was certain Henry had no children.
Convinced they are in imminent danger, Adam insists they leave immediately. He barricades the chapel door with a church bench and grabs an axe for self-defense and a shovel to dig out their car. However, their escape is thwarted when they discover all four tires of their car have been slashed—not simple punctures, but large, deliberate gashes. They are trapped, stranded in the isolated chapel.
Chapter 46: Robin
The narrative shifts to Robin's perspective, revealing she is safe and warm in a nearby cottage with Bob. She is the orchestrator of the weekend's events, having deliberately cleared the snow from Henry's headstone for Adam and Amelia to find. The narrative flashes back to Henry's death. Terminally ill, he had called her to the chapel, a frail shadow of his former self.
Henry invited her into his secret study, a room filled with rabbit-themed decor. He revealed he had a pet rabbit he named Robin because "She reminded me of you." He also confessed that, contrary to his public persona, he used a laptop for his writing, with the password "Robin." As he prepared to explain his will and final wishes, he received a letter confirming his last novel was a New York Times bestseller. He asked Robin to fetch a bottle of champagne from the crypt to celebrate. Upon her return, she found Henry dead at his desk, an empty bottle of pills beside him. He had died happy, looking at his final achievement. Ignoring his instructions to be cremated and to inform certain people of his death, Robin buried him in the cemetery herself and kept his death a secret from the world. She found his unfinished manuscript on his laptop, implying she took it upon herself to continue his work, a significant development in the theme of Truth, Fiction, and Storytelling.
Bronze: Eighth Anniversary Letter
This section presents an anniversary letter from Amelia to Adam, dated February 29th, 2016. It exposes the deep fractures in their relationship, a clear exploration of Marriage and Betrayal. Amelia confesses to spending a lot of time with a female friend from work and contemplating leaving Adam, who makes her feel "invisible" and "not good enough." She recounts a weekend when Henry Winter stayed at their home unannounced, making her so uncomfortable that she fled to stay with her friend.
Upon her return, Adam seemed more concerned with her new haircut than where she had been. However, he showed his vulnerability by asking her to be the first to read his new screenplay, admitting her opinion "mattered most." This moment of connection leads to a high-stakes game of rock, paper, scissors to decide the future of their marriage. In a tense three-round game, Adam wins, and they agree to stay together. The letter concludes with the anniversary gifts they exchanged. Amelia gave Adam a bronze statue of a leaping rabbit, referencing a proverb: If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one. Adam gave her a bronze compass with the inscription, So you can always find your way back to me. The gifts symbolize their conflicting perspectives on their marriage: her feeling that he is divided in his affections, and his feeling that she is lost.
Key Events
- Henry's Identity Revealed: Adam identifies the chapel as belonging to Henry Winter.
- The Falling Out: Adam admits he secretly ended his professional relationship with Henry.
- The Scarecrow: Adam and Amelia discover a bizarre snowman-scarecrow effigy of Henry Winter outside.
- Henry's Death: They find Henry's gravestone in the cemetery, revealing he died two years prior in 2018.
- Trapped: They discover all four tires of their car have been slashed, leaving them stranded.
- Robin's Role: Robin is revealed as the mastermind, holding Bob captive and manipulating events from a nearby cottage.
- Robin's Backstory: A flashback details Robin's close relationship with Henry, her presence at his death, and her decision to keep his death a secret and continue his literary legacy.
- The Marriage Game: An anniversary letter reveals Adam and Amelia's marriage was once saved by a single game of rock, paper, scissors.
Character Development
- Adam Wright: His idolization of Henry Winter shatters as he recalls their falling out. His confession reveals a pattern of keeping significant secrets from Amelia. He is rendered helpless by the discovery of Henry's death and the slashed tires.
- Amelia Wright: Her deep-seated fear of Henry Winter is established. The anniversary letter provides a profound look into her unhappiness, her emotional affair, and the fragility of her marriage.
- Robin: Robin transforms from a mysterious figure into the story's primary antagonist. Her intelligence, meticulous planning, and deep, complex connection to Henry are revealed.
- Henry Winter: Though deceased, his character is fleshed out significantly through Adam's and Robin's memories. He is portrayed as a reclusive, obsessive, and difficult man, but also as lonely and vulnerable.
Themes & Symbols
- The Inescapable Past: Henry's death, his past relationship with Robin, and Adam and Amelia's marital history all converge in the present.
- Identity and Misperception: Henry cultivated a false public persona, which Robin now maintains. Adam misperceived his idol, and the anniversary letter shows how Adam and Amelia fundamentally misperceive each other's needs and feelings.
- Revenge and Justice: Robin's elaborate plan is clearly a form of revenge or a quest for a certain kind of justice related to Henry's life and death.
- The Scarecrow-Snowman: This grotesque effigy symbolizes Henry himself—a constructed, artificial figure put on display.
- Rabbits: The rabbit motif is heavily reinforced, symbolizing obsession, secrets, and the idea of being hunted or trapped.
- Rock, Paper, Scissors: The game is elevated from a simple tradition to a powerful symbol of fate and choice.
Significance
This section marks a significant turning point, where the psychological tension of a failing marriage collides with the conventions of a thriller. The revelation of Henry Winter's death and Robin's role shifts the narrative focus from marital problems to survival. The flashbacks provided by Robin and the anniversary letter supply crucial backstory and motivation. The mystery is no longer just about marital secrets but about a years-long deception surrounding a famous author's death, with Adam and Amelia now trapped as pawns in Robin's endgame.
Analysis
Alice Feeney masterfully uses a multi-layered narrative structure to deliver a series of shocking reveals. The juxtaposition of the present-day timeline with two different forms of flashback creates a rich, complex tapestry of secrets and motivations. This structure allows Feeney to control the flow of information, building suspense by showing the immediate threat through Adam and Amelia's eyes before explaining the history behind it through Robin's. The anniversary letter is a brilliant use of the epistolary form, providing an intimate and seemingly honest confession from Amelia that exposes the rot at the core of her marriage. The symbolism employed enhances the story's gothic, unsettling atmosphere.
Key Quotes
"HENRY WINTER, FATHER OF ONE, AUTHOR OF MANY. 1937–2018"
The inscription on Henry's gravestone is a pivotal moment, revealing his death and setting off a chain of revelations. The "father of one" detail immediately raises questions, given Adam's belief that Henry had no children, adding another layer of mystery to the already complex situation.
"If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one."
Amelia's gift of the bronze rabbit statue, referencing this proverb, speaks volumes about her perception of Adam's divided attention and loyalties. It encapsulates her frustration with his inability to fully commit to their marriage, hinting at the underlying tensions that threaten to tear them apart.