This is not a review. If you’d like to read my review, check out this page.
This page is literally just to provide the proof behind my reasoning for knowing which character was involved by the end of Chapter 10.
This is directly tied to my review on this page so if you’re confused, that’s probably why. 😂
So this book was chosen for book club and we always split our books into 4 smaller sections to make it easier for the whole group to read together. Anyway, the first week we read Chapters 1-10 and I had already come to the conclusion that Michael, the jerk brother, was involved. I didn’t know exactly how he was involved yet, but I knew he was a part of everything. Let me explain why.
1. The time period
We learn right off the bat that Bryan (Beth, Michael, and Nicole’s dad) left/disappeared 7 years ago without a trace. Do you know how long ago Michael left town without ever looking back? 7 years. Pretty suspicious. Maybe he took the disappearance hard and just couldn’t bring himself to come back. I don’t know.
2. He’s an ass
Now is this a clue that he was involved? Probably not. But I do find that it was easier to dislike him because of his attitude/personality and want him to be guilty, so I’m adding it to my reasoning. From his first chapter, he clearly thinks he’s better than everyone in that small town. He thinks everyone is jealous of him for getting out and being rich and yada yada. No one cares, Michael. Get over yourself.
3. His response upon arrival
His mom was dead by the time he arrived and his first question was “Did she say anything before she passed?” Hm…suspicious. He’s less concerned with her being dead and more concerned with something she may have said on her death bad.
4. The will
This is what really made me realize that he was probably involved. In their mom’s will, which they knew nothing about, we learn that Beth was left the house and whatnot, Nicole was left the car and journals, but Michael? He was left only his father’s things, aside from the few things his sisters chose to keep. Seemed intentional.
We also learn that while Beth was struggling to help her mom pay bills in the end, Michael had apparently been depositing $2,000 into an account for his mom every month, which she never used. But in her will, she wanted all that $132,000 to go to the Missing Persons Foundation, which seemed to really piss Michael off. It felt like it was kind of a slap to the face for him.
My Conclusion
So while none of that information is concrete, it was enough for me to make a decision by the end of Chapter 10. Michael left 7 years ago when his dad disappeared, the money he gave to his mom went unused despite being unable to pay all her bills and was instead donated to the Missing Persons Foundation, and the only thing he was given was all of his missing dad’s belongings.
Now if you’ve read the book, you know there’s more to the story. But I was able to deduce early on that Michael was definitely involved.
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